Jalopnik: motor home

DOTS-O-Rama Sunday, San Francisco Edition: Vixen 21 TD, Plus Bonus Mopar Deathwagon

Murilee Martin — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST

This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out street-parked vehicles located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. We continue the San Francisco fun with this BMW-powered RV.

Akier found this 80s Vixen 21 TD (more info on this futuristic RV may be found at the Vixen Owner's Association site) in San Francisco, then added some shots of an extremely evil Burning Man-style early-70s Chrysler product he found across the bay in Oakland. Here's what he has to say about these fine street-parked machines:

Hey Murilee! I saw a Vixen today. At first I thought I'd jumped 400 years (light-years?) into the future, but then I realized it was just an RV, albeit one with a DeLorean connection and a rear-mounted BMW diesel motor! Cool huh? This one was in Cole Valley.

And I was in my stomping grounds, Temescal, when I saw this Mopar Deathwagen on the street. Rust, primer, and Roland electronics combine to form the world's most prototypical Burning-Man-pseudo-fascist-Mad-Max-reject-rolling-art-concept. Adina of Adina's Car World, the shop it was parked at, claimed "the flamethrowers were currently inoperative." Thank the maker!

Sorry for the craptacular photo quality. I think my iPhone has a congenital lens defect. Enjoy!

And, thanks to our all-knowing commenters, it turns out that the Mopar Deathwagon is famous, having appeared on the cover of Information Society's 1990 album, Hack:

DOTS FAQ

1970s Apollo Motorhome

Murilee Martin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. Since I started doing Down On The Street, I've been hoping to find an old street-parked Airstream for the series. There are a few on the island, but they're stubborn driveway dwellers, never venturing out into fair DOTS territory. However, a Hell Project Apollo motorhome, parked with most of its windows removed in an upscale East End neighborhood full of million-buck Victorians is almost as good!

I can't figure out the date of manufacture of this monster, other than placing it sometime in the 1970s; this Apollo fan site provides some history for you vintage RV buffs. Apparently the Chrysler 440 was a popular engine for Apollos, but I must assume that one this big requires the torque of a diesel to get it rolling.

As for rolling, this Apollo seems to be undergoing some sort of restoration. It's a newcomer to the neighborhood, so it stands to reason that it drove here under its own power... or maybe it was dragged in behind a tow truck, much to the horror of the neighborhood. Let's hope the owner gets the windows- or at least some tarps- in it before the rainy season gets rolling for real.

First 300 DOTS Vehicles • DOTS FAQ

The GMC Motorhome: A Retrospective

Andrew Stoy — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EDT

It's been 30 years since a GMC Motorhome last rolled off the production line in Pontiac, MI, and the RV geeks at SQUOB have assembled a collection of ads, images and commentary to celebrate. This icon of the 1970s was piloted by everyone from Barbie to Captain America and revolutionized the RV industry with its FWD Toronado-based powertrain. The recession of the late '70s killed the GMC Motorhome off after just six years of production, but collectors and a cult following have ensured that many of the 13,000 units produced are still on the road. We'll take ours in malaise brown and green, please. [SQUOB]

Fleetwood Southwind RV Has Diesel Bus Looks, Gas Appetite

Andrew Stoy — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Recreational vehicle manufacturer Fleetwood, ignoring bad news about the motorhome industry, released the 2009 Southwind Class A gas RV in Minnesota last week. Apparently designed for folks who really want a Prevost coach but don't quite have the scratch, the Southwind packs the looks and luxury of a bus into a front-engine chassis powered by either a Ford 6.8-liter Triton V10 or an 8.1-liter Vortec from GM. Of course, you're gonna want to have a gas card with a healthy limit. Full release below the jump.

2009 Brings New Look and Luxurious Features to Fleetwood's Popular Southwind Class A Gas Motor Home
RIVERSIDE, Calif., July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Fleetwood Enterprises' RV Group, a leading producer of recreational vehicles, announced the release of its 2009 Southwind Class A gas motor home, which was unveiled to consumers during FMCA's summer rally in St. Paul, Minn. last week.

2009 marks a lifecycle change for Southwind that includes new contemporary front and rear cap designs, one-piece windshield, and automotive dashboard with iPod docking station.

"The 2009 Southwind has a whole new look — both inside and out — designed to appeal to RVers looking for a more luxurious gas motor home," said Paul Eskritt, President of Fleetwood's RV Group. "In St. Paul, customers and dealers openly expressed their enthusiasm about the modern interior decor, wealth of amenities and the overall style of Southwind, so we are excited to see how it does in the marketplace."

Interior highlights on the 2009 Southwind include power front privacy shade and curtains, color rear-vision system with optional side-view cameras, new cabinet and drawer hardware styling, overhead and bedroom LCD TVs, and home theater system.

Exterior highlights include hydraulic leveling system by Power Gear(R), 30"-wide entry door, side-swing luggage doors in most basement locations, and beautiful DuPont(R) full-body paint.

This fall, the 2009 Southwind offering will expand to include a new curb-side, full-wall-slide floor plan (35J). This beautiful model features a 32" mid-ship LCD TV; 26" LCD TV in the bedroom, a spacious dressing area; large walk-thru bath; and optional 12-foot, u-shaped, mega-lounge/dinette.

For more information about the 2009 Southwind, or any Fleetwood RV products, please call 1-800-322-8216 or visit http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/.

[Source: PRNewswire]

1957 International Metro Motor Home Could Make Anyone Into Hunter S. Thompson

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EDT

After bright red Cadillac El Dorados and desert racers, we can imagine no other vehicle more capable of evoking gonzo journalistic activities than this International Motorhome. Sure it's a little rusty now, and this particular model would require the addition of a very powerful engine and multiple drug cabinets, but it's there, lurking beneath that perfectly patina'd yellow paint — the call of the open road. This gem is practically begging for misadventure and with only a day left it's going for a scant $1,047.22. Someone needs to get this before we do.

[eBay Listing]

Live the Life, In a School Bus Camper

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:45:00 EST

We've all daydreamed about it at least a little. Thumbing our noses at the man, tossing out all our worldly possessions and hitting the open road for good, throwing caution to the wind. Then by accident you pick up an Auto Trader and flip to see page after page of dirt cheap Blue Bird school buses just waiting to enable that fantasy. Well Jake Von Slatt didn't quite go that far, but he has provided a very helpful step by step on how to convert your own bus into a rolling abode. With some ingenuity and help from a couple of friend, John transformed a decommissioned diesel pusher and built his own home away from home for about $5,200.

Recycling as much as he could, and using common materials, Jake seems to have created a pretty comfortable setup, heck, it may even be bigger than our apartment. Plus, if you don't like the view or the neighbors are yelling at their kids at 7am to "GET ON THAT POTTY", you can simply pick up and move again. We'll be bookmarking this one for that time when the lashings raining down on us from our Wertian overlord become too intense to bear. [Jake's School Bus]

Project Car Hell: You Could Live In It Edition

Murilee Martin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST

With yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, most of the commenters seemed to prefer the Pinto, yet 55% of voters went with the Vega. What does that mean? It means that you'll need the appropriate mobile domicile to go with your little V8-powered deathtrap, since you'll want to adopt the life of a ramblin' man (or woman). See, when that open road starts to calling you, and there's something o'er that hill that you've got to see, you need to start shopping for motorhomes! And, since this is Hell, you don't get a nice motorhome where everything works- you have a three-figure budget and lots of repairs to make! We can all thank Mad Science for the "You Could Live In It" idea.

Space is at a premium when you're goin' mobile, and to have room for your toast and tea and tape machine you'll need a big machine. Really big. That's why we've found this 36-foot Chrysler 440-powered motorhome, located in the picturesque nuke-test fallout-saturated southwestern corner of Utah. The seller doesn't bother to mention the manufacturer's name, though you won't care about that when you hear the price: 600 bucks! It's got only 25,608 miles on the clock and, while the seller's description leaves some open questions about mechanical condition, you figure a 440/Torqueflite 727 combo should be pretty easy to get into shape. There is "a little roof damage" (and I should interject at this point my hard-earned observation- gained from having lived in a rickety camping trailer for several years- that there is no such thing as a minor roof leak in something like this) and it needs a "heck of a cleaning" (possible translation: red phosphorus and ephedrine byproducts- not to mention neptunium-237 from the nearby tailings piles- saturating all interior materials), so you'd need to be a carpenter, metalworker, and hazmat expert to whip this beauty back into shape. But when you're done- luxury with Mopar big-block powah!

When you're rolling from town to town in your new peripatetic lifestyle, you need to have style. You need to roll in something different, so the locals will give you the respect you deserve as you hit the honky-tonks. While a gigantic box-shaped motorhome might give you superior comfort and room for a big TV, you'd feel much cooler in this 1951 Cadillac-based rig. You'll need to pay an extra $200 over the cost of the behemoth, but it's clearly worth every red cent. You may have some questions at this point. Does it run? Does it stop? Turn? What's the rear suspension setup? What's the interior like? How do you get to the driver's seat? Does anything work? The seller doesn't think you need to know that stuff, and that's good enough for us! It's a homemade 1951 Cadillac motorhome, buddy! What more do you need, an engraved invitation? Imagine slapping a ten-gallon hat on your dome, putting some Ray Price on the AM, and letting that Cadillac 331 engine (if that's what it still has; for all we know it may have an Iron Duke out of a Citation) purr along as you head to new adventures!

Maker of Huge-Ass RVs Considers Hybrid, Hydrogen-Assisted Powerplant

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:04:11 EDT

Whether you're an elderly couple who've cashed in their 401K, sold the house and hit the road, or you're the bass player in an up-and-coming indie-rock band trying to ditch that chick with the braided nether region, you know Kingsley Coach. They're a maker of high-end RVs built on heavy-duty platforms. Now the company says it's considering a hybrid or hydrogen-assisted version of its 465 horsepower K-3 model — built on a Volvo 780 chassis — making it the first hybrid RV model on the market. According to a story on Green Car Congress, Kingsley will pursue a system that's either hybrid-electric or hydrogen injection to improve gas mileage while cutting emissions. And to run internal bass amps, foot massagers and George Foreman grills inside, the company is looking at using solar panels to replace the current LPG-fueled generator. Now grandma and gramps can make it all the way from Sun Valley to Key West without spending down their principle. [Green Car Congress]

Explain Your Nomadism

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:40:00 EDT

Today's question comes to us courtesy of commenter AdamSonar and it reads like this:

In line with the 'living in a van tips' post you had a while back and today's '$100k NY parking space' post [Ed Note: $250k parking space], I'd like to know:
If fallen upon by hard times or suddenly compelled to live a nomadic lifestyle, what vehicle would you choose for your modern day Conestoga wagon? A Westfalia? Bonneville ready caravan? An RS6 Avant with Airstream in tow? Pimped out Dodge Sprinter? Old 912 with overstuffed luggage rack? Some manner of 60s compact van? One off custom job? The mind wobbles.

Speak for your own mind, Mr. Sonar. We who exist in the form of Jalopnik are quite steady on this issue. We convert all of our worldly assets into the only material that will be worth anything after the apocalypse – gold bullion and crystal meth – and bury it in a school bus in the desert. And of course police and patrol our booty in a Lybian military-sepc LM002. No, seriously, Spinelli makes us conduct drills. Viva la Methlabham. You?

[Jalopnik's Question of the Day enjoys long walks on the beach. Have a question you need answered? Email suggestions to tips@jalopnik.com with the subject line "QOTD"]

What's Your Favorite Car Feature?

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:45:00 EDT

When I was 15 years old I went on what was supposed to be a week-long backpacking trip. We cut it short after four days because of mosquitoes. That meant that we had three extra days to kill in a big ol' motorhome before anyone expected us back home. Even better, the dads were collectively sick of driving/listening to me wine about wanting to drive. Thus, I found that little in life is as exciting as piloting a motorhome on your learner's permit. (I loved it about nine million times more than that backpacking garbage.) True, the motorhome didn't look like any of the posters I had up on my walls at the time. But it did have one feature no Countach, Testarossa or Paulina Porizkova ever did – kick-on brights. Yup, like many pre-1980s American cars, the brights went on and off with your left foot, a feature I think should return as mandatory on every vehicle. My 1985 Pontiac wagon had an altimeter (which I loved), but that may or may not have been a dealer install. What's your favorite car feature? And before anyone else calls it, dibs on the windshield-washer pump on 1953 Corvettes, which was also left-foot activated. – Jonny Lieberman

World's Largest Corvair

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:00:00 EDT

The Ultra Van crowns itself as the world's largest production Corvair by way of an aluminum and fiberglass monococque shell wrapped around a Corvair transaxle. As the Ultra Van itself was conceived by aircraft designer David Peterson, the biggest Corvair is more like an aluminum airplane wing in the round than a conventional body-on-frame RV. Only about 370 Ultra Vans were ever produced. 250 of them still roam the roads. The Ultra Van is affectionately known among club members as the whale. This nickname sprang from truckers overheard on a CB radio referring to a caravan of the World's Largest Corvairs as funny little white whales on wheels. Ultra Van, ahoy! Fudgie the whale is still hanging out at your participating Carvel ice cream store. – Mike Bumbeck

[Thanks to Mike for the tip]

The Ultra Van Page [External]

Related:
Corvairs Make the Books in Burbank [Internal]

The Definitive Lodi Vehicular Mishap

Murilee Martin — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:29:24 EST

Back when I had a girlfriend who hailed from the bustling metropolis of Galt, I spent a lot more time than I felt necessary in nearby Lodi. Yes, Lodi, of "Oh lord, stuck in..." fame. During that era, I developed a real appreciation for the concentrated essence-o-Central-Valley surrealism that is life in the self-proclaimed Zinfandel Capitol of the World. Now the folks at the Lodi News have brought us this story that captures that essence in just a few short paragraphs... well, words fail me. Let's just say it features the following crucial elements: Burning motorhome, roller-skating stripper, Coors-Light-can dashboard icon. Read on. – Murilee Martin

Local jazz musician injured after leaping from burning motor home [Lodi News]

Related:
The A-Team Winnebago on eBay! [internal]

Angry RV Pitchman of the Day: What Did He Say?

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:31:56 EST

RV salesmen have a code they live by. Always be ****ing. (NSFW: Language)

[Thanks to Bo for the tip.]

Volkswagen Bug Camper: Please Don't Blame it on the Drugs, Epilogue

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:50:02 EST

Our story continues in the late fall of 2006 in upstate New York. Gary, now 68, puts the Volkswagen Bug camper he inherited from the estate of his lady, Janet, who was killed in a grinding scrapbooking accident, up for sale. "It's all I have left," he says, "If you don't count my collection of jaundice photos and this duffel bag full of obscure tools I won in an impromptu Chinese checkers tournament." The asking price is $20,000. Just enough, Gary says, to pay his debts and fulfill a lifelong dream of opening his very own root cellar. Godspeed, Gary. [Thanks to Matt for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Beetle Bug RV Camp - $16500 [Craigslist]

Motorhome, Now With a One (Small) Car Garage

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 10:57:54 EDT

Tell grandpa his days of pulling his Merc SLK behind the Bluebird are over. The Volkner Mobil mobile home comes with a particularly oddball convenience: an on-board parking space. A hatch below deck of the tour-bus-sized roller is large enough to squeeze in a small vehicle, a few motorcycles or an itinerant poker game. It's currently on display at the Caravan Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Mobile Home— Complete With Garage [Daily Mail (UK) via Autoblog.nl]

Some Mod Cons: The Innovan

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:20:13 EDT

Australians, who've got about six square feet of usable land out of 10 blazillion square miles of real estate, are extremely attuned to the use of space. (Yep, made that one right up.) Nonetheless, the Innovan camper is clearly all about efficency. The unit fits in the back of a full-sized pickup, and blossoms outward — bursting forth in a resplendant array of campsite furnishings in about 30 seconds. Innovan is seeking international distributors and licensees for the design. The company, which is looking for distributors, says it'll cost between $19,000 US and $27,000 US, depending on spec.

The home away from home (with wheels) [Gizmag]

Perfect for Pedro: The GMC MotorHome

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 31 May 2006 22:23:20 EDT

As we were walking back from supper at Louie's Chinese Restaurant #2, we spied a white GMC MotorHome that looked like it'd been painted with a brush. Pedro, with its salt air, light breeze, Southern California sun and "Trespassers Will Be Eaten" signs, is the perfect place for such a vehicle. In fact, it would be the perfect Jalopnik Mobile Command Post, suitable for car shows, races, and anywhere a 455-powered front-drive vehicle that isn't a Toronado may be required. The GMC MotorHome may have slipped down PCH from Malibu Barbie to Pedro Davey, but damn if we're not in lust all over again.

GMC MotorHome.com [Internal]

Related:
Break Like the Wind: Terra Wind [Internal]

What Th'?: BMW Motorhome Edition

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 08:51:56 EDT

Despite that telltale rondel slapped on its rear section, this odd duck is not, say, some prototype 11-Series sedan. It's actually a Vixen 21 RV of late-1980s vintage. A sharp-eyed reader with a cameraphone snapped a roadway shot of one of the rare models, which left the factory powered by a 2.4-liter BMW-sourced turbodiesel producing 115 hp (and — uh oh — a Renault-sourced five-speed manual). That's all it needed, considering it's one of the smallest RVs ever built (it was designed to be "garagable"). The Vixen was the brainchild of ex-executives from GM and DeLorian, William T. Collins and Robert M. Dewey, which of course had nothing to do with the company going bankrupt three years after its first RVs were built in 1986. Vixens sold for between $40,000 and $54,000 during those years, but collectors now routinely pay up to half that for one in good condition. [Thanks to Zack for the shot.]

Vixen RV

Break Like The Wind: Terra Wind

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 11:15:59 EDT

Man, this site rules so much that it's hard to really know where to start with it. Ever since we saw a parade of Amphicars tool down the Sacramento River, we've been smitten with the idea of amphibious vehicles. John and Julie Giljam founded Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International out of a frustration that they couldn't find non-military-surplus amphibious vehicles for their tour company. Now they've got an amphibious RV, a Ford Excursion-based yacht tender, and an LS2-powered amphibious sports car in their lineup, as well as their original design, the Hydra Terra. We've seen the Terra Wind on TV, and the thing is simply mind-boggling.

Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International