While I can appreciate a good vintage motorhome, it is our own Chad Reynolds who is a complete and utter freak for these things. It is probably best that I was the one who found this on eBay because Chad would have probably had some sort of episode when he laid eyes on what has to be the cleanest unrestored 1977 GMC motorhome left in the world. Owned by a guy who had a big car collection and was apparently part of a Mercedes Gullwing club, he used this to haul his race car around and attend events. As many of you know, these rigs were front wheel drive and used 455ci Olds engines along with the bombproof TH425 transmission to get the power to the ground. The front wheel drive had all kinds of perceived advantages in terms of the ride height of the thing, the suspensions system, and packaging.
Over a five year period GM built nearly 13,000 of these things and some people estimate as many as 8,000 may still actually be on the road. It speaks to the quality of the drivetrain and the overall construction of the thing. These were baller rides for their day and definitely a status symbol while rolling into a late 1970s or early 1980s campground. Today people have massive bus based motor coaches that make these GMCs look kind go quaint but there is such a strong movement for vintage motorhomes and trailers across the country they they are becoming more and more in-demand. If you want one of these and want to experience what it was like to live in the lap of motorized luxury in the 1970s EXACTLY as it would have been when new, here’s your chance.
From the avocado colored bathroom to the pristine undercarriage, engine you could eat off of, and funky patterned furniture, this baby is perfection on six wheels.
Now…where did Chad go?
CLICK TO SEE THE AD FOR THIS 1977 GMC MOTORHOME – NICEST ONE LEFT
It’s been on sale for at least two years taking up valuable floor space…low ball them!!!
someday I will own one of those….
Owned six of these in slightly different sizes and configurations in the late 70`s and 80`s. This has to be heavily customized on the inside. Never had one with a bathroom even close to this. Always a self contained toilet shower unit. Kitchen was sparse at best. Correct me if i`m wrong, guys.
No, this is the stock layout. Rear dry bath. I have the same layout in my 77 Birchaven. It left the GMC factory as a transmode (no interior) and upfitted by Coachman
I’ve always paid an inordinate amount of attention to these because they’re definitely cool rigs, and they’ve always held their value remarkably well. There are some drawbacks, however.
When compared to a later model E450 chassis C-class, the GMC will always suck hind tit to a V10 Ford, let alone one that happens to have Powerstroke motivation. The flip side is even a smogger 455 Olds can be woken up with bolt-ons.
The real drawback is utility. It’s a rare 70’s mote that has a rear bed, and if you spend any time in an RV, you’ll find a rear bed is simply the best layout. Worse, probably 2/3 of the vintage RV’s with rear beds have twin beds.
All that said, if one were to find a nice GMC with a rear bed that is a good candidate for a nice reno, putting an O/D trans behind an injected 480-490 inch Olds might make a pretty nice rig to roll down the road with.