Carscoops presents a look back on a now-classic.
There’s a buzz around EVs right now, but it was RVs that had captured the nation’s attention back in the 1960s and 1970s. So much so that GM thought it would cash in on the craze and develop its own from the ground up, the GMC MotorHome.
Most RVs were built by small independent firms using existing truck chassis and were compromised as a result. The floors were too high and they rode badly so they felt unrefined no matter how opulent the interiors were. But with the resources of an automotive giant at its disposal, GM’s team started from scratch with a plan to build a motorhome that had some of the style and comfort of a car.
To achieve a flat floor it went for front-wheel drive, something made easier by the fact that the Oldsmobile Toronado coupe already employed a huge 455 cu-in. (7.5-liter) V8 driving the front wheels, something not lost on existing RV makers like Revcon. The styling, meanwhile, was modern with acres of glazing to let light in, and a sloping nose that made at least a vague attempt at being aerodynamic.
And to deliver a suitably smooth ride, the bespoke chassis featured fully independent rear suspension and air springs. When you consider that many of GM’s cars of the period, like the Chevy Nova and Camaro, were still rear-wheel drive and riding on leaf springs, the MotorHome was unusually sophisticated.
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