People were making campers out of Tin Lizzies before anyone knew to string the words “recreational vehicle” together. But the 1950s saw Fleetwood, Holiday Rambler, and Winnebago kick off the mass production of campers and RVs, after which vacationing was never the same. Roaming from place to place was easy in an RV. Demand surged, and soon, dozens of companies were cobbling together wood, plastic, and metal around an engine for public consumption. Flxible, the bus maker, entered the business with its Cruiser series in 1967, but unlike its brethren, the Cruiser was based on an all-steel delivery van. You’d think this would be a welcome change since most of the fare on the market rattled apart in no time flat, but Flxible charged a premium price for its motorhome. After making about 200 units, Flxible exited the business, and Emmett Dale – the engineer behind the Cruiser – founded Mobilux in 1970 to make the Cruiser under a new name. About 100 were made until the company shuttered for good. Here on craigslist is one of these road dinosaurs, awaiting resurrection, priced at $3000. This rig is located in Lafayette, Colorado, and we have Mike F to thank for the tip!
Whether the brand was Flxible or Mobilux, these RVs were built on Chevy, GMC, Ford, or Dodge chassis. This one is on a one-ton Chevrolet P30 platform, manufactured from the mid-1960s into the early 2000s and commonly used to produce commercial stepvans. The Cruiser was the larger RV, costing almost 60% more than the Cutter. You’d find a big block V8 in a Cruiser (getting about 9 mpg); this Cutter is fitted with a Chevy 350 cu. in. backed by an automatic transmission. It runs and drives, but the seller notes that the windshield is cracked, so a “short drive” is about all that’s recommended.
This example was purchased into Colorado in 1985 and used as a mobile fabric shop – about the weirdest application I’ve ever heard of. The dash is homemade and houses aftermarket gauges; the single seat is a holdover from the P30’s original stepvan configuration.
The interior has been mostly demolished, but the factory floor plan included a kitchen, wet bath, dinette, and fold-out bed arrangement. I appreciate the big windows – so often RVs are dark inside, with few-inch tall windows in the kitchens and whatnot – but there’s a lot of work here.
The robust solution of an all-metal RV – while beneficial for longevity – wasn’t favored by the gas crisis of 1973. These were very heavy vehicles. The low gas mileage, combined with the Mobilux’s high price, doomed the company. The seller suggests turning this example into a food truck, but I’d be more inclined to restore it for vacation use. How about you – what would you do with this rare motorhome?
A quick check indicates a couple monster truck shows coming to Colorado. The “Anderson” family loves to flatten these, and sadly, about all they are good for, typically donated units. When I see one of those motorhomes turned into shreds, it always bums me out some, a), I think of the fun that was had when new, and b), could still provide some fun, but reduced to a mere prop at a monster truck show. Not sure about camping anymore, ( a fire ban takes all the zing out of camping), but food trucks are becoming big business here, and I think could work for an enterprising individual, of which we have many here, me not included.
disclaimer: I can’t help but say, considering the authors interests, a post of this nature has got to be on the low end, but whatever pays the bills, I guess. Some really neat vintage trucks on FB, dare I submit one?
A long time name in the monster truck business Howard. Crowd pleasers
If I’m not mistaken that would be a big block in that RV, see that little hose from the manifold to the water pump? Dead give away.
I do believe you are correct. Nice catch.
Yup, a big block!
GPM-gallons per mile!
That’s because it’s a “Cruiser” and not a “Cutter”.
See the Picture of the frontend, it’s written on it.
I can smell that interior picture.
Great article Michelle and find Mike. I love old RV’s and contrary to what has been said here, I consider this a vintage truck. Keep em comin!
Best “bread truck”=vans I have seen are the old pre 1965 Grumman/Utilimaster/Curbmaster style vans that are aluminum skinned and have somewhat aerodynamic front ends. Saw a beautiful Grumman with the paint removed abd polisgedlike an Airstream trailer. Itvwas ao cool! It had a Cummins diesel engine. It was just perfect for 2 people and would make a great race car hauler/sleeper. Overall chassis width for these and current truck chassis have not varied much over the years so popping one of those older units onto a contemporary chassis is not a huge deal. And wheel bases are easy to modify as long as you adhere to good reinforcement of the splice/frame. Many of the old bread vans around here are either GM P30 chassis or Ford chassis. But I would want disc brakes independent front suspension, dual master cylinder and a Cummins or DuraMax diesel. I have been on the lookout for an older aluminum bread van in an affordable price range for awhile now.
If you like problems, sure.
Flxible did make a few utility vans. ATHS member, Ivan Taunton of Snead AL, had one on I believe a GM chassis in his collection last I knew.
A Barn Finds strength is the wide variety of vehicles featured. This is a prime example: a Mobilux RV, something I had no idea existed. Excellent write-up Michelle.
That ” dog-a hide” captain’s chair has seen some miles.
This, from my experience in the transit industry, definitely screams “Flxible” in its DNA! The instrument pod and the rear end are Flx clues – I didn’t know that they actually did some sort of RV, although this was a time when Flxible was losing ground to GM with the transit coach sales, and GM was a few years away from trying the same thing, which also helped them in creating the RTS series of transit coaches a few more years after that. Interesting piece of history, but I’m not sure there is a market for this one, sadly.
Yup and the valve covers are a Armstrong clue as well. 72…402 or 454. Probably 454 in a 1 ton chassis.
Old RVs are just that, old, lots of work and cash. As they say, the best days of owning (RV, boat, whatever) is the day a person buys and the day they sell it.
I do love all that glass. seems like a view is important in an RV…
If the 💩’er works take her to the highway!
Guys , Guys, Guys….. with a little soap and water and some minor repair work inside, rebuild the motor but I would leave the outside just as it is. Call it the Rat Rod RV Cruiser…. it would be awesome. A conversation piece and win tons of trophies. Really glam the interior out but leave the outside alone PLEASE!!!!!
That doesn’t look like a SBC.
It’s not,it’s a big block.