Ever had the itch for an RV??
 

Every once in a while I get the urge to get a tent trailer. Or maybe a conversion van. A few years back I picked up a Sidewinder converted Astro van, complete with funky grey velour curtains and green shag carpet. Then I realized that when the seat in the back folds flat, it doesn't actually make for a bed big enough to sleep on unless you are a professional jockey. But then, yesterday, I saw this:

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...psd159df40.jpg

1977 GMC Palm Beach. 455 V8 Olds powered, front wheel drive! Bought new by a local university, they gutted the interior and converted it into a mobile office for campus security. It still has all the desks and chairs inside. In the last 35 years it has racked up, wait for it - 37000 miles. It's up for auction this weekend, unreserved. (Meaning the highest bid will own it, there is no set price to buy it, for those that don't speak auctionese lol). I have to say, as appalling as the FE would be on this thing, I just can't help but picture it going down the road with my Insight on a tow bar hanging off the back! (Think of the regen if I left the key on!! ha ha)

I have tried to curb my V8 habits over the years, but once in a while something so terrible it's great comes along and I find myself really wanting to get it. Please, let me know I am not alone! Some of you get the urge for 8 mpg every once in a while too, right??

I have a major urge to buy a dodge sprinter and convert it for living in. That's more like 20/25 mpg, though. :)

Sprinters are a nice ride. Waaaay out of my price range though. I drove a dually 3500 one around for a day, man you feel ready for anything in a rig like that ha ha.

It's nice, but if I'd buy it I'd perform a Diesel conversion. I used to like V8 gassers when I was a teen, and at that time I already considered ethanol and CNG conversions, but nowadays I avoid engines with more than 6 cylinders at any cost. Unless it's a Chevy LS-series :D

I never would have guessed you'd say that. :p

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I sometimes get the RV itch. Lately I've been thinking ... if I were to do this in, say 5-10 years, what would be a good candidate to mod? And I keep coming back to a 5-speed Mazda 5. Cut out the rooftop, make it a pop-top...

You've got to let us know what this thing sells for.

It's front wheel drive, BUT not much weight on the front wheels. Expect traction problems on anything other than flat, paved, dry roads.

I wonder what MPG it could get if you did something with the roof mounted air conditioner, the rear view mirrors, other aero porn, and a grille block. And that rig is just begging for aero wheel covers. And just how rough is the underside? And ....

Dont go to the auction!!
 

:eek::eek:This thing will likely go very cheap. These things are very tempting cause they are a lot of bang for your buck especially when you sit in them out of the weather and imagine the possibilities. If you can;t afford a Sprinter or a small newer pop top, you deffinatly can't afford this white elephant or is it white and blue....NNNOOOOOO................nuff said...sorry for being blunt but you will thank me some day.....:D

Well I have to go to the auction, that's kinda what I do. Now, as to whether or not I will be able to avoid bidding on it, THAT's a different story lol. One of my lowrider friends saw that pic of it and just about lost it, he apparently loves these things, he has always wanted to make one into a show car/RV with candy paint and crazy interior. So at least if I get carried away and buy it, then come out the ether the next day I have someone I can pawn it off on ha ha.

As for a reasonable RV, I think I saw something you would have dug MetroMPG. It used to sit at a storage lot I keep one old car at, it was from the USA and I don't think they were ever sold here. It was a late '80s Toyota van, 4x4, with a pop top. It wasn't a JDM car, this one was left hand drive, and I seem to remember it was even a 5 speed. Now that would be a sweet, affordable little RV. There used to be a pop top, conversion 4x4 Suburban near where I lived. It was an '89 or so. Something like that would fill my need for 8 mpg on occasion, but would be a lot more useful than the old white whale I posted above. Sadly, I have only ever seen the one.

I always forget about this thing. I bought it last year, 1982 Dodge/Grumman. I thought it would be a good candidate for an RV, as it's a raised roof model. Apparently they were made to be ice cream trucks, hence the high roof and the 1 ton suspension. But this one was never converted, so it doesn't have any side windows. It has a slant 6 Chrysler motor, and it runs on propane. It's all aluminum so I can't imagine it weighs much for it's size. I guess it could be made into something RV ish, though it is a little on the short side.
http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c3d44ba.jpg

Saw one of these once, turned around and met the owner. With the BMW diesel engine they claimed 30 MPG.

regards
Mech

The Vixen RV with a BMW diesel. Sorry I tried to copy and paste the addy but it won't work for me.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fl...1-dscn1266.jpg

Now you are talking ww, here is my one, that green one is a very rare find an 8 footer with a chrysler engine on propane!!!! You are a lucky man. If you go to my album you can have a look at what my interior looks like,

it looks a bit like the Vixen but I don't think this is a Vixen??????

I dig the skirts, and the hammock! Canada Post used to sell all their old ones off at one of the auctions here, they had stuff from the '80s and '90s with short boxes and either a gas powered GM 250 6 cylinder, or a 6.2L diesel. But those didn't have the raised roof, they were "normal" height. They also had some weirdo little Grummans that were powered by a VW non turbo diesel. The first one they ever sold brought a whole $600 because no one knew what the heck it was, or what to do with it, then the dealer that bought it sold it on his lot for $5000, so after that the word got out and the prices went through the roof ha ha.

Possibly it's a Toyota TownAce/LiteAce, the predecessor of the Previa. There's also the HiAce, slightly bigger, which was and still is more popular for those pop-top campervan conversions than the TownAce. Well, with a HiAce it would be easier to get all the functionalities of a small apartment, but with a good planning you could optimize the usage of space in the TownAce...

Ya they were never called that here. In fact, I don't think the Toyota vans of that era had a name, they just had the trim level on the back hatch (LE etc). It was basically a LiteAce, except it was the North American, left hand drive model that had been converted by a third party aftermarket company. I think it was a Get-A-Way conversion. The only other local one I can think of is a Sidewinder, but they have a cool snake on 4 wheels logo, so I would have remembered if it was one of those ha ha.

They were just sold as Toyota Van.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fl...78-640x480.jpg

this is my townace but the one you guys are talking about was the model before this one there are a few around NZ, purpose built campers, it has a little wider back on it, they are jap imports 4x4 townace front end, door on the back corner, poptop, they call them Europa, here. I have often yearned for them when they come up for sale. We still get the townace here new, only it has a nose now and some of them come camperized with pop tops but they are fairly small. The Hiace is very common and likely the best all round in my opinion. as a high top camper, with 2.8 deisel. I would struggle between the pop top or the high top, if and when it came to making a decision. WW I saw a hiace on Vancouver Craig llist, pop top but they wanted a fair amount of money for a 1992 right hand drive.. 16,000. japanese import. likely has low k's

Well they re-ordered some of the cars in the auction last night, the Palm Beach was supposed to run at #198, so around 11:30am this morning as the auction starts at 10am. I got there at 10:05am just to have a look around for any last minute add ons and get a coffee, and there went the Palm Beach out of the auction lane as I pulled up. Some genius re-numbered it to #6 in the auction, so it had sold by the time I had parked. It brought $2500. I should actually be there right now, but when they do stupid things like that it annoys me so much I just left. Why print a list and a schedule if you are just going to make things up as you go? Sorry, I'll stop ranting now lol. So no 8mpg for me.

I had the "RV" urge a couple of years ago and bought an old 8' Bonair tent trailer. 1400 lbs load with all our gear. The Matrix pulled it just fine at 100 km/h. Even over the Coquihalla the slowest I had to go was 80 km/h (at 5000 revs in 2nd!).

Buying an old bomb of an RV requires lots of garage space because there is no end to the amount of tinkering they require. My garage is full of my other toys, so I ended up selling it. Plus my inlaws bought a townhouse on the lake in Osoyoos and I would rather go there on weekends instead of living like medieval peasants (aka go camping).

all together now AAAAAAAHHHHHH...... like I said you are a lucky man,,, I am glad we got through that one..:)

Ya I need an RVs Anonymous sponsor to get through times like this. Though now I am thinking that even though my Grumman is on the small side, with a hammock slung diagonally you could actually have room for other things like a fridge, table, etc. I remembered that I didn't buy it last year, it was 2011. It ran then, I guess I will find out if the propane system holds pressure when I go to start it next week. Worse case if it turns out the transmission or something is out of it (I don't think I ever drove it, I just saw it driving), it's gotta be worth what I paid for it in scrap aluminum!

Tent-trailers are actually interesting, but they look more fragile.

small travel trailers, tent trailer???
 

going back to that thread on trailers, I like small converted vans because you can go more places then when you are towing something, and to be honest i got tired of towing it around but we owned a 10 foot caravan for about 10 years and pound for pound that thing was a bargain. 35 dollars a year to register, a tube of caulking every few years to reseal the roof other wise no maintenance to speak of, we replaced the curtains when we first bought it, new tires and a bit of tidy up, paid 2200 for it sold it 10 years later for 5500 people started seing the retro aspect of it by then and the convenience of it, a bit like the argument around a pick up or a trailer, An RV or a small travel trailer??? it was simple, very cosy and economical. I like those little bolers, triliums or scamps in your area WW but there are plenty of newer funkyEuro designs to choose from too, I saw this reallly cool tear drop shaped one in Italy a few years back, It was alluminium color with this very bright lime green or yellow plastic tube piece that outlined the teardrop towed by a little Alpha Romeo both with mags, boy it looked smart:thumbup:

I like the idea of a van better than a trailer personally. Though a Boler would be sweet! A friend of mine upgraded his "camping" setup this year with this:

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8b8d57f1.jpg

New truck, new trailer. It's a diesel at least. He is not the kind of person that ever drives slow, and his first trip in it was to a campground up in the mountains, so a lot of steep climbing that he would not slow down for. Still, somehow this all managed 12.5-13 mpg average for the trip! Interesting to think that with a different driver something as heavy as this set up might be able to get some half decent FE, for what it is. Though, up here, that combo, brand new, going down the road after taxes etc etc is probably pushing close to $100k - hmmm ya I think my RV budget is about 2% of that lol :snail:

Mine, truck & trailer, was under $30k. And I average 15 highway. That TT shown will be on a hunting lease or in the landfill by about 10-years. Mine is 24 and will be on-road viable long after I'm gone.

A Touareg and a 22' Airstream are good for 20+ mpg on level Interstate.

The sig pic is of my Silver Streak of a few years ago. An '83. Now have a '90 (different appearance).

One of the best aero TT's would be a 1972 AVION. Better built (as is mine) than an Airstream, and this year model features separate black and grey water tanks. No real penalty on FE per size, more a matter of matching the tow vehicles axle weight ratings ("tow ratings" are rather bogus, subject to the OEMs wanting you in a high profit pickup).

http://avion.gradeless.com/1972Avion/1972_AVION_01.jpg

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In a truck I'm more favorable to camper modules than trailers, since they would preserve the cross-country capabilities of the truck.

Some of those TT that I see on the road seem to be suspended awfully high, such as below:
http://pictures.dealer.com/d/davearo...9c4e00bbd8.jpg
Haven't ever figured out why... Seems like it'd be better from cg and aero povs to have the whole thing sit lower (even with the potential loss of space for fender wells)...

Unless you are these guys.




And I imagine the trailers sit so high just to help them not drag their rear bumpers on the ground when they have to go over something like a steep entrance to a parking lot etc.

A higher clearance is more favorable to the departure angle, which gets very compromised due to that long rear overhang.

Ah... ya, that makes sense!

those things are nice to live in
 

however there is really no gain having them over an RV in my mind, unless you have to have a large truck in your every day life. I am talking small light weight, possibly aerodynamic with simple comforts, fridge stove bed sitting area, toilet, out of the weather, easy to tow with a small car, mini van. I think that the market will expand in the near futur for small, clever, standing room with all the comforts under 600kg TT as the price of fuel rises and our parking spaces get smaller.

Some of those big trailers look even bigger than my apartment :D

Anyway, I'd rather get either a small self-contained camper van, because of its more discrete look, or a camper module to attach into a pickup bed. Less tyres to replace, less prejudices to the maneuverability, and also would avoid more expensive road fees due to a trailer.

What's a road fee? Just curious. If I take a ferry or something, then I pay more with a trailer, but do you have to pay more for a trailer on the highway etc?

Departure angle has little to do with it, overall. It's just cheaper to design a frame without much in the way of wheelwells. And, as Americans favor pickups there is no need seen to accommodate cars for reasonably sized trailers (it ain't what the market demands, its where the incentives favor manufacturers and lenders in all aspects). A square box has a high COG and terrible suspension -- rollover prone from winds and tripping hazards -- but is easy to frame up from conposite panels, put on a soft roof that'll last five years ($2k in materials to replace) and push it out the door for a low price.

The only brand of this type worth considering are trailers by NASH and ARCTIC FOX. And then, only because someone had to have something brand new.

EARTHBOUND was an interesting concept while it lasted. In the right direction even if not a bullseye from a design standpoint.

Water is what ruins RV's. So a roof less than permanent is the Achilles Heel, every time.

FE is a negligible concern on a vehicle that might only see 5k miles per year. One must address both TV and TT from the start for true economy, not just FE.

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Thanks slowmover... that makes even more sense... a way of reducing the cost.

Some roads in Brazil were given away to private companies which perform their maintenance, and then they can charge the users. Things that happen in a corrupt country :mad:

I know some of you are really going to give me a hard time on this one . However it was CHEAP and in nice condition inside. The outside is dirty but soap and water will resolve that and some fresh paint over that blue will help ALOT. I have already made a set of basic aero caps that turned out GREAT. Although my long term goal is to get the Salt Flats look but anything is better than nothing. Lastly I would like to ask what are your thoughts on making this thing more aerodynamic. I am thinking under body enclosure as one route but am open to any and all suggestions. I know this thing is not going to be cheap to get down the road but it has got to be better than putting a camper on the back of my 1/2 ton. Plus alot more room while I'm staying in it. New pic of it now.

My Dad recently bought a Toyota Hiace pop top, its nice and comfy for a couple to go away for a long weekend but any more than that and its a bit small, was perfect in conjunction with a small bike trailer for our weekend trip to the drags:
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...psb973fc65.jpg

No idea what the fuel usage is like but with a 4 cylinder petrol engine and 5 speed manual it shouldnt be too bad

These campervans are nice, altough usually not having all the features of a motorhome, such as a bathroom.

The 26ft., 12,000 lb. Antique Hot Rod with plumbing!

I am a huge fan of the old GMC motorhomes from the original post in this thread... I know of one that has held the Land Speed Record at the Salt Flats in excess of 108 MPH. And they do have quite a following.

I stood in this vehicle for a moment in August. No need for a seat belt on the toilet—it didn't have one.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...71-gmc-502.jpg

Palmer Designs, Ltd. About This Project
Here's the one they didn't beat—Full interior, street legal, pop-top, etc.

OTOH, I'm working on a single-occupant camper interior inside a VW Beetle body. Who needs a Westy.

Here's an RV for you. It's actually registered as a motorhome. We found this about a half hour away from where I live. 1976 Vandura, original base coat paint, original owner, all the custom work was done in 1977. 2 beds, an icebox, brass spotlights for interior lights, tons of storage, full curtains, 2 sunroofs, and more shag carpet and diamond tuft pleather than you can shake a stick at. It had been sitting in that spot, parked on carpet, for 11 years. Back brakes were locked up, so we had to put in on dollies to push it out to where the tow truck could pick it up. That shot of me tightening the rear lug nuts is the first time it had seen daylight in over a decade, we were worried that the paint would bubble up and fall off ha ha. The show pic is from the late '70s early '80s when it won best of show at a custom van show. Man, when was the last time you went to one of those??

Once we got it back to the shop, we looked it over. It had a half tank of 11 year old fuel in it, so I was going to drop the tank and drain it, but it had a custom trailer hitch welded to the frame that went under the tank. I pulled the gas cap off and it didn't smell too bad (you know bad gas when you smell it), so I put a battery in it to spin the engine over and see if it had any oil pressure. And the stupid thing started! Runs like a champ, so I changed the oil, replaced the dried out cork valve cover gaskets, and put a battery in it. Total restoration budget? $90. Gotta love small block Chevrolets ha ha. Put it in gear and it cracked the back brakes loose, it had all new brakes in 2001 so once it was freed up it all works mint. This thing will be the communal RV for the rest of my buddies and I natural lives, it's entirely too badass to ever sell! :snail:

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6a225c15.jpg

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...psd85f081f.jpg

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8a7de0cd.jpg

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