Happy Friday, Autopians! We’re headed into a three-day weekend here in the US, the unofficial start of summer, and I bet, despite the high gas prices, a lot of folks are going to be hitting the road. I know we saw quite a few RVs and trucks hauling boats getting a jump on the festivities today, including one very special vehicle that inspired this Showdown. But more about that in a minute.
Yesterday, we looked at two pairs of cars that needed some work, and it wasn’t even close. The twin red Alfas took home a solid win. The mismatched Renault Fuegos didn’t stand a chance, despite the fact that the “good” one of the pair runs fine. The automatic transmission didn’t help its case, but I think the biggest problem was that it’s a Renault Fuego.
But you know what? I’m going to be contrarian here and side with the minority. I think I could be more successful building one good car out of the two Renaults. And there’s a good chance that the parts car is a manual, which means everything is there for a swap. And everywhere you go, you have a good chance of someone saying, “Holy shit, is that a Renault Fuego?” Besides, the lead photo in the Alfa ad is giving me serious “Come play with us, Danny” vibes.
Speaking of “holy shit is that a…” moments, I had a good one today. Check out what we saw cruising along Interstate 75 today:
A GMC Motorhome! It was taking it easy, rolling along in the right lane, and looking downright majestic doing it. I immediately knew what I wanted to find for today’s Showdown. I knew I wouldn’t find a decent GMC Motorhome in our price range, but I thought I could find a cool old RV or two. I think I did all right. Let’s check them out.
1975 Winnebago D19 Brave – $6,500
Engine/drivetrain: 318 cubic inch OHV V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Newcastle, CA
Odometer reading: 59,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
If you’re around my age, this RV probably reminds you of the coolest Tonka truck of all time, the Tonka Winnebago. (And if you’re like me, you desperately wanted one, but never got one.) The GMC Motorhome gets a lot of attention these days, but this Winnebago shape is more likely what springs to mind when someone says “classic ’70s motorhome.” This is the nineteen-foot D19 model, with a seriously short wheelbase. It looks a little goofy, but charming, especially compared to gigantic modern RVs.
Like most Winnebago RVs, the D19 is Dodge-based. It’s powered by a 318 V8 and a Torqueflite automatic, a sturdy combination. It probably isn’t the fastest thing in the world, but you don’t buy an RV for high-performance driving. It doesn’t have many miles on it, as you would expect from a vehicle that only sees occasional use. It runs well, the seller says, and it has new tires, so it should be ready to hit the road.
For a fifty-one-year-old RV, it looks decent inside. There’s some wear, but I’ve seen a lot worse in newer RVs. It has what looks like new click-lock flooring, but everything else looks original. The seller hasn’t had it long and hasn’t bothered to test the generator or any of the appliances, so you’ll have to check them out yourself.
It’s all original outside too, and again, there’s some wear and tear, but nothing major. The seller says the previous owner fixed some small leaks in the roof, but it’s all watertight now. I bet you’d turn some heads rolling into an RV park in this thing.
1987 Fleetwood Bounder – $8,000
Engine/drivetrain: 454 cubic inch OHV V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Grants Pass, OR
Odometer reading: 36,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
But maybe a nineteen-footer is a little smaller than you need. Maybe you’d like some more room to breathe inside. This Fleetwood Bounder is a little newer than the Winnie, and maybe not as cool, but it’s got an extra eight feet of length. Take it from someone who has gone camping in a 13 foot trailer, and then a 16 footer: a little extra length can make all the difference.
This one is on a Chevrolet chassis, with a 454 and probably a Turbo 400 transmission. The ad lists the mileage wrong; it looks like the seller misread the odometer and included the tenths place. It actually has 36,700 miles, not 367,000. The seller says it runs well, but doesn’t elaborate.
In an RV, you have a lot of things doing double duty: your dining room table is also your bed platform, your kitchen sink is usually your only sink, and the shower is often the whole bathroom. It’s an impressive packaging job, but a little extra space is always welcome. In this case, it seems like the extra eight feet are dedicated to a separate bedroom, with what looks like a queen-sized bed. The seller says the mattress is new, too. It looks like a 1970s Howard Johnson’s inside, but it also looks comfy.
Thanks to the low mileage, it’s in good condition, and more importantly, clean. There are a few issues, though: the refrigerator doesn’t work, and there is some minor water damage from a leak. The seller thinks the leak is fixed, but they’re including some more roof sealant just in case. The outside looks good, but the first photo I showed is the only exterior photo in the ad, so I don’t know any more than you do about its condition outside.
You could spend a hundred grand or more on a modern RV and blend into the sea of identical campers at the RV park, or you can drop less than five figures on one of these, spend a little time and money fixing a few minor things, and have something really fun and interesting. You’re going to spend a fortune on gas anyway, and have to find a place to store it, so why spend more on something boring? Which one would you rather road-trip in: the shorty Winnebago, or the comfier Fleetwood?
My grandparents had a Winnebago like that. Yes, please.
Winnebago for me — These were extremely well-thought out for their time and are still perfectly functional and comfortable rigs when restored. And they get a lot of goodwill from other campers and interested folks because they’re so iconic.
I’ve owned the slightly more upscale Pace Arrow model from Fleetwood of similar vintage — largely gutted it out and repaired/repainted, upgraded the interior of one and then traded it for a 90’s vintage Winnebago which was nicer in every conceivable way. It was a fun project (Even including having to cut an access hatch into the floor to replace rotted fuel lines at the otherwise inaccessible fuel sender…) and we did some great camping in it — even full-timing for a bit — but honestly, while these Fleetwoods were nice, Winnebago always topped them.
Other fun notes — I did own the Tonka Winnebago. It was awesome. And probably integral to my ongoing affection (or affliction??) involving motorhomes.
Secondly, this popped up while I was on the road bringing home my newest motorhome — a 45′ Monaco “diesel pusher” coach that I’m now figuring out how to park at my house because the perfect place for it is yet to be cleared and set up.
Yes, with a motorhome it’s best to cruise at a more leisurely pace like most of the trucks and let the miles and scenery roll by. On the other hand, the new-to-me Monaco was re-engined by its previous owner with a 600HP Cummins X15 engine. If you put your foot down, it can hit 60 at the end of an on-ramp. Not bad for something the same length as a Greyhound bus, and a far cry from these examples of what motorhomes commonly were.
That Winnebago is so ugly it’s cute, however the Bounder has a picture of a kangaroo on it so it’s a hard call.
Oh elders, fleet and strong and wise, appear before my seeking eyes!
The Dead Kennedys wrote “Winnebago Warrior,” and nothing about a Fleetwood, so that settled my vote. Winnebago for the win(?).
OTOH Fleetwood Mac is one of my favorite bands of all time, so +1 for the Fleetwood here.
Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac?
Or the sleepytime one?
duck://player/2h50c8QHvJI
Had to go with the Crystal Ship for this one
It seems like it would make a great personal domicile.
Guess we won’t get Mercedes’s thoughts on the old RVs until her COTD quotes arrives.
Hope she gives a full paragraph or two, and compares either to her parents’ issues with brand new trailers.
I’d love to see Mercedes take on these RVs and your narrative that with these 50 years old RVs all you need is a couple simple repairs to be good as new. I was going to say neither but these do look like a couple of good survivors. I went for younger and bigger and stronger.
I feel like if I bought either of these I’d have to pay someone to take it off my hands. If I had to pick one, the Bounder.
Oh HELL no.
Didnt gm offer the shit burner system. So equipped?
If I could get into the 90s or 00s I would be happier but I suppose late 80s brown will work. Over whatever was going on the in the 70s that I want no part of.
Hell yeah! I always love an RV Shitbox Showdown. This one was my favorite since it had a Dodge…Beaver! Ha ha
https://www.theautopian.com/home-sweet-home-away-from-home-1980-dodge-beaver-vs-1983-ford-
tioga/
Normally I’d go old skool w/ the Winnie w/ the totally goofy but still awesome front end (actually the whole thing looks goofy) but realistically I’d go Bounder for more power (454!), comfort, room etc. Also, more likely that all the systems at least work somewhat decently rather than needing rebuilt. Since the fridge doesn’t work, would replace that 1st and any other appliances that don’t work. This RV probably has a little more ease of finding parts/wrenching too. This will be a lot of great fun and better than “livin in a VAN down by the RIVER!”
“a little extra length can make all the difference.”
That’s what she said…ha ha
Teenage me would have been all Winnebago all the time. Now? I have to go with the Bounder–driving the Winnebago would be like holding a sheet of plywood in a windstorm. To be fair, both of them need $$$ for refurb before I set foot in them. I would drive it straight to the auto restoration folks near my house and let them have at it.
I don’t want either, but if I had to chose one I guess I will save some coin and get the Winnebago. The prospect of two RVs with known roof leaks that have been “fixed” is basically a non-starter. At least the Winnebago makes me smile with its odd proportions and has new tires.
Poor choices are abundant here, a coin flip between hantavirus heaven (CA) and terminal mold (OR). But looking at the condition in the driver’s side photo of the Winnebago, its half life would be about twenty minutes before it was tagged and towed if I parked it on the street in front of my house. And the Bounder has an awning where I can sit in the shade and contemplate my poor decision making. Bounder it is.
I think the old Winnebago design is scaringly horrible, and the Fleetwood looks a bit like the one from Breaking Bad, so that one!
The Fleetwood seems like a great option for professional Breaking Bad cosplayers. And I can see how they can recoup the investment quickly just by taking their cosplaying to the next level.
The Winnebago works for Walking Dead Season 1-2 cosplayers, if there is such a thing.
I bet there’s cosplay of anything these days. If there’s someone out there cosplaying as the Geico Gecko, I’m pretty sure you have Walking Dead cosplayers doing just seasons 1-2 cosplay.
I don’t know what these smell like, but I understand what they smell like just by looking at the pictures.
I picked the Fleetwood just because I see a Microwave. I could throw a couple cans of tuna in there and improve the smell if I have to.
Thanks for the rank laugh you gave me!