When you see a camper or motorhome conversion on the road, it’s easy to toss it aside as just another aftermarket conversion. But real companies stood behind these compact campers, and some survived surprisingly long in the niche market they served. In the case of this 1967 Dodge A110 motorhome, it was built by the Lazy Daze company, which only recently ceased operations. This clean survivor-grade camper is listed here on craigslist for $17,000.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the find. The Dodge has under 50,000 original miles and appears to remain in highly original condition. The appliances, curtains, paneling, and flooring are all straight out of the 1960s, and that’s not a bad thing when shopping for a vintage R/V. It’s like stepping back in time, and it’s clear the previous caretakers of this camper were not treating it like a homeless shelter. The seller mentions that the original furnishings work as intended, including an upper pullout double bunk and a lower bed that changes into a table and seats.
The Dodge is powered by a 318 V8 and hooked up to a 3-speed automatic. This is a terrific combination for both its reliability and ease of finding spare parts. The 318’s power rating fluctuated over the years, but I believe this would have around 210 b.h.p. and over 300 lb.-ft. of torque, but a Mopar expert may need to confirm. Either way, it’s got more than enough torque to haul this mini-camper around, and the limited photos of the engine bay appear to show a compartment that’s generally tidy.
Speaking of tidy, the whole camper appears to be well-kept with no major cosmetic flaws visible on the outside and a roof line that doesn’t show any signs of caving in or otherwise allowing water to enter the cabin. The Lazy Daze company began producing campers in 1966, and made it all the way until 2022 before ceasing operations. It’s one of the very few Class C companies to receive a 5 star rating from the RV Consumer Group, and while I can’t claim to know the significance of that standing, it’s likely commendable all the same.
This shouldn’t be on the market very long-a smart RV collector or serious prepper will buy it. This one is not unusual in its condition for an owner that followed the owners manual instructions as they were well built from the get-go. These rigs through all their years were an icon of what RV craftsmanship SHOULD be. They are not like the sloppy, cobbled-together assembly line junk the overwhelmingly vast majority of RV manufacturing, especially those now owned by the few but overall controlling conglomerate(s?) that continue to slap them together these days. All you need do to find out which one to buy or stay away from is befriend a “lot rat” at one of the dealerships that does the intake repair etc.
Lazy Daze was respected because it was family owned since its inception in 1956 when 2 HS shop teachers saw the potential for something like this and built it-Americana at its best example.
Good find, Jeff. For someone looking for the 2 lane highway, casual family camping trip with old school craftsmanship at its best this one should be a serious contender.
I was, I repeat was, looking into buying a new rv years ago, spending a few months doing research, reading reviews, etc. I saw one reviewer who said, “when you buy an RV you have two things, a tool box and a sense of humor” , he talked about picking up his new RV and when he made a turn screws, nuts, bolts, would roll out from underneath the cabinets. Other reviewers talked about how difficult getting service done, having to go to specific locations for it.
Excellent research, J., countless new owners have their RV back for repairs within weeks of not days, i.e.,the absolutely outrageous case in which a group of children who had to be resuscitated by EMS personnel because the Co2/LP detector was never tested-obvious, as it wasn’t even hooked up when the heater in their weeks old RV leaked LP.
There are a very very few good RV outfits out there; the ones that stand out from the rest will pay their CEO’s not by the number of units going out the door but by the number of units that don’t have to come back for work-Y’know, the ones that should’ve been done right before it left the factor and especially the ones with their own outlets.
Pretty effective business model though the megacompany dominance monopolizing the market seems to work for them, kinda like the way some good car companies went by the wayside similarly.
Nevadahalfrack, you are spot on about the Lazy Daze campers. They were not built “in mass” for sale later. They were all built as specified by the buyer. So each was CUSTOM BUILT. Most originally had a plaque attached by the front door stating who the unit was built for. Having had many campers, 5th wheels and tent trailers over the years and repaired many for friends and family. The quality built into a Lazy Daze is legendary. A few years ago my sister retired and wanted a Class C .motorhome to travel the country with. I told her that a Lazy Daze was the only used class C that I would ever consider. She found one in Jacksonville FL area and flew me out to inspect it. It was not the prettiest thing but not terrible. And had been shown some love. I recommend that she buy it as she would never lose money on it. (Try that argument with any other RV!) She drove it almost 100,000 miles in 8 years and just recently sold it for what she paid for it. And I have told several others who were looking for an inexpensive unit to fix up and use. I told them that what ever they put into it, they would get back. And none ever proved me wrong. There is a great following of this brand and a nationwide club that not only supports other owners but also has several meets every year. If in the market, I would be all over this unit.
I’m curious where the 3rd passenger sits between camp sites.
Depending on the age of the passenger-some are given special instructions to “keep your hands and arms inside the coach when moving and don’t bug the driver while traveling; stay in your bunk until the vehicle comes to a full stop!” LOL
Nevadahalfrack, you’re hitting the nail on the head on everything you’ve said. We had a slide in camper, the 3 of us kids would line up laying on our stomaches on the queen size bed over the cab looking out the window. Dad would say for us to ” Sit back a bit in case I have to hit the brakes”. Boy were things different. We had a Sears set of Walkie Talkies we’d use to communicate between the truck cab and the camper if there was a problem. ( well, not me my older brother and sister I was too young and not allowed to touch them). This is bringing back memories, and this one is very well preserved, and hope it goes to a good new home and enjoyed and has a good storage place for it too.
1967 truck spec 318 was rated at 210 hp and 320 – 340 ln-ft torque, gross.
I would think that, if it’s never been opened up and with 48k, you’d probably be seeing ~140 hp/240 lb-ft at the wheels these days. Kind of semantics in this road cabin but yeah she could definitely use an Edelbrock Performer Power Package top end and a set of headers 🤣🤣🤣
A good start, Hinky! That plus a good RV cam, maybe even some aluminum heads with better flow, etc..better upgrade the cooling system too.
If you take too much weight off the front it may accidentally do a wheelie!
IF THE PURPOSE OF RELAXING CAMPING IS TO CRUSE BACK ROADS LOOK AT SECINERY AND HAVE FUN. WHAT DO YA WANT TO MESS WITH ENGINE FOR?
Nice write-up, Jeff, and thanks to Tony P. as well! I’ve never seen a Lazy Daze of this vintage. Luckily the white latex paint was not applied on the inside. This would be a great rig for one or two people, or maybe throw a crumb-snatcher in the bunkhouse. The layout with the wraparound windows in the back dinette / bed is my favorite, and what I waited for before snagging this ’82 LD in 2025.
That’s a beaut, Todd!
Wow, thats very nice Todd. Any chance of you doing a write up with pictures on your own RV?
Thanks, Driveinstile! I usually do a sort-of Todd’s rods update every 500 articles, but I could probably do a Lazy Daze special before then. My feeling about the one we chose is basically, “It’s not perfect but it’s perfect for us.” I’m looking at a 6.0 LS swap before spring so maybe I’ll wait until then for a more interesting story. Cheers!
Dazzed and confused 🎸🎸
I can hear the whiny starter and smell the flooded carburetor from here!
I had a 1970 Aalite built on 1 ton Didge chassis. Great rig. 318 auto. Put 10,000 miles on it in the winter of 1995. No issues, great memories
This guy will probably have less issues than most other campers. Perfect for a single guy like me.
My parents had one with a Slant Six. The lay out is identical. We called it the Bread Box.
It was neat. Very nicely laid out. It slept well when we went to the desert outside Yuma for an overnight with their friends.
My thoughts exactly JD! Being able to take a road trip anytime and go wherever you like, why that’s the dream of most single guys I know. And here’s the rig to
do it with! But in.my case where I have vision problems that keep
me from driving, I can’t really do that but even so, I could find a use for it as a really nice vehicle for my auto art business. I mean
just think about it a minute. My SIL could drive it to a car show, set it up, and if the show was local, both she and my niece could go back home and chill out
until the show was over. Then, I could call them to come back and pick me and the camper up for the trip back home. Not only
would you have your own shelter
from the heat, but that very shelter would draw the people to
you as these are very rare and the
show goers would be most curious about a motorhome that
they’ve probably never seen before. And while they’re oohing
and ahhing over the camper, I could show them the car prints I
make and maybe even sell a few
of them. And over the years, I’ve
gone to car shows flat ass broke
and left with over $300-$400 in
orders every weekend! Or, take it
to Old Town where the real car people are and cruise it on Saturday nights! Before the cruise, pull into a space, set up my stuff, and let the crowds come to us. One thing’s for sure,
we’d win the award for the most
unique vehicle there!
Very good condition. It won’t last long.
As cute as they are, vintage RV is actually a very limited market. There are lots of owners out there, but not many buyers. There are several valid reasons for this.
There is the “ten year” rule at many campgrounds. You can get exceptions, but what a hassle.
People often try to equate vintage RVs with vintage cars. They are two totally different things.
With vintage cars you get to go to a lot of local car shows and generally have fun with it. With vintage RVs, while there are a few “shows”, (mostly all on the west coast), you’re going to get very little feedback from the RV community beyond a nod and a smile at a campground or festival.
A camper is personal space. Campers tend to leave each other alone. That’s why they camp. You are out there for other reasons. You enjoy your rig, and I’ll enjoy mine. End of story.
A breakdown with a car is one thing. A breakdown with an old camper with old running gear is quite a different story. You might be hundreds of miles from home, looking for a mechanic (and parts) that can deal with it.
Everything breaks on a camper. This one looks lightly used. That’s probably a good way to deal with vintage RVs. Use it sparingly. If you use it twice a month, for a couple years, stuff begins to fail. Finding vintage replacement parts and appliances is a monumental challenge.
While some people love to rant about the quality of modern RVs (and sure, there are issues), the industry seems to sell rigs of all manner by the millions. Modern RVs provide users with modern conveniences and appliances. That’s a good indication that the manufacturers are delivering what modern campers want. Modern appliances, modern running gear, modern conveniences, modern materials.
There’s a vintage RV classified site at https://classifieds.vintagecampertrailers.com/
Many of the listings there are rather stale. If there was a huge demand for this stuff, as an alternative to modern rigs, that would not be the case. They’d sell quickly, but in fact, they don’t.
The most active market for most old rigs is basically the hippie festival crowd, and they don’t want to pay much of anything for them.
The “higher end” vintage RV buyer crowd is extraordinarily limited. Sure Airstreams and other similar rigs have a bit of a following, but beyond that, seasoned campers tend to gravitate toward converted Sprinters and big 5th wheels and other very pricey modern rigs. $150k Class C rigs are typical.
This is all readily apparent to anyone who goes to a modern festival or crowded campground. The vintage stuff is a curiosity, not the norm.
This one is better than many, and the company seems to have a reputation, so it may sell at this price, but you have to find someone who wants to camp this way. Most people with camping experience know what they are getting into with vintage RVs and they simply steer clear.
The largest Vintage Motorhome bunch are the GMC coach owners of 73-78 GMC motorhomes. I just sold my last 23 footer. I now done with Motorhomes!
Lot’s of parts and repair support, still lots of interest in these coaches, still lots of organized activities with these coaches and with almost 80% of these coaches still accounted for after 50 years interest should still continue.
As Bluesman stated the RV crowd today wants to bring all the amenities of home on the road. Hardly what I would call camping that’s just the way it is. Somehow being 60+ years old and hauling a 40 foot fifth wheel trailer or diesel pusher motorhome around hardly sounds like fun at all to “Me”!
Give me a nice 4WD truck/Jeep/Bronco/Suburban, a small teardrop trailer and I will call it good!
No much to break, easy to drive, easy to park, easy to get off the beaten trail, cheaper to own/operate/store!
What’s not to like???
Yeah, GMC kind of invented the Class A rig. I don’t see many of them around where I camp but I can see how they hold a market and have a following. Good looking vehicles, ahead of their time.
Kind of like older Airstreams and the other shiny aluminum trailer rigs. They look impressive, for sure. My buddy had a modern Airstream and sold it. He said he couldn’t get it to stop leaking. So much for riveted aluminum. Composite, laminated sheet panels have problems but generally they don’t leak.
I see seniors gravitating toward Sprinter and Transit conversions. Get in and drive and park most anywhere. Not cheap, for sure.
I am with you. Tow something relatively light and unhitch, and then you can explore where you are. .
I hear you there Bull. I had an Eleganza II and had thought about getting another one after I sold it, but then I realized they’re really too big for what I like to do, which is get off road a ways where there aren’t a lot of people, if any. I did manage to get mine out on 525 in the Coconino National Forest southwest of Sedona but it was slow going and rough and the GMC wasn’t built for that. This is a really nice rig, but these days I’d rather have a 4×4 pickup with a small vintage trailer.
This should be advertised in the Lazy Daze club publication. It would not last a week. My sister’s lasted 2 days before it was purchased. A very large following for these.
Bluesman, these are all good points. Another unpleasant surprise is that when you have a problem on the road, a lot of mechanic shops and tow companies refuse to deal with RVs, even one that’s basically a van chassis with lots of common parts.
This Dodge Motorhome is no different that any other Vintage RV Motorhome or new Motorhome for that matter.
You have house problems sitting on top of truck/van chassis problems.
Yes, this particular RV will be easier to repair overall given its simplicity than a new RV and the fewer electronics HOWEVER in place of those new electronics you get a 60 year old Dodge wiring harness to deal with that was bad when new!
The “Thrill” of the open road can be intoxicating for many along with the “Vintage Vibe” an old motorhome can bring! Just be prepared for all the “Vintage Motorhome Problems” that come with it always at the worst time when you are on the road!
This motorhome is a local (read 100 mile circle or less) travel RV unless you are willing to SPEND lot’s of money on updates and repairs before you hit the real Open Road!
“Vintage Vibe” is a good way to put it.
I can speculate that a lot of the people who buy the better-presented stuff in the $10k to $30k range might be newbies dipping their toes into the camper lifestyle.
When you know nothing about what you are headed into, it is easy to be swayed by the nostalgia vibe, while maybe saving some money up front.
Again, it comes down to usage. If you use a vintage rig a lot, (or most any rig for that matter) you can expect to be fixing it. With a vintage rig, you get additional challenges.
I have to add a few more comments.
#1 NEVER, EVER BUT AN RV UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE ROOF TO INSPECT IT.
Even if it is brand new! I have seen new RVs where they never sealed the roof where vents and antennas were attached. And used ones that looked brand new that had holes punched in the roof by branches. ( one was right on the corner where you couldn’t see the damage but rain water poured in between the outer skin and inner wall. (Talk about rotten wood and rust! What a mess!)
#2 Yes, and older coach like this one “could” be an issue with a break down. BUT chances are YOU can fix it yourself. The mechanicals are all basic. I have talked to several “Sprinter owners who all said the same thing. “Being an RV owner before, I expected to have issues with the conversion. But we have had nothing but problems with the chassis. We have had electrical failures that the dealer can’t find and blame the conversion company and the conversation company blames Sprinter. ”
#3 A Sprinter conversion costs alot of $$$
All the repairs imaginable on this old Lazy Daze will never exceed the cost of a new Sprinter conversion.
#4 My sister ran into the 6-10 year rule at some campgrounds, but when she mentioned it was a Lazy Daze, the rule did not apply to her. I guess that the Lazy Daze club has many events year ’round all over the country and campgrounds don’t want to be “black listed” by the club.
What most newbie owners don’t realize (including myself, back when) is that a fully functional RV is a house on wheels, but with even more issues. It’s easy to lull yourself into complacency.
Our first used travel trailer (after owning a pop-up) needed a complete roof reseal, as the previous owner left it stored out in the sun for a few years. That baked the original sealant around the AC, vents, etc.
Just had a total loss declared on it due to a solar controller fire (but saved the contents due to a the fire dept being 1/4 mile away). I found out after the fire that this is common with controllers. The next controller on the next rig goes into a metal electrical box.
Bluesman, sorry to hear about your fire! I have heard of solar controllers overheating, but never knew anyone that had that experience. A good thing to know!
Why the name Bluesman? Are you a musician?
Reddit, Facebook, YouTube, the RV forums, on and on….all overloaded with tales of these things going up. Even the factory ones mounted inside. Mine was an outdoor rated one, sitting on the battery box.
https://www.google.com/search?q=solar+controller+fire+on+rv
Can’t boondock without solar, so again, the next one goes in a metal electrical box.
Yeah, I play acoustic blues. Mostly for fun but also taught for 20 years. Mostly retired now.
I love to listen to blues. Although my eclectic tastes run through all kinds of music except rap. ( rap isn’t music to me) I still mourn the loss of Stevie Ray Vaughn. And I love to listen to the old blues masters.
Wayne, check it out.
Reddit, FB, YouTube, and the RV forums. All lit up with solar controller fires. Even the factory installed units, inside the pass through.
https://www.google.com/search?q=solar+controller+fire+on+rv
Next one goes into an electrical box. Can’t really boondock without solar.
from a simpler time. no glamping here.
My cousin Chandler Power Sports at repo auction for 22k got one of those GIANT NEW BUS RVs with the slide outs sleeps 6 has its own generator & solar on top.
ENORMOUS.
17? When the RV market is tanking & repos can be had CHEAP.
yeah I’ll get the GIANT BUS.
Neat unit but that price is insane.
It’s only in fair condition, lots of dents all over the camper skin and painted with a brush and roller…maybe with house paint?
Bet it looks even worse up close. $3,500 is about right for this.
Right on. Look close and there’s a lot of age and wear. Fridge looks skanky.
You can certainly get something more modern fir the same money.
Other people in here say there’s a cult following. That doesnt change the condition of the rig.
So you never know.
Right on. Look close and there’s a lot of age and wear. Fridge looks skanky.
You can certainly get something more modern fir the same money.
Other people in here say there’s a cult following. That doesnt change the condition of the rig.
So you never know.