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?
Neither. Plenty of newer and nicer RVs in the same price range that aren’t leaking and have working appliances.
Also neither because I’m never buying an RV made of glued together vinyl, fiberglass, and paper thin plywood. They will leak, they will rot, they will rattle apart.
As to price range – this week you kicked it up to the mid $20K range.
The 19’ Winnebago would be easier to park at the Hampton Inn, so …
I think the Bounder might be more flammable, so that was the deciding factor for me.
The Winnebago looks like it would need a match and 10 gallons of gas whereas I think I could get by with 5 gallons for the Bounder.
Bounder for me. Either one of these are going to require some serious refurbishment and updating. The extra room is nice, but the 454 seals it for me. I live in Denver, and this thing is going to have to be mountain capable.
I’ll go for the Bounder. Better layout and more usable for extended camping. Seems reasonably well maintained for its age. Also, being on the P30 chassis is a plus – all Chevy running gear and easy to get parts. That 454 and 3sp is not exactly ideal, though.
More/less the same as what I have now but a little older.
The Bounder keeps giving me vibes of “Yo! Mister White!”
Winner, winner. Blue meth dinner.
As opposed to the Winnebago and ooh ooh Mister Kotter?
We’re in the process of binging through Breaking Bad for the 3rd time, and as soon as I saw the Bounder, that was the only choice.
If the campers rockin don’t come a knockin .
Winnebago! If you load something heavy enough in the back will it pop a wheelie?
My thoughts exactly. I really want to try driving one.
Likely it’d only take an old school speedbump, not the fat ‘sleeping policeman’ style prevalent today. It’d be a jump up with the front wheels, then a hard landing once the rear make contact.
Neither, but in the spirit of the game, give me the Bounder.
Growing up my neighbor had one identical to this parked between our houses most of the time. He eventually replaced it with a large fifth wheel that he’d tandem tow a bass boat with.
The Winnebago is cool, but needs a lot more work on the inside just to get to something that’s still not all that functional.
In any case I’m sticking with my tent. RV campgrounds aren’t my speed.
I have to go with the Winne and put the extra $1500 into a repair fund, or just to pay for the gas for the probably one and only trip I’d take in it. The smaller size and way-cool retro look appeals to me. I don’t think either one is worth trying to fully restore and keep classic (they’re not GM or Airstream), but instead are beater RVs that should be ridden hard and put away wet. Spend money on keeping it dry and mechanically sound, and just RV it until it falls apart.
50 year old RV in California? More like “Hantavehicle”
I’m not that Brave – I’ll take the Cadillac of Motorhomes.
40 years later, and you can still get a Bounder:
https://www.fleetwoodrv.com/models/2027-bounder/
I’ll take The Krystal Ship.
Either one of these is a bad decision, so I’m going with the Winnebago. I’m going to lean into bad decisions as well. Marlboro Reds? Check. Cheap beer? Check. A lot of seventies TV? Oh yeah. Gimme some of those lawn chairs with the abrasive weave and I’m there. Gym shorts, knee high tube socks and KISS Army shirt. Keep on trucking.
You forgot the traditional rainbow suspenders and I would go with the I’m With Stupid T-shirt
Fleetwood, as I’d prefer to rip out (and junk the rest) a 454/TH400 than a 318/727.
We’re about to have a three day weekend in the UK too. I live near the coast, so my plan is to avoid all the tourists clogging up the coast roads by staying at home or using my motorcycle.
Anyway, RVs don’t interest me at all unless Mercedes is writing about them. I’ll take the shorter of the two, because over here that means it might be possible to park it. I struggle to fit a LWB Transit in the car park at my favourite MTB forest.
“a little extra length can make all the difference.”
I asked my GF, she said the same thing. Huh. I still went with the Winnie, it’s how you use it.
Some of us speak in tongues.
Not according to your girlfriend apparently. LOL
After reading the ads, the mini Winnie is the better vehicle. There’s a fixed leak instead of a potentially fixed leak with visible damage. Fewer roof penetrations also mean it’s less likely to leak again. Space is nice but not when it’s shared with mold. The more expensive ad reads like they are in over their heads and want out. A three way absorption fridge is not hard to fix.
But at 5 mpg or 20 gallons per 100 miles, the purchase price is merely the ticket to the dance. In this instance a hotel will be cheaper if the trip is more than 150 miles away. $6/gallon x 60 gallons of gas round trip pays for a mid tier hotel for two nights.
You do have to figure in the gas your car will use (mine gets 40 mpg so round up to 8 gallons). I’ll call food costs even – self-cooking in the RV is cheaper than eating out but the hotel includes breakfast.
Where a 35-45 year old RV really falls down vs a 5 year old car is unforseen breakdown costs.
I went for the Winnebago. Because if you’re going to make a bad choice, make the worst choice.
Or make the bad choice you will most enjoy.
That’s not an RV. That’s an EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle.
That’s a fact, Jack.
We call it the Luxury Assault Recreational Vehicle.
C’mon, it’s Czechoslovakia. We zip in, we pick ’em up, we zip right out again. We’re not going to Moscow. It’s Czechoslovakia. It’s like we’re going into Wisconsin.
My brother got the shit kicked out of him in Wisconsin!
Love this and all the references you inspired!
I need the smallest thing I can get, so Winnebago it ends up being. And at least I don’t have to worry about David Freiburger types swiping that 318 for their junky Mopar: no-one wants a 318. But seriously, I’d have to figure out how to make either of these temporary additions to the house just to justify either. At least you could buy both for the price of an equally nice Westy, but a Westy at least fits in the driveway…
I used to live in a city with a Fleetwood factory. My neighbor worked there, and would tell me stories about how it was all about production numbers, and the quality was crap. The drug use, mostly methamphetamines, among the line workers was appalling.
The Winnebago is even more dated inside than the Fleetwood. It looks like the last known address of a homeless person. The seller appears to be flipping it for a few grand in profit.
These are like boats – the two best days of the owner’s life are the day they buy it and the day they sell it.
If you are going to buy a motor home, get something that looks inviting inside. Maybe rent one for a week or two.
My vote is for neither one. There are other choices out there. Or flip a coin, then once you get it home, replace the curtains, carpets and furniture.
“The drug use, mostly methamphetamines, among the line workers was appalling.”
Maybe that’s where Vince Gilligan got the idea.
So you still have the expensive gasoline purchase but you don’t own the vehicle?
Okay in this particular case that does make the most sense.
I’m choosing the Bounder for no other reason than it’s starring role as the Crystal Ship in Breaking Bad.
My family had a Winnebago in the 80’s, maybe this exact one. Multiple relatives went in together on one and it got passed around round-robin as needed.
ThevRV got passed around or the rela… Nah better not go there
Winnie for the win! Let us be honest, these are both dumpster fires that will cost you 10s of thousands over the next few years to use them with gusto. The brave is just too cool with the over head beds for the kids and legendary profile.
I can smell the interior on both of these from here. Both of these would be money pits on wheels, no thanks.
an alluring blend of mold, potpourri, old spice, ben gay, and exhaust fumes.
I’ll take the Fleetwood. I’m betting the fuel economy is gonna be about the same, but the 454 will probably let it keep up with traffic. And if you really wanna use it a lot, put an add-on overdrive to it.
Plus the extra space.
At present gas prices nobody will want one of these.
Fire it up to take a camping trip to the other side of your driveway