Diesel Rampabago! 1975 Winnebago Car Hauler

A Catepillar diesel-powered custom mid-70s Winnebago motorhome converted into a custom car hauler? Yes, please. I can’t imagine driving this rig anywhere and not having to answer questions about it. This incredibly cool 1975 Winnebago Motorhome Car Hauler, “Rampabago,” can be found here on Facebook Marketplace in Louisville, Kentucky, and they’re asking $30,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!

Somewhat akin to wearing both a belt and suspenders, or owning an on/off motorcycle meant to do more than one job, this little motorhome with a car hauler on the back is maybe not a perfect motorhome or a perfect car hauler, but the combo of the two makes it about as unique as it gets. In case you were wondering, no, the car show on the back is not included in the $30k asking price.

We don’t know what model Winnebago this was originally, but the wheelbase looks too long for it to be a 19-foot or even 21-foot Brave, so I’m assuming it’s a 23-foot Indian or a 25-foot Chieftan. The light blue isn’t a factory color, but there isn’t much factory about this super cool custom, and I think it’s a really nice, fresh color for this rig. The seller says they created more than a little buzz when they created this custom diesel-powered Winnebago car hauler a few years ago on the internet, and I don’t doubt it. Here is a 1975 brochure showing the Winnebago motorhome lineup. They say this creation has been stored outside for the last few years since it was completed, and has weathered a bit.

A nice custom touch is the name and logo on both the front and back, Rampabago. Unfortunately, there are no engine photos, but they say it’s powered by a Caterpillar 3208 diesel, which is a 636-cu.in. (10.4-liter) OHV V8, which had a few ratings depending on if it was used in a truck, or a marine application, or in a 1970s Winnebago car hauler… Just kidding on that last part. Here is an interesting brochure showing some of the features and specs of the Caterpillar 3208 diesel engine. It appears to have between 175 and 210 horsepower and 400 to 485 lb-ft of torque. One of you diesel experts will know more about it for sure. It’s backed by a TorqueFlite automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels.

There aren’t any cab photos showing the driver’s view or the front of the interior at all, and really only three partial photos showing the side dinette. I believe everything may have been removed from the interior other than this one seating area, but the seller doesn’t mention that in their listing. What they do mention is that it runs and drives well, but as with 1970s technology, it’s on the slow side. I wish they had kept more of the motorhome bits inside, such as the bathroom and kitchen, but they’re gone, according to websites talking about it back in 2022 when it was reportedly created. Would you change anything about this custom 1975 Winnebago Rampabago car hauler?