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Old 05-12-2010, 11:31 PM   #41 (permalink)
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a reasonable analogy for the crummy mileage is a 1984 toyota cab chassis, 2.4 liter 4 speed. fueleconomy.gov lists it at 15 mpg city and hiway, though this isn't really an aerodynamic option.


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Old 05-13-2010, 01:36 AM   #42 (permalink)
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^I looked at getting wunna those.

And also talked with a few Toy camper guys.

They were saying 10-14 mpg, all 6 cyl a/ts.

Of course in our hands it would probably do better, but still, I wasn't impressed with those reports as a "baseline".

10-14 can be had with the full-sized American V8 units

So I went with the Sable wagon. Mid 20's, through the mountains. I can hardly wait to see what it does on the flats...
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Old 05-13-2010, 07:17 AM   #43 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
^I looked at getting wunna those.

And also talked with a few Toy camper guys.

They were saying 10-14 mpg, all 6 cyl a/ts.

Of course in our hands it would probably do better, but still, I wasn't impressed with those reports as a "baseline".

10-14 can be had with the full-sized American V8 units

So I went with the Sable wagon. Mid 20's, through the mountains. I can hardly wait to see what it does on the flats...
It may not seem intuitive at first but the AT 6's were much worse. They let folks drive harder not smarter. The slush box made it worse. You also have to consider the source. RVers fall into one of two camps: make time on the road; or take time to enjoy the road.

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Old 12-05-2010, 11:40 AM   #44 (permalink)
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Vixen Motor Home

From Vixen.org

The engine is from the BMW 524TD, a 6-cylinder 2.4 liter TurboDiesel.


The Vixen, an international, yet all-American, motor home


The Vixen motor home was produced by the Vixen Motor Company, Inc., in Detroit, Michigan, from 1986 to 1989. There are three models; a BMW turbo-diesel powered lift top (the TD), a turbo-diesel eight-passenger limousine (the XC), and a General Motors gasoline-engined fixed-top (the SE). All are 21 feet long.

While the diesel engine may come from Bavaria and the transmission from France, much of the rest of the Vixens come from American car manufacturers. There are few unique parts on a Vixen which means that most parts are still available today.

The design was wind-tunnel tested until it reached a coefficient of drag of .29, better than most production sedans and even sports cars on the road at the time. That low cD coupled with light weight (5,100 pounds) and a fuel-efficient engine allows the TD model to reach 30 miles per gallon while the gasoline-engined SE hits 20 mpg.

The vehicle has an extremely loyal following, many of whom are members of the Vixen Owners' Association which provides technical support as well as social gatherings, called Prides, for its members. See benefits below.
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Old 12-05-2010, 12:44 PM   #45 (permalink)
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Here's a Vixen in OH for only 29k!
VIXEN 21FT. MOTOR HOME

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Old 12-06-2010, 04:12 PM   #46 (permalink)
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Im the owner of a Vixen 21 motorhome, its a beast of a little thing but I will tell you I do get 35mpg with this thing.

This spring the motor is coming out for a full rebuild, I am also going to be shaving off some of the little things that stick out of the body to make it a little more streamlined.

If you have any questions about them let me know.
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Old 12-08-2010, 06:33 AM   #47 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by 5nahalf View Post
Im the owner of a Vixen 21 motorhome, its a beast of a little thing but I will tell you I do get 35mpg with this thing.

If you have any questions about them let me know.


Pictures inside & out (or links to). How moho is used. Capacities. Scale weights. Any mods to increase boondocking times? Would like to read more (new thread?) as the numbers are impressive.

The single advantage I see -- the general scope of wanting a moho -- is that on these small ones no toad [towed] is needed (a small car in tow behind the moho to run around in at destinations); one just un-hooks from electrical/water/sewer and uses it for all errands & adventures.

I'd really rather have something easy to park around town than worry over the mpg too much as the elimination of a second vehicle is the savings. To that end I have always liked the CORTEZ.

The early ones featured the indestructible Chrysler Slant Six, later versions the V8-318 and finally (most commonly) the Toronado drivetrain Mpg would be about a modernized rebuild of one of the configurations assuming the rest of the coach was suitable. Wheelbase is the same as a bigger half-ton (19-22' length).

CortezCoach.com - Cortez Motorhome website.


As to mpg, an early Travco with a 12V Cummins re-engine would be nice where size is needed for more than one or two people:




The REVCON and FMC are also cool, high tech motorhomes of a big size.

An ITASCA Navion or other Sprinter-based vehicle would be the mdoern best choice for a small moho.

RV's are really not about highway mpg, but the trade-off of not having to use hotels, etc. Sites at most parks are at least $40/night, so the use of a motorhome (or trailer), etc, has to be weighed against initial purchase price, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, insurance, etc, etc. Those costs tend to make the RV expensive . . . hundreds of dollars per night, or higher. Fuel savings are irrelevant by comparison.

The reason many of us prefer a trailer is that the tow vehicle is the daily driver/commuter in all other instances. With no drivetrain inherent the costs are much lower. The trade-off is that a motorhome is usually (should be) equipped with a built-in generator to provide it's own electricity.

Day-to-day energy savings for someone living fulltime in an RV can be substantial above a house, even an apartment if all the conditions (and there are quite a few) of fulltiming can be met.

But on a per square foot basis an RV is an energy hog when weather requires either heating or cooling 24-hours per day. For that reason one tends to follow the weather as summer heat and winter cold can be a bit much for long periods.

I much like the idea of being mobile, of moving every few weeks or months.

Here's another take on low cost/avoiding hotels:

The Stealth Camper

.

Last edited by slowmover; 12-08-2010 at 06:41 AM..
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Old 12-08-2010, 05:41 PM   #48 (permalink)
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Here are some pictures I have of the motorhome (not of mine) the last picture in the series is mine. There are a few pictures of engine mods (vw diesels, big v8 engine)
Picasa Web Albums - ejohnson - vixen

Right now mine is not used as I am restoring it. But in the future I plan to use it to drive around the country. It weighs in at about 5000 lbs, the body is made from fiberglass. the frame is boxed steel (chevy g20 van frame)
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Old 12-13-2010, 08:13 PM   #49 (permalink)
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I'm reading about the FWD GMC motorhomes on Wikipedia.

Check out the chassis. FWD means the load floor is really low. The wheels are suspended by bogies instead of axles!

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Old 12-13-2010, 09:01 PM   #50 (permalink)
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There's real problems on the GMC with frame rot and fatigue. Agreed about the design, it was exciting when they came out (1974) I remember seeing one in AZ that summer in the White Mountains. However, internal storage space, etc, made more than 2-pax into a problem considering V8 fuel mileage (for use as a place to live).

The FMC was then, and is now, a better choice (fuel mileage about same) but internal capacities (storage/tanks/space) is better. It was considerably upmarket as well, so build quality is great (FMC is a military contractor, Bradley Fighting Vehicle). Fully independent suspension, Chrysler 440 V8 pusher configuration, internal A/C, low clearances ground and roof. Plus there are Duramax diesel conversions to get 14-16 mpg.



The history of the FMC Motorcoach

The GMC was really about a bunch of Brooklynites running south on I-95 to Florida a few times a year. For that they were great. There's a guy in FL who specializes in resto work and upgrades that are nicely done. A hot Joe Mondello Olds 455 -- with disc brakes -- is the way to go, IMO, when transporting 4 people with or so to a resort hotel or a hunting/fishing trip, etc.


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