“Cool” is in the eye of the beholder on this one but I think it’s cool. Or at least a cool idea. Having the ability to haul a car behind a motorhome without needing a trailer is genius. This 1973 Revcon 250 is just that, a modified motorhome made to haul vehicles on the rear frame. It can be found on Craigslist in Bristol, Indiana and the seller is asking $4,000 for this custom hauler, let’s check it out.
This custom rig is just a couple of miles east of the RV/Motorhome Hall of Fame and about ten miles east of Elkhart, Indiana, the mecca for the RV industry over the last few decades. It sure is unique and it’s something that would be fun to own. It looks like a three-wheel motorhome pulling a trailer in the above photo, but you can see how it’s put together, sort of, in some of the photos in the seller’s CL listing. Or, at least you get the gist of it. They basically cut apart a Revcon 250 (25′-6″ long) front-wheel-drive motorhome, exposed the frame and modified to turn it into a car hauler and then reattached the back half of the motorhome to the front portion.
Wait, front-wheel-drive?! Yes, the Revcon used the Oldsmobile Toronado 455 drivetrain. How cool is that? It’s very, very cool, that’s how cool it is. If you aren’t on board with this rig yet then you never will be. The Revcon was built differently than most motorhomes at that time were, they used a 3″ x 6″ box-channel steel frame as opposed to a c-channel frame, making it much more rigid and stable. They are among the best-handling motorhomes of this era and the company spared no expense to make them smooth, quiet, powerful, and safe. The founder of the company was John Hall, the stepson of Wally Byam who founded Airstream. Mr. Hall worked at Airstream as an engineer and designer for 20 years and he started Revcon in 1968.
The Revcon construction consisted of high-tensile strength, heat-treated, load-bearing aircraft aluminum on the exterior followed by a sandwich of 2″ rigid insulation followed by vinyl-coated aluminum on the interior. These were serious motorhomes. The underside would have been filled with six-inches of fiberglass insulation and totally enclosed to block out road noise. This dash has been modified a bit, the seller says that it “Has electronic gauges. Fuel gauge needs work and the speedo needs set.” Unfortunately, it looks like this rig is for sitting now rather than camping. It would have been nice to have somehow saved the kitchen, but I don’t know how much space that would have taken and then there are all of the systems that go along with that to modify. It’s cool as it is now, I probably wouldn’t change a thing other than to update the interior.
Here’s the magic part of the Revcon series, Oldsmobile’s Toronado drivetrain. From a 1973 Revcon 250 brochure: “There’s an extra power reserve for climbing steep grades and passing slower vehicles (like a sluggish Porsche or a lethargic Jag)”. Having front-wheel-drive was unique for motorhomes of this era, but arguably the most famous motorhome of the period, the GMC Motorhome, also used a 455 Olds Toronado front-wheel-drive platform as did the Cortez, Tiara, and Travoy. The seller says that this rig is not perfect but “you can get in and drive”, that’s what I like to hear. I think this would be a super fun project, whether it’s a practical car hauler or even a practical vehicle at all is beyond me. I just know that I like it, a lot.
I read about this awhile ago and just didn’t know what to think of it I’ve decided the concept is ok but the exactions is terrible. And if I were to build somthing like this I’d still want it to be a camper with a kitchen. As for the back the trailer part or hauler part however you want to call it is in need of some sides the it is now just looks stupid in my opinion. I’d never want this to me it makes much more sense to buy a holiday trailer with a biult in car hauler that you pull with a truck. I’ve had one motor home and never again.
So much wrong with this concept on so many different levels. I hide all of my previous engineering failures way back out of public view. Should of just added a trailer hitch to the original motor home , hooked up the car trailer and called it a day.
Yarrr, matey, where’s the rest of it? I bet this thing handles like a box on a conveyor belt. I’ve driven some scary vehicles in my time, but I can’t imagine what this drives like. Probably sounded good on paper,,,
RevCon also made this: the Trailblazer, built upon an F350 4×4 chassis. There are a couple up here in Alaska
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/thedrive/news/15926/this-six-wheel-ford-f-350-based-revcon-trailblazer-is-the-original-off-road-rv%3fsource=dam
I think if I was going to go to this much trouble to make a car hauler out of a motorhome I would have, 1. Gut the back half, 2. reinforced the floor, 3. cut the very back end off and made it the ramp with electric motors with cables to lower it and ramp extenders inside of it to make the loading not so steep, 4. Cut a double door on the drivers side to make access for when you want to enter / exit the car you are hauling once loaded. To me that would make look better and the car would be secure rain or shine. JMO.
Its ot a grant steering wheel, so that makes it COOOOOL🚙
Hahaha
On the upside, there’s lots of room for family and friends to join you on your car-hauling adventures.
No doubt created by a person to whom “don’t try this at home” is a challenge rather than a warning.
It is highly unlikely that the proper analysis was done to ensure that the converted rig can safely handle hauling a car. To do it properly would require knowledge of the material properties of the steel used by the frame manufacturer. Two suggestions: 1) don’t buy it, and 2) if you see it on the highway hauling a car, give it lots of room.
Sounds like he knows metallurgy and design quite well. It also sounds like u don’t. Those who can do. Those who can’t criticize
I would have liked to see a photo where theyfixed the trailer frame some how to the motorhome part of the rig? Sure seems like it would really be a pressure point to the whole rig? Yes very cool. And may I ask not to sound stupid with it this way can it get away with getting a RV tag or with the trailer behind it would they make ya get both RV and trailer tag as well
?
And why no inside the Rv is it in so much distress ?
It probably tracks and handles fine, with a car on the back.
Senile nonsense .
This looks like a special order unit. It sounds like the frame was built to be Very rigid and as flex-free as possible, same thing the cabin. Use as a car hauler as is, use a grill outside as a kitchen, and enjoy its uniqueness!! Good luck to the new owner and seller.
Having driven a Revcon over Donner Pass, and stayed in it for several days, I thought it was a great motorhome for the time (1980 ). It handled well, and definitely had enough power to pass the semis, as long as I got into the left lane early enough that they didn’t force me to slow down.
That being said, I have to agree that this one should have been done better. I think Jimmy was on the right track, although I’d be more inclined to have the rear panel swing up as a hatch or be split into 2 doors, and have the ramp system be separate, which would make the ramps lighter. Not knowing the dimensions, it is hard to tell if it would be more practical to put a box on the back, set up sort of like a Class C motorhome or plumber’s truck.
Just where did GM’s engineers kype their GMC motorhome idea from..? Yep, Revcon came to them for 455 Toronado drivetrains and GM was like,” Yeah, hey, before that happens you’ll have to prove the durability and reliability of your concept. We’ll even have some of our guys tag along.” Once the testing was done, GM agreed to supply the drivetrainss, and, oh…like our ‘new’ motor home from GMC. Slimy or good business, is what it is-
You are exactly correct. I knew John Hall and worked at Revcon as a very early employee (#18). This was the best of the best.
Thom Wessels
I’m with Canadain, without the negative. I’ve seen pictures of many 30’s and 40’s “Concept” vehicles that had swoopy lines and were Art Deco COOL! Many of them were buses, vans and trucks too. Doing something to the back area to flow with the great Revcon front would be fun and with some imagination, not too difficult I wouldn’t think. Be a great toy hauler. I can almost picture it…… :-) Terry J
That was my immediate thought when I saw it too.
So ugly, it’s cute, like the VW Thing!
I particularly like how they have the original wheels from that 82 mustang gt it’s hauling on the back of the trailer. Those always looked like a bronco/truck wheel anyway.
Um, yeah… The term “poor execution’ comes to mind. I would have kept the motorhome frame (assuming it wasn’t wrecked), added a tag axle and mounted a floor or car carrier rails on the frame. Maybe some lower body cladding to make the two parts look more like a cohesive unit.
Used to have a Revcon. It was advertised that it could drive 100mph. I’m here to tell you it did. Incredible build quality and not a Toronado transmission. Some variations were 4 wheel drive. Perfect for a car hauler.
Mechanically capable vehicle, but what an eyesore!
It fails to appear like what it is intended to be.
They should have had some visual continuity with the flat bed.
If the front “cab” was cut off flat with partial sides at the back, maybe.
Or use the entire body, gut the inside, and have a conventional toy hauler.
Pre-78 flat front Revcons were rather ugly anyway,
But later slant nose Revcons were attractive with a better drive train.
They even made a custom transporter version.