Following World War II and alapse of auto production of near-ly four years, former GIs and the

general public longed for new cars.Once the pent-up postwar demand wassatisfied, auto companies started offer-ing innovative, attractive new designsin an effort to capture a greater marketshare. At auto shows and Motoramaswe saw Thunderbirds and Edsels,Chrysler 300s, Corvettes, GTOs, andEldorados. New V-8 engines wereeverywhere; small blocks, big blocks,Hemis; horsepower and cubic inchesruled. New styles were longer, lower,wider, with chrome everywhere and tailfins that soared.

Then came the energy crunch inOctober 1973, and it all changed. Theautomotive talk turned to cost andavailability of fuel, more efficient cars

with new four-cylinder and V-6engines, and downsizing. Cars becamesmaller, lighter, less powerful, and withincreased fuel economy standardsmandated by the federal government.

Automobile companies are alwayssearching for ways to gain more sales,to build a greater market share, and tokeep their assembly lines flowing.New ideas are constantly evaluated,but few see the light of day.Occasionally, however, a niche is foundand a new market is developed.

Truck chassis were successfullymarketed to the RV industry in the1970s by the Big Three. In 1971 Dodgesold 28,000 chassis to 50 different

coach builders. Each RV manufacturerwas building its version of what itthought a motorhome should be. Therewere lots of choices for the motorhomebuyer, nearly all of them on a truckchassis. What if someone offered anattractive, advanced design on a cus-tom chassis, unique and specificallymade for just that purpose?

One of those niches GM was lookingat in 1969-1970 involved ideas for amultipurpose vehicle — a vehicle thatcould be adapted for use not only as amotorhome, but as an ambulance, asmall transit bus, an airport shuttle, amobile medical clinic, or a display orservice van. Evaluations began at the

The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:

Produced by General Motors from 1973 through 1978, the innov-ative GMC Motorhome gained a follow-ing that is still as strong — if notstronger — today. This three-partseries explores the fascinating historyof a motorhome still considered by many to have been far ahead of its time.

By BILL BRYANT, F65627

58 FEBRUARY 2004 • FMC

The “pie wagon” or “chicken coop” was used for initial demonstration of thehardware for the rear tandem suspension. The goal was improved ride andhandling over a truck-type suspension.

Photoby

RalphMerkle

Part OnePart One

GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.Competing motorhome specificationswere scrutinized, and floor planswere evaluated. Initially, it was decid-ed to go with 20-foot and 24-footmotorhome designs.

Relying heavily on interior designsby GM’s Frigidaire Division, drawingsof the numerous floor plans underevaluation lined the Tech Center’swalls. A full-scale plywood (fiber-board) seating buck was built in theTech Center’s basement to evaluate thedifferent interior designs. Seatingbucks are used to define a vehicle’srequirements for both internal andexternal packaging. Styling must notviolate these requirements if theirdesigns are to remain true for the finalproduction version.

The first chassis built to demon-strate the unique vehicle design wasassembled with the now familiar tan-dem-rear wheel assembly incorporat-ing leading-trailing cast nodular ironarms at the rear, supported with ahydro-air spring from the SaginawDivision of GM. The power steeringpump was used for hydraulic pressurefor this suspension system. Theengine and drivetrain used theOldsmobile Toronado front-wheel-drive unit with its 455-cubic-inchengine, 425 Hydra-Matic transmis-sion, and 3.07:1 differential gear ratiofrom the Toronado trailer-towingoption.

The design of this “developmentmule” allowed for a low-profile chassiswith its attendant handling and rideimprovements. The front section of theframe made use of the Toronadodesign and bolted up to the center C-channel side rails. The rear frameextension was unique to themotorhome and was “kicked up” toallow for an adequate departure angle.A modified van body built by theUnion City Body Company, of UnionCity, Indiana, was mounted on theframe. The chassis had been designedwith only 4 inches of ground clearance.

Called the “pie wagon” or “chickencoop” by those working on the project,this development mule was outfittedwith windows and bus seats, and sandbags were strategically placed inside torepresent the weight of an equipped

motorhome. Since spy photographersoften took pictures of test vehiclesdriving around the GM ProvingGrounds, full fender skirts covered thewheels to hide the vehicle’s uniquesuspension.

The major purpose of this vehiclewas to demonstrate to GM manage-ment its superior handling and ride incomparison to the truck chassis nor-mally used for motorhomes. It isreported that GM management wasfavorably impressed and approved fur-ther development of the project.

Initially, Chevrolet wanted themotorhome project, but the GM corpo-

rate guidelines defined vehicles below10,500 pounds gross vehicle weightrating (GVWR) as Chevrolet responsi-bilities and vehicles above thatweight as GMC responsibilities. Theproject, therefore, went to GMC. Thisdecision, however, did not stop theinterdivisional rivalry, which contin-ued throughout the motorhome’sproduction years. Chevrolet was amajor supplier of truck chassis for theRV industry and considered the GMCMotorhome another competitor.Chevrolet management made surethat the motorhome carried all of itscost burdens and received no specialcorporate advantages.

Early in these developmentalstages, GMC Engineering was defin-ing just what this multipurpose vehi-cle should be. The GMC styling ideawas along the lines of theSportscoach motorhome of the peri-od, with styled front and rear fiber-

FMC • FEBRUARY 2004 59

John Locklin (shown above at aGMC Motorhomes Internationalrally in 1996) was the GMCemployee responsible formotorhome body engineering.He retired in 1977 and was presented a 1/6-scale model of a GMC motorhome as a gift(shown above and at left).

Ralph Merkle (now deceased but pictured here with his rock and mineral collection in 1994) was the GMC engineer responsiblefor the chassis design.

continued

Photoby

author

Photoby

author

Photoby

author

glass caps, but with straight side-walls. This type of design allowed fora reasonably attractive appearance,though ordinary, while minimizingtooling and manufacturing costs.

The GM Design Center had been atwork for about two years at this pointon various multipurpose vehicledesigns. Not surprisingly, thosedesigns looked much different fromwhat GMC had in mind. There werethree-wheeled designs that followedthe arc of the sun while parked; panelsthat extended to add more living space;and scale models of attractive andfuturistic designs, as well as numeroussketches and drawings that were . . .well . . . far out!

The use of the Oldsmobile Toronadofront-wheel-drive unit should not havebeen a surprise. Four other motorhome

manufacturers were utilizing that samesystem during this time period:Revcon, Cortez, Travoy, and Tiara. TheRevcon was the most successful of thegroup. Cortez had evolved from theClark. Travoy was a Riverside,California, company. And the Tiaraevolved from the Ultra Van, which hadoriginally used the Corvair engine.

The individuals responsible for thedevelopment of the GMC Motorhomewere members of a group of brightyoung professionals. Martin J. Caserio,General Motors vice president and GMCTruck and Coach general manager,envisioned a “Chevrolet” ofmotorhomes — that is, reasonablypriced with a view toward large-volumesales. Caserio’s replacement in 1973,Alex C. Mair, wanted a vehicle morelike the “Cadillac” of motorhomes,

more upscale than the early models. Abright, young, enthusiastic engineer,Kurt Stubenvoll, was in charge of prod-uct development for the motorhome.Ralph Merkle headed up chassis devel-opment and was responsible for every-thing from “the frame to the pave-ment.” Known as “the idea man,”Merkle had a number of patents toprove it. John Locklin came to GMwith an aeronautical degree and hadresponsibility for the motorhomebody engineering (he brought newassembly methods and ideas to theauto industry). Michael Lathers fromthe Design Center was in charge ofthe motorhome styling (it was tobecome obvious to all the fine job hedid). Many other talented engineerscontributed to what was to become aclassic as well.

60 FEBRUARY 2004 • FMC

Bill Bryant has had a lifelong inter-est in wheels and motors. He grew upon a farm in Lomontville, New York,and took ownership of his first vehiclewhen he was about 13. He enjoysantique autos, and currently owns a1914 Model-T Ford Touring car thathe’s had since high school, as well as a1965 Corvette Sting Ray convertiblethat he and his wife, Nita, enjoy cruis-

ing in. Bill’s interest extends beyondthe cars themselves and into their his-tory and background.

Bill’s interest in GMC Motorhomesbegan in 1984 when he purchased hisfirst GMC Motorhome, a 1976 PalmBeach, which he still drives to this day.He also owned a 1976 GMC Birchaven.His inquiries into GMC Motorhome his-tory began when he started collectingeverything in print that dealt with thesubject. He had the good fortune ofbeing able to contact and interview anumber of GMC engineers who wereresponsible for the development ofthe vehicle and now has 32 cassettetapes filled with interviews. His col-lection of GMC Motorhome memorabil-ia includes 50 different salesbrochures, 14 dealer sales films, 60different magazine advertisements, 50different GMC Motorhomes producedby HotWheels, three different BarbieGMC Motorhomes, Hess Training Vans,playing cards, Frisbees, belt buckles,clothing, ballpoint pens, flyswatters,and much more.

Bill and Nita joined FMCA in 1985and are members of four GMC

Motorhome-related FMCA chapters:GMC Colonial Travelers, GMCMotorhomes International, GMCNor’easters, and GMC SunshineStatesmen. Bill served as president,vice president, and alternate nationaldirector of GMC Colonial Travelers;as Northeast vice president ofGMC Motorhomes International;and as alternate national direc-tor of GMC Nor’easters. Nita iscurrently alternate nationaldirector of GMC Nor’easters andalso has served as secretary ofGMC Motorhomes Internationaland as president of GMC ColonialTravelers.

Bill is a 1952 graduate of the StateUniversity of New York at Morrisville,New York. After graduating from col-lege, he was drafted into the armywhere he spent two years stationed inEniwetok, Marshall Islands, as awheeled-vehicle technician during theKorean War. A month after being dis-charged from the military, he beganworking at IBM Corporation. He retiredfrom IBM 37 years later in the positionof advisory engineer.

Author Bill Bryant, F65627, has an incredible collection of GMC memorabilia,including motorhomes produced by HotWheels (he has 50 different ones),

Frisbees, belt buckles, and hats, among many other items.

About The Author

On February 7, 1972, GM made offi-cial what had been rumored in theindustry for some time. The nationalpress reported that GM was to “play arole in the motorhome market.” Bythis time, the motorhome’s lengths hadbeen identified as 23 and 26 feet. Theincrease in length was the result ofadditional interior content that design-ers and salespeople felt was necessaryfor a well-equipped motorhome. GMSales had identified the need for the 23-foot motorhome as a price leader. Priceswere reported to be between $12,000and $16,000. Major motorhome com-petitors claimed they were not worried;still, their stock prices fell several pointsthe next day. Smaller motorhome com-panies indicated immediate concernabout the erosion of their market sharewith giant GM entering this field.

About this time the new vehicle wasknown as the TVS-4 (Travel VehicleStreamlined model 4). Part of the rea-son this vehicle is so different fromother motorhomes of the era is that itwas not conceived as just a “camper,”but as a vehicle for comfortable travelas well. Slogans used later in GMCMotorhome advertisements demon-strated this; for example: “It doesn’tride like a truck, it doesn’t look like abox.” “Our goal was to make gettingthere as much fun as being there.” “It’s

as easy to live with on the road as it isstanding still.” “The show place thatgoes places.” All of these slogansplaced great emphasis on the travelingaspects of motorhoming and not justhow a motorhome functioned whileparked at the campsite.

* * * To be continued * * *

Next month, Bill discusses the evolu-tion of the classic GMC Motorhomethrough the use of clay scale models.

Photos by author

FMC • FEBRUARY 2004 61

By BILL BRYANT, F65627

Produced by General Motors from1973 through 1978, the innovativeGMC Motorhome gained a followingthat is still as strong — if not stronger— today. This three-part seriesexplores the fascinating history of amotorhome still considered by manyto have been far ahead of its time.Last month, Part 1, discussed how theGMC Motorhome was conceptualizedand developed. This month’s install-ment covers completion of the design,building of prototypes, and the begin-ning of testing.

Design of the GMC Motorhomecontinued to evolve in the twomain areas of styling and chas-

sis, with the Design Center concentrat-ing on the external and interiordesigns. At one time, there were 12designers working with sketches and1⁄8-scale (called A-scale) clay models.Three or four of these clay models weremade, each with distinct design charac-teristics, and each refining its shapecloser to the final form.

Since only one side of a model couldbe viewed at a time, the first scale mod-els were sculpted with two differentdesigns, one on each side. Thus, a sin-gle clay model could be used to evalu-

ate two different designs at the sametime. The final A-scale model, however,would be viewed as a completed singledesign.

Once these models were completed,evaluated, and approved, full-sizeddrawings were made using 1⁄4-inch tapeto outline the front, rear, and sidedesigns. These drawings would guidethe designers in the next stage: a full-size clay model.

An important part in developing theshape of this motorhome was to deter-mine just how efficient it would bemoving through the air. While thedesign looked “clean,” tests woulddetermine whether in fact it was. GMused various methods to determine thisin its vehicle designs. One method wasto put ink spots on a model and placethe model in a wind tunnel to watch thedirectional flow of the ink. In anothertest method, small ribbons were fas-tened to the surface of a test vehicleand a camera car was driven alongsidethe vehicle to photograph the direction-al flow of the ribbons. While either ofthese methods may have been used,what is known is that a 1⁄16-scale modelwas built for the purpose of determin-ing the coefficient of drag, known asCD. A mahogany block was modeled tothe designed shape, and a fiberglassmodel was then made from this master.

Holes were drilled about one inch apartover the fiberglass body, and flush-mounted, hollow tubes were installedand connected to pressure-measure-ment devices. Time was purchased atthe Guggenheim wind tunnel facility inCalifornia, and the test was performed.Was the shape clean? You bet! The CDwas .310, better than that era’sCorvette, which was .312.

A great deal of clay is required for a26-foot motorhome, probably thelargest clay model GM ever made. Theclay had to be heated in an oven to 150degrees Fahrenheit to soften it so that itcould be applied to the substrate, whichin this case was Styrofoam. It was thenscraped and shaped by the modelers.The clay buildup continued until thedimensions of the design wereachieved. This work was done in thebasement of the Tech Center in an areawithout a well-controlled environment,and without air-conditioning. Eachmorning the room had to be brought upto temperature so that the clay could beworked. Once the shape was complet-ed, the clay surface was “polished”with a sponge and cold water. This full-size clay model, now identified as RV-26, was finished with a silver-blue filmof Di-Noc, replicating the painted sur-face of a vehicle.

Once the full-size clay model was

The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:

70 MARCH 2004 • FMC

Part OnePart Two

completed, plaster casts were made ofit. Dimensional drawings of these castswere made for tooling and for buildingthe early fiberglass parts for the firstprototype bodies. The full-sized claymodel existed for only about a month,after which it began to sag. Since it wasno longer needed, it was destroyed.

Pictures of the scale models, thesketches and drawings, and finally thefull-size clay model are most interest-ing. The evolution from the earliestdesigns, with pronounced fenderflares, wraparound rear windows andtaillights, and other eye-pleasingshapes, drifted toward a still pleasingbut more “manufacturable at reason-able cost” design in the end.

Changes made to the clay modelafter being “finalized” were the incor-poration of the parking lights below theheadlights within the headlight bezelarea and the use of four Suburban(production) taillights. The quad tail-light idea, however, was quickly dis-carded as being too cluttered. DesignerMike Lathers proposed a couple ofother features that didn’t make the cut;these included a crown (curve) in therear window glass, which would haveminimized reflections caused by a largewindow surface. Another of Mike’snovel ideas was to accent the rear sus-pension, instead of hiding it (a pol-ished, plated, and painted suspensionassembly, much like Harley-Davidsondoes with a motorcycle). The view of a“flashy” suspension in action wouldhave been an impressive sight. Eventhough some of the suggested featuresdidn’t materialize, I have yet to meet aperson who doesn’t think that the GMCMotorhome is arguably the nicestdesign to ever come down the RV pike.When I look at the earliest renderings,I usually have a big smile on my face,thinking of what might have been.

In parallel with the exterior work atthe Tech Center, six designers weredeveloping the interiors. The plywoodbuck mentioned earlier helped todefine space and floor plan require-ments. An important considerationwas the loading of the vehicle, distrib-uting the weight as evenly as possible.Considerable effort was made in evalu-

FMC • MARCH 2004 71

continued

During the GMC Motorhome design phase, clay modelswere created to test different ideas, among them the 1/8-scale model above, shown with a full-size tape drawing andvarious sketches in the background. These led to the pro-duction of a full-size clay model, known as RV-26 (picturedtop and bottom); note the wraparound taillights and rearwindow styling of this model.

Phot

os c

ourte

sy o

f GM

C

72 MARCH 2004 • FMC

ating competing interior features. Atone point, it also was suggested thatthe Frigidaire Division might build RVappliances, stoves, and refrigerators.But with a limited market and verycompetitive pricing, Frigidaire decidedthere were better business arenasavailable.

House and Garden magazine wasused as a consultant for the interiordécor and exterior colors. This publica-

tion was the authority on the colors ofthat era. Ed Cole, GM president, sug-gested that bright colors should beused. One story — confirmed by sever-al people — reported that during onemeeting in which colors were dis-cussed, Ed Cole pointed to the tie ofchief engineer Wally Edwards and said,“One of the colors should be likeWally’s tie.” The tie was adorned withorange stripes; an orange color (bitter-sweet) was offered in 1973-74. Wallystill has that tie.

The chassis design was continuingas well. The engine and drivetrain lay-out was progressing rapidly, since itrequired only minor changes to theexisting Oldsmobile Toronado design.Ralph Merkle’s original 24-foot designhad been stretched to 26 feet in order to

make room for the interior furnitureand appliances. This displeased Ralph,who had envisioned using many exist-ing GM passenger vehicle componentsto keep the motorhome price afford-able. Now additional length and weightwere going to compromise the use ofthese parts, as well as the front-wheeltraction.

Ralph Merkle related a story aboutthe frame design. When the design was

nearly completed, Ralph asked JohnLocklin for the final body designdetails, because frame and bodydesigns had to be coordinated.However, the body design was not yetfinalized. Since lead times for the framesubcontractors were critical, Ralph wasforced to make his best guess. Hisguess was off by about 2 inches. Thatis why the rear frame cross membersticks out about 2 inches beyond thebody. The frame was made of 1⁄8-inch-thick steel by Midland.

Ralph and John enjoyed some good-natured ribbing during this process.Ralph kidded John that his frame washolding up John’s body, and Johnwould respond by saying it was hisbody holding up Ralph’s frame. Theywere probably both right.

The rear tandem-axle hydro-air sus-pension designed by GM’s SaginawDivision had been the key design ele-ment for this vehicle. It allowed for thelow floor as well as a measuredimprovement in ride and handling.Another feature was less intrusion intothe living area than dual wheels wouldhave caused. Tooling costs for thehydro-air design had come in muchhigher than anticipated, however. A

less costly design was requested as abackup, and work began on a replace-ment.

A full air spring was designed. AGoodyear model using a long cylindri-cal (air) spring, one piston, and onebag convolution had been found tohave interference problems. A new fullair spring design was started using therolling lobe principle with two taperedpistons and a floating air springbetween them. The tapered pistonskept the spring centered, and as therubber spring rolled up and down thepiston surface, the spring rate waschanged. The first prototype spring wasdelivered by Firestone in March 1971and became the production air springwith only a minor modification (slight-

continued

Above is a preproduction GMCMotorhome photographed atthe GM Proving Grounds in1972. GMC Motorhome historywas made when the first vehicleexited the Gemini Corporationfacility after completion of theinterior (left). Pictured are GMCexecutives Bob Stelter, at thewheel, and Earl Maxwell.

Photos courtesy of GMC

74 MARCH 2004 • FMC

ly larger in diameter and slightly short-er in length).

In the Experimental Engineeringarea, five pre-test chassis were beingbuilt. The pre-test bodies would later beinstalled on four of them. The fifthchassis would be used for pictures anddisplay. The completed units would beused for various purposes — some fortesting, some for pictures and shows.We will hear more about these later.

John Locklin, the body engineer,was spending most of his time at G.L.Bowen & Co., the job shop that wassupplying the draftsmen charged withdocumenting the motorhome body.Measurements of the plaster castsmade from the full-size clay modelwere translated into drawings to beused to make the dies, body structure,and skin. John’s background as anaeronautical engineer was showing upin many of the design features — forexample, the light weight of the alu-minum and fiberglass body skin, theall-aluminum body framing, and thebonding of body panels with adhesivesinstead of rivets and screws. Anotherimportant design feature was the use offlat aluminum panels for body surfacesabove the belt molding, including the

roof. No body stampings were required,thus minimizing tooling and fabrica-tion costs. John also had insisted on aflat driver’s compartment floor. In driv-ing a competitor’s motorhome, hefound that having to squeeze betweenthe driver’s seat and the engine coverwas uncomfortable and, in his mind,unnecessary.

GMC Engineering was attempting tobuild the side window frames out of

plastic. While windows with sharp cor-ners were in vogue at the time, MikeLathers felt this design resulted instresses at the corners that could even-tually cause cracks in the body skin.The rounded corner design reducedthese stresses and provided a lessdated look. The plastic frames couldn’tbe made to work, however, and amulti-piece aluminum frame was put inproduction. A few years ago I asked aGMC engineer why GMC changed toHehr windows in 1976, and he said theanodizing on the earlier windows did-n’t match. He said they couldn’t buildthem, couldn’t seal them, and couldn’tservice them. GMC initially planned forthe window frames to be “bright.” Atone of the design reviews, they hadn’tyet gotten around to plating the frames

and they were painted black. Thosereviewing the design liked the blackframes better, and that settled that.

The large body dies required for theSMC (sheet molded compound) fiber-glass panels were in place at the ven-dor, Engineered Molding Systems ofLancaster, Ohio. Lumps of SMC“dough” were strategically placed inthe molds, and with heat and pressure,it took 12 minutes to process each

panel. This cycle time was reducedsomewhat as experience was gainedwith the curing process.

At GMC, the first hardware that wewould recognize as a GMC Motorhomewas being assembled. The chassis withthe Toronado front-wheel-drive assem-bly was pretty well defined. The rearsuspension was still the tandem-axlehydro-air suspension, and many com-ponents were still passenger car parts,such as the five-bolt wheels and hubs.In viewing the body hardware, thingswere a little different from how theyhad appeared in the clay model. Thefront end was nearly the same, but thesides had become vertical and straight.This particular vehicle was to becomeknown as “straight sides,” not usually

continued

This preproduction GMCMotorhome (left) was builtafter the “pie wagon” demonstration unit and prior to the final design.Among the prototypes putthrough bench testing in the early 1970s was a 23-foot model called theCape Cod (above).

Photos courtesy of GMC

uttered in a complimentary tone. Itturned out that GMC engineers thoughtthe upper storage cabinets should beable to hold a 12-inch plate, and thetumble home (body side curve) designcreated by Mike Lathers didn’t allow forthat. At the rear of the body, the largeremovable back panel had not yet beenimplemented.

When Mike Lathers got a look atstraight sides, it is reported that he“went straight up in the air.” Thedesign looked a lot like any other

motorhome of the era. In selling thedesign to GM management, the pointhad been made that anybody couldmake an ordinary-looking motorhome;what GM needed was “style” to sell.And style is what they got. Mike lob-bied for and won the argument to havehis design reinstated. That was the lastof “straight sides.”

GMC had decided to outsource theinterior up-fitting. Bids were receivedfrom four manufacturers: Open Road,Sportscoach, Muntz Corp., and PRF

Industries. Muntz Corp. had returnedthe most attractive bid, but they werelocated in California. GMC officialsdesired someone closer to Pontiac,Michigan. Although its bid was not thelowest, PRF Industries received thenod, since its location was to be 22miles from the Pontiac plant, and fur-

ther negotiations brought its bid closeto GMC’s price point.

PRF Industries was owned by PeterR. Fink, the builder of Travco andSightseer motorhomes. A new PRFdivision was formed to build the GMCinteriors, Gemini Corp., located inMount Clemens, Michigan. Rumor hasit that Peter Fink named the new cor-poration “Gemini” because it was “GM& I.” Rumor also has it that his zodiacsign may have been Gemini; take yourpick on which (or both) you want tobelieve.

The Gemini facility designed andbuilt all of the furniture; assembled allof the modules; applied the Texolitelaminate; and installed everything,bringing it in through the motorhomerear access opening. A number of start-up concerns had to be resolved.Between the motorhome body manu-facturing tolerances and the interiormodule tolerances, which were affectedby temperature and humidity, changeshad to be implemented to make thingsfit. Every wooden part had to have adrawing and a GM part number. Thecomplexity of 15 different floor plansand the many available options con-tributed to a complicated interiorassembly process as well. Approvals

76 MARCH 2004 • FMC

continued

Plans for the manufactureof the motorhome were

moving along rapidly. Plant No. 3 in Pontiac,

Michigan, had been outfitted with equipmentand tooling. This was one

of GM’s older plants, and ithad a split-level floor plan.

from the many individual states as wellas from the federal government had tobe submitted and granted also. Geminihad a target of completing the interiorsof 32 coaches per day; the best theyachieved was closer to 20 per day.

With the prototypes now beingassembled, and their purposes defined,

their activities would begin. The firstpublic showing would be at Transpo72, the U.S. InternationalTransportation Exposition nearWashington, D.C. (Dulles), from May27 through June 4, 1972. Many GMcars and trucks were on display thereas well as a tan-colored 26-footmotorhome. The exterior was ratherplain, with no stripes or trim. In abrochure it was described as “Anexperimental prototype of GMC Truck &Coach Division’s complete motorhome,to be marketed in early 1973.” The dis-play was still labeled as a “MultiPurpose Vehicle,” although this termwould not be used again, as all effortswere now focused on developing andproducing a motorhome.

Other motorhome prototypes wereundergoing testing. A 23-footmotorhome model named “Cape Cod”was at bench test. Programmed testingwith replicated Belgian blocks (cobble-stones) cycled the suspension withhydraulic rams. Door latches wereslammed, windshield wipers werecycled, brake pedals were pumped, all

through a determined number of testcycles. Hot-weather testing was carriedout on the “Baker Grade,” an 18-mile-long hill in the deserts of SouthernCalifornia. This hot-weather testingresulted in an additional fan bladebeing added; use of the seven-bladedfan was now dictated.

Modified passenger vehicle test cri-teria were used, consisting of provinggrounds roads for 25,000 miles (regu-lar durability) and 5,000 miles ofBelgian blocks (accelerated durability).During the “figure 8” road testing, anearly failure was the five-bolt Toronadopassenger car wheels. They werereplaced with eight-bolt one-ton truckwheels. This also required replacing thehubs to match the eight-bolt pattern.Another failure was a cracked framenear the front cross member. The addi-tion of a diagonal brace fixed this prob-lem. The front suspension’s lower A-frame and lower ball joint were otherareas that required upgrades to thepassenger vehicle parts.

Crash tests were performed at 30 to35 mph as well. From Pennsylvaniadealers, GM had purchased new Buicksthat had been in a flood. The side crashtest aimed the Buick at themotorhome’s large side window area.The Buick’s bumper penetrated thesidewall and came to rest above thefloor. New aluminum vertical reinforce-ments were added, and this problem

was fixed. The rear crash test resultedin damage to the frame kick-up areaand spare tire carrier. Changes in thisarea fixed this as well.

A rollover test was also performed.The proving grounds had a rolloverramp designed for just that purpose.This worked well for passenger-typevehicles, but long wheelbase vehiclesusually had to be assisted. A forkliftraised one side of the frame to tip itover, 11⁄2 to 2 turns. The damage wasreported to be not all that serious: a toi-let had come loose along with a fewother interior pieces, and the body wasdistorted to one side.

Plans for the manufacture of themotorhome were moving along rapidly.Plant No. 3 in Pontiac, Michigan, hadbeen outfitted with equipment andtooling. This was one of GM’s olderplants, and it had a split-level floorplan. At the lower level, the chassisframe was collecting various sub-assemblies as it proceeded down theline: front and rear suspension, tanks,air lines, electrical wiring, and, finally,the engine and drivetrain.

The upper level of the plant wasused for body assembly. Individual alu-minum pieces of the frame were placedin manufacturing jigs, which assem-bled and aligned them; the pieces werethen welded together as a unit. Threeunique jigs were used: right side, leftside, and the roof assembly. Next, thesepanels were assembled and weldedtogether as the body cage. Separately,each of the body panels was very flex-ible. When welded together, theybecame a strong yet lightweight unit.Aluminum and fiberglass exterior bodypanels were fastened to this frame witha 3M adhesive. John Locklin had want-ed to use an adhesive made by a smallcompany called REM, but GMC wanteda larger, well-known supplier instead.This assembled body was then cleaned,prepped, and painted.

When completed, the body was low-ered to the main floor, where it wasmated with the assembled chassis.

* * * To be continued * * *

Next month, Bill describes the mass production, marketing, and,sadly, the demise of GMC Motorhomemanufacturing.

78 MARCH 2004 • FMC

The first public showing of a GMC Motorhome prototype took place inMay 1972 at Transpo 72, the U.S. International Transportation Expo, inWashington, D.C., where it was labeled as a “Multi Purpose Vehicle.”

Phot

o by

Ralp

h M

erkle

By BILL BRYANT, F65627

Produced by General Motors from1973 through 1978, the innovativeGMC Motorhome gained a followingthat is still as strong — if not stronger— today. This three-part series exploresthe fascinating history of a motorhomestill considered by many to have beenfar ahead of its time. Part 1, in theFebruary 2004 issue, discussed howthe GMC Motorhome was conceptual-ized and developed. Part 2, last month,covered completion of the design, build-ing of prototypes, and the beginning oftesting. This month, the story concludesby describing the mass production;marketing; and, sadly, the phaseout ofGMC Motorhome manufacturing.

The first few motorhomes movedslowly down the assembly lineduring the fourth quarter of

1972, and by the second week ofNovember the first two dozen had beenbuilt. The first 100 were finished beforethe end of January 1973, and morethan 1,750 orders were received bymid-February. In March 1973, AlexMair, general manager of GMC Truck &Coach, reported, “The initial responsehas surpassed even our most optimisticexpectations.” It was reported in Juneof that year that back orders totaled

3,000 units, and the rate of motorhomeproduction was about 20 units per day.

As might be expected, there weresome startup problems. A new group-assembly concept was developed, witha six-member team responsible forbody and trim upfitting and a three-member team for assembling and upfit-ting the chassis. This team conceptlasted a month or two, but then pro-duction reverted to the standard Detroitauto assembly method of individual jobresponsibilities.

With the complexities of a new facil-ity, a new workforce, the assembly of atotally new vehicle, plus all of the livingrequirements (including the proverbialkitchen sink), GMC Motorhome pro-duction was indeed an ambitious andcomplex undertaking. Alex Mair washolding “design school” with the engi-neers each morning at 7:30 to addressany concerns or problems and toreview progress. He often would walkthrough the plant to discuss the day’sactivities with line employees.

By June 1973 GMC had 64 dealerssigned up to sell and service GMCMotorhomes. Company officials hadhoped to have 200 dealers by the endof 1973 but decided not to sign up anymore until adequate supplies wereavailable. GMC Motorhome dealershipswere separate, stand-alone entities,

and GMC truck dealerships didn’t auto-matically become GMC Motorhomedealers. The cost of a GMC Motorhomedealership franchise was reported tohave been $250,000.

The 1973 GMC Motorhome wasavailable with a choice of four models,six exterior colors, 15 floor plans, andtwo body lengths. And then there wasthe long list of available options. The“Detroit” mentality of something foreveryone had arrived full force in theRV industry. The first series ofmotorhomes were named for nationalparks — Canyonlands, Glacier, PaintedDesert, and Sequoia — and the 26-footand 23-foot coaches used the samemodel names. Three of the exterior col-ors were standard — white, camel, andpineapple yellow — and three others —bittersweet, sky blue, and parrot green— were optional for an additional $34.A horizontal accent color stripewrapped around the front of the body;continuing the stripe down the sides ofthe coach was an $86 option.

The total of 15 floor plans was splitbetween the two body lengths, 11 forthe 26-foot coach and four for the 23-footer. Any floor plan was available inany of the four models. The modelnames defined the interior décor, col-ors, and upholstery patterns and notthe floor plan.

The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:The GMC MotorhomeStory Of A Classic:

74 APRIL 2004 • FMC

Part OnePart Three

Manufacturer’s suggested retail baseprice was $14,569.06 for the 26-footmotorhome and $13,569.06 for the 23-foot motorhome. Almost everythingwas available as an option. Possibilitiesincluded auto air, $482; AM-FM radio,$217; chrome bumpers, $75; wheelcovers (7), $52.50; suspension power-leveler, $85; built-in vacuum cleaner,$210; roof air, $525; auxiliary 6-kwgenerator, $1,675; factory-deliverydrive-away prep, $32; or customerdrive-away prep, $105.

A number of RV shows and demon-strations were used around the countryto exhibit the features of the new GMCMotorhome. GMC even displayed themotorhome at a truck show inFrankfurt, Germany — the Germansloved it! During one of the mostimpressive demonstrations, a GMCMotorhome was driven over 4-inch-by-4-inch timbers spaced a few feetapart. It was followed by a differentbrand of motorhome, which was fittedwith a cover to obscure its manufactur-er’s name. This demonstrated the dif-ference in suspension abilities. TheGMC handled the timbers with ease; itstires danced over the obstacles with thebody barely bouncing. The coveredmotorhome with leaf-spring suspen-sion on a competitor’s chassis had itstires leaving the ground and appearedto be leaping in the air after the third orfourth timber was crossed — much tothe crowd’s delight.

Alex Birch, foreman of theExperimental Engineering shop, was thedriver of the GMC in many of thesedemonstrations. At one demonstration,he completed the pass, pulled up smart-

ly in front of the grandstand, and was toopen the door, wave at the crowd, andthen drive off. All went well until thedoor latch jammed and the door couldnot be opened. Alex’s quick thinkingsaved the day, however. He hopped backin the driver’s seat, honked the horn,waved to the crowd, and drove off. Thatwas not the last of the problems associ-ated with the latch manufactured byLake Center Industries, which was usedin the 1973 motorhomes.

Dolly Cole, wife of GM president EdCole, and friends went to a charity ballone evening at the Detroit OrchestraHall. They chose to arrive in the newGMC Motorhome to show it off. Thedriver pulled the coach up in front todischarge the passengers, and the doorlatch jammed again. The passengersdisembarked with great difficulty,which the press attending the eventduly noted in the morning papers.Early that next morning motorhomeengineers were called into Alex Mair’soffice and told in no uncertain terms tofix the problem, immediately. That iswhy you see a stainless-steel patchwith the replacement latch on 1973GMC Motorhome doors up to approxi-mately serial number 3V101850.

Starting in 1973 and continuingthrough 1977, a number of films wereproduced to promote the GMC. Walkinginto a GMC Motorhome dealershipshowroom, you might see what lookedlike a small TV with a number of filmcassettes. GM called these units “Mini-Theaters,” and films showing the manyfeatures of the motorhome could beviewed on one of these self-containedunits. Fourteen films were produced, as

well as three more from a TV programof the time, “Holiday on Wheels.”

In late 1973, the 1974 models wereintroduced with little fanfare. Theywere a continuation of the previousyear’s models, incorporating runningchanges made to correct deficiencies inthe early designs. Many of thesechanges and corrections can be foundin the GMC Motorhome ServiceBulletins and other publications. Onechange for the better with the 1974models, in my opinion, was the discon-tinuance of the parrot green color.

The GMC plant was operating at oneshift while the Gemini plant was at twoshifts. The motorhome’s body andchassis were being assembled morerapidly than the interior upfitting atGemini. An early problem at the Geminifacility was plant layout: parts andassemblies were not properly placed forefficient manufacturing flow given therelatively large build volumes. Geminiplant personnel experience had beenbased on the one-at-a-time build prac-tices at Travco. Employees from theGMC plant were able to provide assis-tance with this problem, thanks to theirextensive background in large-volumemanufacturing.

The parking lot at the Gemini facili-ty in Mount Clemens was usually full ofmotorhomes awaiting interiors.Completed coaches were shipped fromthis location to dealers as well.

The GMC Motorhome assemblyoperations were shut down in earlyDecember 1973. The official reasonwas “to bring inventories in line withretail sales.” However, the gasoline

continued

A bird’s-eye view of the GMC Motorhome chassis.

FMC • APRIL 2004 75

Photos courtesy of General Motors

shortage had begun to seriously affectthe RV industry.

In Las Vegas in January 1974, GMCannounced a new series of vehicles forcommercial, medical, and generaltransportation purposes, and nineTransmode concept vehicles wereshown to the press. An Eleganza SE(RPO#696) “featuring customized inte-riors much more luxurious than thosein current models” was displayed aswell. This was the start of Alex Mair’splan to make the GMC Motorhome the“Cadillac of motorhomes.” He hadmade the comment at one point thatthe GMC Motorhome was to GMC whatthe Corvette was to Chevrolet, its halo(image) vehicle.

GMC, now offering a motorhomerental program, conducted a fuel econo-my run with press representatives fromAutomotive News, Motor Trend, andTrailer Life magazines. A motorhomeeconomy run could be very risky, andsome reporters noted that GM should

get the “sheer courage award” and had“corporate guts” to propose an economyrun on a 23-foot motorhome during thegas crisis. Over a 264-mile test from LosAngeles to Las Vegas, which includedthe well-known Baker Grade, whichpeaks at 4,751 feet, the reportedmileage was 10.2 mpg using cruise con-trol most of the way. The return tripprovided an 11.2-mpg average, sincethis direction was slightly more down-hill. Evidently, GMC was trying hard torevive sales during this period of gas shortages.

In March 1974 GMC announced thatit had suspended production onceagain due to a lack of orders. Geministill had a backlog of shells to upfit, butscaled back to a one-shift operation.Sales began picking up over the nextcouple of months, and by midyearinventories were depleted and produc-tion was resumed.

The 1975 model year brought manychanges to the GMC Motorhome. New

model names were announced;Eleganza II and Palm Beach replacedthe previous models. New, better-qual-ity woven fabrics supplanted the print-ed fabrics that had been used in earliercoaches, and Flexsteel seating wasinstalled. Assembly of interiors atGemini was discontinued, and all of theinterior upfitting was brought in-houseat the Pontiac plant (none of theGemini employees were picked up byGMC for the in-house assembly).Grand Rapids Furniture Co. was nowbuilding the interior modules, anddovetail joints replaced glue and sta-ples. While the quality of the interiorfittings improved measurably, heavierweight and higher cost of the furniturewas the downside. Exterior changesincluded new colors and stripes; exteri-or paint was now urethane (Imron)instead of the previously used synthet-ic enamel; raised “GMC” lettersreplaced vinyl decals on themotorhomes; and the fit and function

76 APRIL 2004 • FMC

FMC • APRIL 2004 77

of exterior panels and doors wereimproved, as was the floor substruc-ture. Stronger frame cross memberswere added; new Hehr side windowswere installed; an HEI ignition systemwas added; and polybutylene (plastic)plumbing replaced copper. Gross vehi-cle weight ratings were increased to11,700 pounds, and many otherchanges and improvements were incor-porated as well.

The Transmode, an “emptymotorhome” for those who wanted tobuild their own interiors, was availablefrom 1975 through 1978. GMC nolonger offered the 23-foot unit as amotorhome, although it could still bepurchased as a Transmode and upfittedby others.

Many companies were upfitting thenew Transmode as motorhomes and forcommercial applications. Some of themotorhome upfitters were Avion,Coachmen, Carriage, LRP, Midas, Norris,Hughes, Landau, Roll-a-long, El Dorado,

Foretravel, and Winnebago, plus a fewothers with very low build quantities.

Transmode upfitters for commercialpurposes were many. These GMCs wereused as ambulances/emergency vehi-cles, bookmobiles, mobile banks, air-port shuttle buses, mobile showrooms,on-location radio broadcast centers,hearses, courtesy coaches for beer andsoda distributors, and much more.

The 1976 GMC Motorhome modelsarrived with few changes from the pre-vious year. Two new models were intro-duced in addition to the Eleganza II andPalm Beach carryovers: the Glenbrookand Edgemont. The Edgemont was theprice leader with a base price about$1,000 below the other three models.Running changes continued to bemade, most starting with serial number6V100878. They added an entry doorstrap; relocated the air compressor andsolenoid valves to an inside compart-ment (Electro Level); and added aglass-lined hot water tank, cab floorsupport (stamping), radial tires/wheels,and body side rub molding (with adhe-sive replacing stainless).

In 1977 the Kingsley model debuted,replacing the previous year’s Glenbrookmodel. The Eleganza II and Palm Beach

continued to be offered. The Edgemontwas replaced by a new twin bed/drybath floor plan in the Eleganza II. Otherchanges included a redesigned dash,which relocated the AC/heater outletsand moved the Electro Level controls tothe left of the driver; a new Freedombattery; an entrance door rain cap; andan assist handle.

Another model, the Coca-Cola, wasbuilt in two versions. The first wasthe “standard” model, offered incameo white with a red horizontalstripe, the same pattern as other GMCMotorhomes. It is believed thesemotorhomes were used primarily byCoca-Cola bottlers and distributors ascourtesy coaches and at public events.The second Coca-Cola model wasdubbed the GadAbout and equippedwith all the bells and whistles. Theexterior paint was white with asweeping wedge of Coca-Cola red upthe sides that blended to a yellownear the top rear of the coach. TheGadAbout name appeared near thefront, and a bottle-cap-shaped sparetire cover was at the rear.

Inside, the Coca-Cola red upholsterywas the same in both coaches. In theGadAbout, refrigerator door graphicsmade the appliance look like a soda-dispensing machine — very impres-sive! Other extras were a Coca-Colalogo entry floor mat, clock, and mir-rored picture, as well as a rear tablewith a Coke checkerboard pattern. Onthe dash above the glove box was anattractive pewter plaque with aGadAbout motorhome in profile andthe slogan, “Coke adds life to . . .cruisin’ in a GadAbout.”

Five GadAbouts were given away tofirst-prize winners of a Coca-Cola

continued

Motorhomes wereconveyed sidewayson dollies along theinterior finishing line(left and below);these particular photos were taken in 1975.

GMC Motorhome Production TotalsModel Year Production:

1973 1974 1975 1976* 1977 1978

23’ 461 168 ~ ~ ~ ~26’ 1,598 1,496 1,195 2,413 1,695 689

Transmode 23’ ~ ~ 36 549 253 178Transmode 26’ ~ ~ 425 298 455 1,012

Total 2,059 1,664 1,656 3,260 2,403 1,879*peak production year

contest held in December 1977.Twenty-five second-prize winners eachreceived the use of a GMC Motorhomefor two weeks along with $3,000 incash. GMC records indicate that a totalof 55 Coca-Cola models were built, mostin 1977 and a few in 1978. It was orig-inally believed that only five of the totalwere GadAbouts; however, more havebeen discovered lately, and as many asnine or 10 may have been built.

The 403-cid engine replaced the455-cid engine by the end of January1977 and was used for all remainingmotorhome production. GM’s downsiz-ing had started and would soon havesevere implications for the GMC Motorhome.

Plant No. 3 in Pontiac, Michigan,had been the site of GMC Motorhomeproduction from the beginning in late1972 through mid-1977. In August1977 production was moved to PlantNo. 29, also in Pontiac. This site pro-vided a more efficient production facil-ity and was used through the end ofproduction in 1978.

On November 11, 1977, Robert W.Truxell, general manager of GMC Truckand Coach, announced the phaseout ofGMC Motorhome and Transmode pro-duction (see the accompanying sidebarfor the text of the announcement).According to the GMC engineers I havespoken with, no advance warning wasgiven to the employees, and they weresurprised at the news. In all probability,it should not have been too surprising.Carrying too much burden and overheadand never reaching the volumes neededto achieve real profitability, GM saw bet-ter ways to use its resources and achievegreater return on its investment.

The 1978 model year began withthree models of GMC Motorhome inte-riors: Eleganza II, Palm Beach, andKingsley. Production of the Transmodecontinued as well, with many upfittersparticipating. The major upfitter wasCoachmen Industries (Jimmy Motors),producing the Royale (26-foot) andBirchaven (23-foot).

New GMC Motorhome two-tonebody colors and a three-color horizontal

midbody stripe distinguished the 1978models from other years. A number offeatures that were options in previousyears were now standard, and manyfeatures were improved. Improvementsincluded the Electro Level II, a largerbathroom skylight, a 36-gallon holdingtank, integral refrigerator vents, newsolid cupboard doors, new countertops,and woven window blinds. Chromebumpers were finally standard. Amongthe new options were a glass and spicerack, a microwave oven, an overheadrear cabinet, a six-speaker sound sys-tem, a lighted visor vanity mirror, and alockable overhead front cabinet.

On the Transmode, urethane foamfloor insulation, previously an option,was now standard. The steering wheel,column, and hand brake were nowsaddle-colored, and the front-end GMClogo was now displayed in raised let-tering instead of a decal.

With the end of productionapproaching, plans had to be made tophase out production in as orderly amanner as possible. Build-out plans

78 APRIL 2004 • FMC

GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors plans todiscontinue producing luxury Motorhomes and similarTransmode multipurpose vehicles and convert those plantfacilities to expand truck operations, a GM vice presidentsaid today. Robert W. Truxell, general manager of GMCTruck & Coach said, “As a result of this action, GMC will beable to utilize production facilities more effectively for ser-vicing growing truck demands. The long-term outlook forgreater truck activity is extremely bright and GMC produc-tion operations will be realigned to help meet expandingcustomer needs,” he said.

“GMC will continue offering a wide range of trucks whichare designed to meet a variety of recreational vehicle appli-cations,” Truxell emphasized.

He described the planned facility conversion program as“a continuation of major steps taken recently at GMC Truck& Coach facilities in Pontiac in response to growing truckneeds. Van production will be doubled to more than 250 aday on two-shift operations, starting this month.

“With a continuation of strong sales, GMC van operationswill be expanded throughout the 1978 model year,” Truxellpointed out. He said another van production increase is antic-ipated in the spring of 1978 and facilities are being expandedto begin van interior installation operations in the spring.

The GMC van program has already added about 1,000jobs in Pontiac, and another 1,200 new jobs could resultwithin a year, Truxell said.

A high percentage of GMC’s chopped van output is utilized for recreation vehicle applications with special bodies, such as mini-motorhomes, installed byindependent companies. “While it is regrettable that luxury Motorhome and Transmode production will be dis-continued, the action will assist GMC in serving other parts of the recreation vehicle business to a greater extent and help meet growing truck demands,”Truxell explained.

He said industry truck sales in the United States in the1978 model year should reach 3,750,000 units, and antici-pates the growth trend will continue.

GMC Motorhomes have been built in Pontiac since theirintroduction in early 1973. Parts, service, and warranty pro-visions will continue through existing GMC Motorhomedealerships, Truxell said.

Termination of Motorhome production will be accom-plished gradually and it is expected that approximately325 persons currently involved in Motorhome activities willbe transferred to other GMC Truck & Coach operations,Truxell said.

GMC Motorhome PhaseoutA press release datelined Pontiac, Michigan, November 11, 1977, read as follows:

were made, i.e. matching parts inven-tories to dealer/customer orders. Oneexample of this was the sale of surplustransmissions and final drives by GMto an Ohio GMC Motorhome dealer whopurchased 1,361 units. These were ini-tially offered at a sale price of $495each (the suggested list prices wereidentified as $1,375 for the transmis-sion and $675 for the final drive).When the inventory got down to 500units, the sale price was reduced to$475. In 1983 the price was reducedagain to $295, at which time theremaining inventory was sold. GMCMotorhome and Transmode productionended in July 1978.

That being said, the rest of thestory is as follows. An important con-sideration should be that Alex Mair, avery strong advocate for the GMCMotorhome, had gone to the PontiacDivision, and there was no one will-ing to fight for the program. Therewere, of course, other serious andobvious concerns with the programthat needed to be resolved. TheOldsmobile engine and drivetrainwould soon be gone from theOldsmobile lineup due to GM’s down-sizing efforts. GMC would either haveto build this unit on its own or designa new one involving new tooling anddevelopment expenses. Sketches of arear engine/rear drive and frontengine/front-wheel drive (using atransfer case) exist. A front suspen-sion using a solid front axle and sin-gle leaf springs with an air spring at

the center, similar to the RTS busdesign, was proposed. Apparently,one operational prototype of a trans-verse front engine/front-wheel-drivemotorhome was built. None of theseredesigns would support a businesscase. Motorhome build quantitieswere just too small to end up withpositive results and, finally, the deci-sion to terminate production ended allfurther development efforts.

GM announced additional detailsover the next few weeks. The GMCMotorhome Club, supported by GM,was discontinued, and in its place a neworganization, GMC Motorhome OwnersAssociation (GMC MOA) was formed.GM noted that it was independent andseparate from GMC Truck & Coach.

GMC attempted to sell the GMCMotorhome assets for a reputed $7 million to another manufacturerthat would continue production. AM General, a Division of AmericanMotors, took a look and built five pro-totypes using a 454-cid engine, witha transfer case to turn the drive backto the new front axle, much likeRevcon actually did in subsequentyears. On the inside, the front steps tothe driving compartment had to bemodified to allow additional room forthe transfer case. This was as far as itwent for AM General. After some test-ing, company officials decided not topursue the purchase of the GMCMotorhome.

Eventually Donald Wheat pur-chased the motorhome manufacturing

continued

At right, the cover of a 1978 GMC Motorhome sales brochure. The Royale and Birchaven were Transmode models upfitted by Coachmen Industries (Jimmy Motors). Above, a typical interior fromthe second series of GMC Motorhomes, produced from 1975 to 1978.

FMC • APRIL 2004 79

80 APRIL 2004 • FMC

rights and tooling. Mr. Wheat orga-nized the Wheat Motor Company(WMC) and several ex-GM officialsserved as corporate officers. The com-pany was to be based in RanchoCucamonga, California. It was reportedinitially that the use of a GM 454-cidengine was planned; that laterchanged to a Ford 460-cid engine. TheWMC Motorhome was to be a 1986

model and retail for about $60,000.The difficult and expensive redesign ofa new engine and drivetrain by a com-pany with fewer resources than GMdoomed the effort, and no actual pro-duction took place.

The end? More than 25 yearshave elapsed since GMC announcedthe phaseout of motorhome produc-tion. It would seem reasonable to

assume that the GMC Motorhomewould have faded away by now, notto be heard from again. That is not the case; allow me to give a few examples.

• There are currently 22 FMCAchapters devoted to GMC Motorhomes.

• Parts are readily available, bothOEM and aftermarket. A large varietyof new, improved, never-before-offeredparts and tools are available as well. Afew examples: fuel injection, rear discbrakes, carbon metallic pads/shoes,alloy wheels, many new suspensionupgrades, new fiberglass body parts,new dash panels, new final driveratios, better shock absorbers, specialtools, etc.

• The Internet is abuzz with vastamounts of technical information,helpful assists, “how to” tips, sourcesfor parts and service, and more.

• Current owners have restored,modified (built slideouts, driver doors,converted to diesel), stretched (typical-ly 2 to 5 feet), or just maintained andenjoyed their coaches.

• Mattel has been making itsHotWheels die-cast GMC Motorhomesince 1977, in about 50 different ver-sions to date. What is most interestingis that over the past couple of years, 10new GMC Motorhome models havebeen issued.

Twenty-five years ago, it is unlikelythat any of us would have conceivedthat any of the above would likely hap-pen. I believe this is a strong indicatorof the interest and longevity of thisclassic motorhome.

Long live the GMC Motorhome!

Literature from a 1974 press release package showed cutaway views of the GMC Motorhome and highlighted noteworthy features.