Cool, or just an old clunker?

[Automobilist]

I've liked motorhomes since I was about 10 (1968). I remember going by a "camper" store with my dad then, and looking at an Open Road. Our friends had a Clark Cortez, for their family of six... (Later replaced by a Sabreliner 65 jet for longer trips...)

I've kept a running list in my head over the years of what's cool, and what's just a cheesy old clunker. Fast forward to today, and I still do the same thing. Obviously, cool is an undefined essence. Just because an RV is old, doesn't mean it's cool. I venture that the vast majority of old RV's are just that; old RV's, without the cool factor. You know cool when you see it...

My short list of cool includes:

• Airstream coaches, (trailers too) w/aluminum skin, not the mundane regular fiberglass ones. Airstream Funeral Coaches are really wild.
• GMC, the archetypical "classic RV"
• FMC
• Revcon
• Travco
• Glastron
• UltraVan
• Mercedes 219 type conversions
• Early Flxible bus conversions
• Clark Cortez
• Spartan trailers

The common denominator of most of those is their unique styling. Unlike the ordinary coaches of the day which were built as mere boxes. Many of the cool ones also had interesting engineering; front wheel drive, rear engine, streamlined body, etc.

I would love to see nice examples of these. Any other examples of cool RV's?

[mrblanche]

You left off the Safari Trek, which appeared in about 1991. Nothing else really like it.

[Route 66]

Amerigo pickup campers were the coolest ever built.

[Automobilist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Amerigo pickup campers were the coolest ever built.

Pretty cool, not bad. How about an Avion or an Alaskan camper?

[raccoonman]

i fail to see the reasoning behind establishing an arbitrary and albeit opinionated hierarchal list of what is or is not considered "cool"; for one, you've chosen a particular model that enjoyed a severely brief production run and is highly sought after now, carrying several of your prerequisite "cool" points. i admire the GMC coach as much as anyone, but why establish some sort of faux "pecking order" where none need exist?

please leave that sort of navel gazing to gold chainers.

signed; happy owner of a bottom feeder plankton level Fleetwood Southwind, 1984 vintage, house on a truck.

[azloafer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Amerigo pickup campers were the coolest ever built.

Just curious, what is that white stuff on the asphalt around the camper?

[Route 66]

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer Just curious, what is that white stuff on the asphalt around the camper?

I don't know as it's not my camper and I found the picture on the net.

I tried to buy one in '84, but was unable to find one in good shape.

[rcatter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer Just curious, what is that white stuff on the asphalt around the camper?

Looks like overspray.

[Automobilist]

Glad you like your Southwind. Everyone should buy what they consider the absolute best fit for them.

Either you know cool when you see it, or you don't...

Obviously, my idea of cool is my opinion. I don't claim to be the arbiter of coolness, but having observed RV's for 40+ years, I know what I like. Lighten up, Raccoonist. No need to take it so seriously. Have some fun recalling weird, wacky conveyances. Who knows, maybe in another few decades, your Fleetwood will be considered cool.

[RedneckExpress]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Amerigo pickup campers were the coolest ever built.

Dunno, the old born frees with their tag axle still win Camper King in my book, never seen a truck camper that big since. Fun part is the majority of the ones that were built are still out on the road because of the design.

[Automobilist]

Yeah, they are cool. Actually Redneck, your rig classifies as cool in my book. Another neat truck camper from the olden days was the Open Road with fold down rear porch and sliding glass doors. And what was the camper with forward facing seats in the overcab?

[dsbike]

I think this one is cool, Seen it on the way to TX from St Louis last fall in OK.

[Automobilist]

Yep, an old Flxible conversion. VERY cool...

[RVNeophytes2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsbike I think this one is cool, Seen it on the way to TX from St Louis last fall in OK.

I think these are gorgeous examples of Americana, loved the unit in the movie, RV.


'Turns out, there is an organization devoted to them, here.

Heck, maybe we can draw them into the iRV2 fold!!