General Motors got into the RV market in the 1970s. Taking into account how happy people were at the time, the company set out to make the best American Motor home. They wanted to make a top-of-the-line vehicle with cutting-edge design and construction, not just another competitor in the market for vacation vehicles, which was already very crowded. During this time, the most common type was a boxy, awkward, and top-heavy unit on a truck chassis. In every way, the GMC vehicle was meant to be a brand-new design. Design work started in 1970, and the product was supposed to hit the market in 1973. The slogan of the GMC ad was "Doesn't look like a box or ride like a truck."
In more than one way, the new car would be strange for this time. First, it was supposed to have front-wheel drive, which was unusual in cars at the time and unheard of in mobile homes. The Oldsmobile Toronado was used to get ideas for the car's drive train and suspension. The 455-cubic-inch Oldsmobile engine made 265 horsepower and was connected to a Turbohydramatic 425 transmission with a torsion bar suspension. The rear suspension was based on GM's bus design. It had one air spring on each side and two swing arms, one in front and one behind. Instead of steel, the body was to be made of lightweight aluminium and moulded fiberglass-reinforced plastic, like what was used in the Chevrolet Corvette.
The standard motor home design was greatly improved by the front-wheel drive and independent swing arm rear suspension. The coach didn't have any drive shafts or axles under it, so the floor was very low. This led to a low overall height and a low centre of gravity. In addition to making it easier to get in and out of the vehicle, this made it much safer and easier to drive for people who are only used to driving cars. A six-wheel brake system with disc brakes up front and drum brakes on all four back wheels made the car even easier to drive.
Before, when people made motor homes, they mostly thought about how the vehicle could be used as a temporary home once it got to its destination, like a long stay in a mobile home park or a camping spot. The ease of getting to the destination wasn't a big deal, and the fact that the car was hard to handle on the road was just accepted. GMC made sure to improve this feature by making it easier to see out of the driver's seat by adding a wide expanse of glass.
Even for this time, the 23-foot and 26-foot lengths of the motor home were pretty small. Models are usually much bigger now. The original design of the motor home's interior was small, and there were no permanent places to sleep. All beds were made from places to sit when they were needed.
Water heaters used engine coolant loops to heat water, which made water so hot that it could cause burns because engine coolant temperatures are usually above 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The fridge was powered by a regular car battery, which was only good for one night of use before it needed to be charged again.
In May 1972, at the Transpro '72 trade show in Washington, D.C., the prototype was shown for the first time. In 1973, two models, the Model 230 and the Model 260, which were 23 and 26 feet long, were made. They were sold to the public with finished interiors, and they were also sold unfinished to other RV companies like Avion and Coachman, which added their own interiors and then sold them to the public. There were 30 different floor plans, and prices ranged from $35,000 to $40,000.
The most important change to the GMC vehicle happened in 1977, when the 455 cubic inch engine was replaced with a 403 cubic inch model because of the energy crisis. As gas prices went up, large vehicles that used a lot of gas had to go off the market, which was bad for RV manufacturers. The GMC motor home never sold in large numbers, so the company decided that the factories that made RVs could make more money making light trucks instead. After the 1978 model year, motor homes were no longer made. By that time, 12,921 had been made.
Almost as soon as GMC stopped making motor homes, they became collectibles, and owners' groups were set up to provide parts and service for these vehicles. A cottage industry grew up to serve the small factories and garages. In 1992, General Motors was getting ready to throw away all of the remaining tools and parts. Cinnabar Engineering bought all of the tools and parts needed to make motor homes and made a deal to keep making parts for vehicles that had been taken off the market. In 1992, a magazine called GMC Motor home Marketplace started coming out every month, and in 1994, a newsletter called GMC Motor home News started coming out every three months.
The futuristic look of the car has even made it into pop culture. Mattel Toys made GMC motor homes out of die-cast metal for its Hot Wheels line. There are more than 50 different GMC Hot Wheels, and in 1977, Mattel sold three GMC toys as part of a promotion for the Barbie Doll Star Traveler.
More than 8,000 units are still being registered by their owners, which is a great sign of customer loyalty and product durability. When you type "GMC Motor home" into Google, you get 771,000 results, including sites that sell motor home parts, engines, and upgrades, as well as sites that let owners of classic cars meet up at rallies. Used GMC motor homes cost between $10,000 and $15,000, depending on how well they are kept.
