Airstream Conversion Vans??
 

Are they still a “Thing”?http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746682401.jpg
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Might work if it does what you want it to do. One of the hallmarks of Airstream has always been very elegant visual cues and this one on a Ford chassis misses the mark IMO.

We looked briefly at the modern Airstream Sprinter adventure vans and they are well outfitted, very tight living space for 2 people, and big $$$. I could get along just fine in a Sprinter conversion van but Mrs. Cajun threw down the "nope" card. She recognized the need for more elbow room and more storage and I think she was right. We currently have about 250 nights spent in an Itasca Navion Class C on a Sprinter chassis which is a better fit for our needs. It is our 2nd RV and really checked a lot of boxes. Worth a look.

Not sure they ever really caught on . Visually it really looks like an after thought . But functionally I think they work but are a big compromise . Limited space means 10 lbs of crap crammed into a 8 lb bag . On the flip side easy to drive and park . In this type of vehicle I would not pay a premium for the Airstream name . Much different than the Airstream travel trailer .

They were never a thing.

Now the new Mercedes based lux overland vans. Those are a thing. Have seen a lot of them on the road and parked. Serious beasts.

My wife wants a diesel all wheel drive Sprinter size camper van. There is one down the street that planted the seed.

I have always had a yen for one of those GMC rigs from the 1970's

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There are plenty of conversion vans out there. Airstream's version never really became a thing. Their full motorhomes are cool, but also short lived. Those GMC coaches have a real cult following. I know two folks that own them.

I had this one a few years back. Drove nice..plenty of room and a bathroom in it.
Gas mileage was terrible...big V-8 One inch too high for the garage.


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Here ya go Toby:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/hvo/d/santa-cruz-big-block-dodge-413/7833434172.html



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There is a Dodge like that I go past walking the dogs if I want to pick up one of those

He has a sweet crew cab 1960's Dodge truck too that he is not interested in selling.

Thing about those GMC rigs is they were designed to be an RV from the ground up, rear suspension allows for a low, flat floor.

Those GMC motorhomes were ahead of their time . Lots of innovations that other RV's didn't have at the time . Powered by an Oldsmobile Toronado front wheel drive 455 V8 . I think it was the first large motorhome with front wheel drive .

Rumor was that GM had so much R&D $$$ in the program that they never turned a profit . Every one sold was a loss .

Dodge had something similar called the Travco . It was a fiberglass shell shaped like an Airstream . Traditional rear wheel drive with either a 413 or 440 V8 .

The aluminum Airstream motorhomes have a cult following . Fairly rare they command big $$$ on the used market for a good one . Airstream killed their motorhome advantage when they went to fiberglass .

That Airstream Van is from the stone age. Take a standard van and add everything you can think of on it. Ladder, spare, flares/running board, awning, bug deflector (?) and the mushroom on top. 7-8 m.p.g.? I'm sure the seat are blue crushed velvet.

I’m wearing down the wife.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746726811.jpg

^^^ Does anyone here own/lease a version of what is pictured?

I have my wife on the ropes:cool:

I don't have a wife to piss off ... my dawg will be OK...

How much .... detail$ man detail$ :D

That is the one my wife wants if it is diesel and 4x4

Might need smaller dogs though

Can these things tow anything?

Probably 5000 pound towing

Sprinter vans are rated for 5000#. With a Sprinter based RV we have to travel somewhat light to avoid exceeding GCWR. I only tow 4500# and usually travel light to the race track but I have seen some folks overdo it with large enclosed trailers.

This is a walkthrough of a rig similar to ours:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eSUN1AbOg18?si=GEc0Ho8ZsAmYfjJt" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I know a guy that tows a full sized bass boat.

$200k?

this one is from a company called Vannon. I saw one real life at an RV thing. it meets my criteria perfectly. it is the LITE edition. open interior. they keep one row of factory seats. bed. chest fridge, battery stuff, and exterior shower. no kitchen, no bathroom. perfect. I asked the guy if they could fit a kayak inside. the answer was no because of the row of seats, but they rallied. they could lift seats, etc. it was sick. the one I drooled over was geared towards mtn-biking. tool stand, air compressor, etc.

I would buy a used one. I see many that are bought and never used. I would drive it to visit Seahawk. shoot one of his turkeys, and drive back fishing lakes I have only read about in magazines. eat a slice of bar-pizza (bah-pizza?) whatever the hell that is. :D

my wife said the magic words. she said. "no way you put a stinky kayak inside..you will have to buy a trailer!!" van guy said..."oh, we could probably build you a kayak trailer...
".

not to read between the lines, but that wasn't..."Vash, get your ars out of the fancy van, now!"

I read somewhere about the lack of reliability on the Mercedes//Sprinter RV. True??

Well, it is the most widely used service and delivery fleet vehicle around the globe and many will go 400k miles on the original engine and chassis. I call that pretty reliable. Ours is 10 years old, 82k miles and we have logged 40k- zero issues with the Sprinter chassis. The brakes are fleet duty and tend to go 100k before needing replacement. Like all German vehicles, when you do need parts they tend to cost more than Chevy or Toyota.

For comparison, our last RV was on a Chevy 350 chassis and threw a rod at 45k miles. New motor time but a crate Chevy 350 was relatively cheap compared with a Sprinter 3.0L diesel which is in Porsche territory.

How many miles are you planning to drive it? We average about 6k per year after our first 30 state grand US tour.

Perspective matters.

One of my lifelong friends owns one and loves it. He has put a lot of miles on it. Ordered it new, and sent it directly to be outfitted to his taste.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746775264.jpg This would be the one to own.

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Back to topic

I had a Dodge Ram 250 Conversion van for years .. it pulled/backed/ramped my 18' bass boat for years. My gf & yellow lab chased hippie jam bands all over the south on weekends, sleeping in the back.... she didn't do "tents" as well ;)

The gf .... dawg didn't care...

I hit my head too many times .... all three are long gone :D

OK .... 200K new .... not happening....

I live closer to Paul than you do tho' :D!

Thanks!

edited: I would not want to launch a bass boat with one... doable mebbe ... but not many ramps I used.

And I can back a boat .... no UTube videos of me are out there ;)

I'll pick you up on the way!!


the Vannon guy told me something like "this version is $140k"
I blurted out like a fool with a boner, " what, that is not as bad as I thought!!"
(before I could turn to my wife and say, "lets do this"..

the guy says, "depends on what van you are providing...."

"wut? $140 is just the conversion part?". hahahaha... I told him. when the country tour is over showing off this one, will you sell it? he said yes. :D

I do notice with the economy the industry seems to be hemoragging. prices are coming down. the van is still $70. I could seriously put the best camp cot in the back of one and use that for years. electric ice chest. I go feral quickly in the wild.

Byron, I have my VW Eurovan based Winnibago for sale! only 21' long and gets up to 18 MPG! Has enough room for two with all the conveniences of the bigger rigs. Full bathroom w/shower, three burner cook top, microwave oven, A/C, generator and more.

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GD you Byron, you had to post that. I keep seeing ratty ones amd you show me that.

Not diesel or 4wd, wife would never bite, but sweet rig Von. You need a Unimog camper

I'm not a cybertruck fan, but if I found a cheap one I'd consider something like this:

<iframe width="624" height="351" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mLrjonQ0CXs" title="CyberCamper Walk Through from CYBERTRUCKco" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I reckon if ya have to a$k ....

Nevermind :D

Nice!

LOL!!
My old Business partner Fred at one time owned the McLaren GMC RV.
Sadly, I can’t find the other pictures of the Brumos one that I had.
But you could try and find one of these.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746815260.jpg
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746815603.jpg
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The only one I have space and time for.
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Or build one of these.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746815663.jpg
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I’m not looking for a RV or van, but trying to help a friend thin down his stable of cars.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1746815828.jpg
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I see these RVs, say full bathroom. How does one compare to a bathroom in an airplane?

A couple of weeks ago I was coming home and took a leak in the airplane bathroom. At 6‘4“, I could not bend myself in any direction, to keep my face from hitting the ceiling/wall and let loose.😂