We’ve featured some really cool and interesting survivors over the years, but this has to be a first! This Superior Motor Coach has seen 61k miles but spent much of the past 47 years in the original owner’s garage. Usually, when we come across old motorhomes, they have either been left out in the elements or are trashed, but this one is still like new. Reader Mike P purchased it from the original owner’s family with the plan of living in it, but he’s realized that it is to nice to be left outside in the elements. So, if you would love to own a pristine 1971 Superior Motor Coach, you can find this one here on craigslist in Carbondale, Illinois.
What Makes It Special? I bought this from the original owner’s family. It has been in the same garage since 1972. This is a true museum piece! It’s all original and never restored. Everything works, even the generator. It’s green 2 tone paint and green shag carpet inside. I have many service manuals, service records, and many many OEM parts for it. I bought this to live in but is to nice to be left outside.
Body Condition: The exterior is in excellent condition and so is the interior. It looks as good in person as in the pictures.
Mechanical Condition: It’s also in excellent mechanical condition. There is no rust, the frame is super clean, and there are no leaks. The engine runs great and is the 413 Dodge big block V8. I installed a new master cylinder, replaced the fluids, and installed new tires.
This really is one clean motorhome! Typically, the ’70s interiors don’t hold up well, but this one looks to have survived the years without any discoloration or damage. So, if you want to relive the ’70s, here’s your chance! Let us know what you think of Mike’s Motor Coach in the comments below.
- Asking Price: $24,000
- Location: Carbondale, Illinois
- Mileage: 61,321
- Title Status: Clean
- VIN: 71H22001476
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
Nothing gives ya the urge to bust the ol’ checkbook more than “i paid a lot and will want a lot.”
413 big block! A friend had one in an old Nevada Highway Patrol car he bought at a state auction-300k on that Dodge Polara when he sold it and it STILL wasn’t blowing smoke..
Pristine. A real head turner.
I guess because you can actually live in the thing it’s worth the asking price? But I don’t think I could live with the colors. My friend’s though would be green with envy. Nice coach, it’s just not for me. I’m out.
I love it ! I would travel all over with this if I could but with the medical I would park it under a carport and live in it.
Avocado overload. Too bad the windshield couldn’t be more upright for maximum wind drag.
I like it but for $24k you can get a safer modern more efficient unit capable of highway speeds.
Those were built by “Bluebird” the school bus people. All 1″ steel square tubing upper frame work instead of wood stud walls like Winnie. I spent summers with my dad touring the USA in one of those, ours was blue however. I think it was around $60k new.
Cemoto, Hate to disagree but Superior Coach was in competition with Bluebird. Superior’s main product was building hearses as well as busses. After 1980 bus production stopped. The motorhome experiment was fairly short lived.
They were built by the Superior school bus corporation.
They were built by Superior (Sheller Globe Corp):a school bus and hearse manufacturer from Lima Ohio. Defunct in 1980.
In 1972 a Winnebago sold for 7K Superior sold for 13K Blue Bird sold for 40K The Winnie was wood framed with paneling on the inside and aluminum siding on the outside. The Superior and blue bird Wanderlodge were steel frame, panel interior and galvanized steel sides. The Superior cabinetry was like an aircraft Aluminum frame, lightweight wood interior doors. Wanderlodge was built more like a high end yacht. Superior had a 11k GVW, Wanderlodge was 34K. very different coaches.
Could you send more pictures of the interior and engine? This would be an amazingly cool vehicle to pick up my passengers in at the airport.
Thank You,
Capt. Jeff
The last one that I saw in a similar condition was $2K.
I doubt it was in this condition my friend. This thing is like brand new.
Bueatiful motorhome. He would be better off donating it to the National Camping Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. Then he gets the tax write-off. $24k is not sustainable in the open market.
Nice camper but about 18,000 over priced. I would pay 6000 for it.
That’s a great motorhome. I purchased the same model new in ’70 and it had a unique feature with a double bed that was flush with the ceiling over the driver and passenger seats. Out of the way, padded on the underside and when needed for extra family, it pulled down. Many new ones today should do the same. It’s a top motorhome, for a gas model, and I can say that after owning later a Holiday Rambler, Bluebird and a $700K Country Coach Prevost 40′.
I have two of these. One has less than 24,000 miles on it with all options and one was built custom for a horse farm construction company as a job-site office. Both are 1973 models and are 25 feet long with the 440-3 engine. The Dodge chassis was redesigned for the 1973 models with front disk brakes and front and rear sway bars and the 440-3. My brother and I were going to put a 4wd drive conversion under one of the coaches for surf fishing on the Outer Banks, but unfortuneately he passed away, and I lost interest.
No one has mentioned that these have bodies made from galvanized steel. There is no fiberglass or wood other than paneling. The dinette will convert into every kind of imaginable seating and bedding arrangement. The bed that drops from over the driver and pasenger seat is quite convenient.
The price of this 22 footer in the ad defies imagination.
Are you interested in selling the low mileage one? By the way, I bought this one in the ad.
Joe,
Call me at eight oh 3 fore too seven 6 nine 8 six. I live in Bethune, SC.
Henry
Henry, you get it, your summation of the ad was spot on: defies imagination. I got this coach, for 15k. You don’t even touch the gas, it fires up smooth, doesn’t leak anything. There is a mountain of receipts, the original owner was very wealthy and they babied this thing. You can’t even imagine how new it feels and looks. It is all original. It was full of boxes and boxes of brand new obscure parts and necessary parts. New water filters, new front and rear bumpers in the wooden crates from the factory. New starter, new lenses, new alternator, etc etc etc. Every service is documented in detail, like the miles, where they were, what happened and why they fixed what they did. There isn’t a bit of wear or fading in the interior. I am blown away at the condition.
The original Craigslist ad is gone. I’d love to see photos of the interior and floor plan of this vintage Superior. Such a gem.
Timothy Mitchell is NOT HAPPY with you.
It was not blue bird….I have some model I am restoring now…..It was Superior bus company. Nice condition though I am converting mine to a 12 valve Cummings diesel….air suspension…..air ride seats….
They were built by Superior (Sheller Globe Corp):a school bus and hearse manufacturer from Lima Ohio. Defunct in 1980.
How is the diesel conversion going? I’m thinking of doing the same.
Oh boy! I slowly fix’n up a neglected 71′ Superior Model 2200 MH. WAS..perfect condition inside!..unTIL! stupid me let rats in through the removed cover doghouse! They tore it up..front driver/psngr wood paneling chewed UP! Luckily they skipped the wiring & hoses. And SOMEone had the 413″s rocker arm pairs in “backwards”!, had sticky lifter & bent pushrod, but actually RAN GOOD the half mile from storage place to my spot..but accel. pump shot..so the poor stock Holley 4bbl I just let it “idle” on the way home while I STOOD UP..my FULL WEIGHT! on the brakes to barely slow it down at major intersection! OH ma GOD..I made it to the house no accident!! Now just put new ALUMINUM Holley 4160 on it awaiting fresh gas. Puting all new stainless braided brake lines, new cylinders, & master,but looking for new proportioning valve. Have recently updated from old split rims to regular rims w new blasted & white pwdrcoated finish & new Coopers. Has original Dometic fridge too. Oh yeah..gonna TRY new A-100’s blinker unit..as they used an A-100’s A/T’s shifter setup on the left door armrest(!)..I’m “hunching” an A-100’s blinker unit ALso may have been factory snuck in there TOO!..??. Thank GOD the tranny & rear, & the 413″ work nice though!// I digress. Steve B.
Been working overseas in Africa at the moment hope to be back home in 18 months and will start the process then. May refurbish the 413 and use for a while. This will by time to build the Cummins and Allison drivetrain I am aiming for …. I saw a guy recently mount this RV platform on a dodge 3500 4×4 and it was so nice I am debating that as well….