The seller talks about this 1972 Apollo Neptune motorhome as having been sitting for a few years but it still fires right up. A lot of us have been sitting for two years now and some of us aren’t firing right up again. I’m betting on this motorhome getting in shape before a lot of us are again. They have it posted here on craigslist in Dixon, California and they’re asking $9,000. Thanks to the ever-in-shape Pat L. for sending in this tip! Here’s the original listing.
I’m wondering if this is actually a 1973 model? The seller says that it was built in 1972 but most of the Apollo Neptune models that I’ve found are 1973 models, including this one that Jeff wrote about here on Barn Finds last summer. Their big claim to fame was their “Ring of Steel” perimeter structure and also the fiberglass construction and the one-piece fiberglass roof. Roof leaks can be an issue on motorhomes and campers, in general, but the Apollo roof just required periodic checking and resealing around the roof penetrations such as vents or rooftop air-conditioning units.
Breaker breaker, good buddy. A lot of camping vehicles had CB radios in this era and they came in handy in the pre-everyone-needed-a-$100-a-month-smartphone-in-their-hand-at-all-times-or-they-couldn’t-possibly-go-on-with-life simpler time that this was. Or, at least simpler electronically. The company made motorhomes from 23 feet up to 35 feet and the late-1960s is when they started, in Carson, California. Early models had cool names such as Mercury, Jupiter, Gemini, and Apollo. Remember when vehicle companies used real names for their vehicles?
This Apollo Neptune is set up for some serious camping duties and also for serious people hauling and lounging duties, too. With a side dinette that you can make up into a bed, it also has a bed over the two front seats that folds down for sleeping. This motorhome appears to have been updated a bit, at least as far as the flooring goes which probably would have been a nice, 1970s shag carpet in a mod color like orange or avocado green. A wood laminate floor is probably easier to keep clean and it sure looks slick but I may have chosen some sort of retro sheet vinyl if I wanted a hard surface rather than carpet here.
The really cool spot, though, was the rear lounge which I’m guessing has had the expansive seating surfaces recovered in a solid tone rather than what may have been a flowery print fabric at one time. It looks great everywhere I look here, I don’t see any issues really anywhere in this RV inside or out, do you? It even has another sink back there which is positively luxurious.
There’s a retro-correct (is that even a term?!) look if I’ve ever seen one so at least they kept it original in the bathroom, maybe right down to the flooring. A person could easily live in a rig like this if it came down to that and you could do much worse. It even has a shower, of course.
There were no attempts to take even a partial engine photo on this one which is unfortunate, but it’s a Dodge 413 cubic-inch V8. The company also used International engines and later Apollo models used Gillig and Oshkosh units. The seller says that this one has been sitting for several years but it starts, drives, turns, goes through the gears fine and stops. Have any of you heard of this model?
Ever-in-shape 🤣😂🤣😂. Another good one Scotty!
Yeah, nice write-up, Scotty.
I’d love to hit the road in this magnificent beast.
The 70’s styling would make me feel at home.
Big difference in the condition of a constantly garaged old RV compared to one left out in the elements. A little mechanical attention and I’ll bet this old girl could hit the road again.
… it was ” Harvest Gold & Avocado Green” the kitchen colors that were well in vogue by the mid ’60’s… (the 1966 new house the `rents built featured that combination of colors in that brand spanking new kitchen with a DISHWASHER!!)
Reminds me of the RV they used in the
movie Race With The Devil in 1975. Just
add a solar panel to the roof and call it
done. It’s so nice to see a rig like this that isn’t trashed.
It’s not bad given its age. If I was in the market for a 70s motorhome such as this, I’d pay close to its asking price. That’d leave enough money on hand for inspection and restoration.
But not nearly enough for fuel.
Francisco, Especially now …
Hey Scotty nice write up in this situation you are both correct the engine and chassis were built in 72 then shipped to the factory that put the body on.somewhere there should be a second vin tag with the body information.
It looks like it’s in good shape but it still has a wooden frame underneath the skin that is 50 years old. I would squawk if the price was 2 grand…
They sold a lot of these RVs in the first 2-3 years of the 70s—just like they have in the past few years.
Price reduced to $8k. Damn, wish this was in the mid-Atlantic area.
I can bet with almost certainty that this is the Apollo motorhome that my parents owned in the late 70s early 80s. My father first bought the motorhome in South Florida I believe around 1978. We used it to go cross country 2 to 3 times from Florida all the way to Los Angeles, through the Yuma desert and all states in between. We also made a trip from Florida all the way to Toronto Canada to visit family one summer, and then headed west to Vancouver British Columbia. My father actually burnt out the brakes on the Banff mountains, heading west in Canada. We were stuck for two days in the yard of a mechanic while they worked on the brakes such good times to remember. My father particularly liked the fact that it was a Dodge engine. I remember him taking the cover off inside the cabin between the two front seats and I believe that’s where he checked the oil.
My dad would be the one sleeping by the way on the pull down bed all the way in the front during the night he loved that little nook. My mom and I would sleep in the back on the two twins I had some glorious times and some of the best memories in that rig. I hope that whoever owns it next can take good care of it if anyone ever wants to do a title search on that motorhome, my father‘s name was Michael Tota.