The GMC Motorhome is well known around these parts, appreciated as an emerging collectible that goes for very big money when completely restored and/or in survivor condition. Many of them have seemingly survived in decent shape, which is a testament to the clever packaging and ease of driving that has helped it to win the affections of camper fans all over the world. The GMC shown here sports numerous custom touches, from the paint job on the outside to the interior finishes in the cabin. It doesn’t run and is being sold as-is; unlike many of these GMCs, however, this one comes with good tires! Find the motorhome here on eBay with bids to $6,200 and no reserve.
“StarLighter” doesn’t appear to be a package of any sort offered by GM, so I’m going to assume this is a result of the paint job that indicates someone had an artistic bent when deciding to refresh their home on wheels. It’s not surprising, as it seems like many of these motorhomes – not just GMCs – are owned by free spirits who seek to wander the Earth with no strings attached, except that which keeps them tethered to a mechanic who can hopefully keep their rolling fortress on the road. The GMC likely has an interesting story as far as how it went from clearly being someone’s passion project into sitting in a lot as a non-runner.
The interior is surprisingly nice, despite what the exterior otherwise seems to suggest in terms of sensible decor. It’s clearly been updated at some point, with shelves and cabinets that look like they were rescued from a home demolition project. The floors also appear to have some modern laminate panels applied, which is an affordable way to quickly class up an old RV. The bedroom space is likewise quite clean, and while you’d certainly put your own linens in, it’s always nice to look at the living space as-is and know the previous occupants weren’t using this GMC like a dingy roadside motel. The listing does state that the interior was customized for the current owner, including the upholstery.
The fake wood trim lining the limited gauge cluster presents well, as does the original steering wheel. Overall, despite being a non-runner (which, by the way, is never explained), the GMC looks clean and like it was loved at one time. I found an old craigslist listing saved on another site, and the asking price for the GMC was $13,000. I’d love to believe its non-running condition is a simple fix as these were generally considered robust machines, especially with the 455ci Oldsmobile mill powering the front wheels. The seller notes this one sounds a little tougher thanks to a Flowmaster exhaust, so hopefully, the next owner will get to hear it bark through those pipes without too much work.
Who needs a runner, when all you want is to park it down by the river, under a bridge…
This steering wheel is definitely NOT the original one !
A 455 cu inch engine pulling this concrete block is not going to last a milion miles so anything could be wrong with it but
Being an avid rv’er this one feels pretty good
It could be. It looks like the Camaro wheel from the era, and the other switches and systems also appear GM parts bin items. Why not? This was one of the last vestiges of GM’s hegemony.
Its a chevrolet gmc pick up and truck steering wheel
I remember because a friend hated the wheel on my 83 motorhome and replaced it with this
It’s a GMT400 pickup steering wheel, from the 1988-94 era trucks which jibes with the colors of this rig. The whole thing’s been updated and the updates are now themselves dated.
The drivetrain and frame is that of an Oldsmobile toronado. Crazy….but they’re so cool.
While it is true that the motivation comes from an olds powertrain, the frame was specifically built for this application
Wild….these are fwd. Whats going on with the rear axles and syspension ? How did they hold up over the years Cant be as durable or cheap as a gas or diesel pusher on a truck chasis ?
There are multiple online sites that support and sell parts and upgrades for these very well built (seventies ) motorhomes
Everything on these was special but with many stock gm parts picked from the bin
The rear suspension is very cool
Look it up as there is much info and videos on these
Been written many times that they handled much better than any other milk truck rv from the times
Happy researching and viewing
My dad had one of these it got 6 mpg. It ran pretty strong considering what it was. 6 mpg with gas at $3.60 a gallon will get you a pretty cozy hotel room.
Hey, it’s the RV from that 40 year old movie.
The Urban Assault Vehicle, of course. If every late 50s Exner design requires mention of Christine and every Cordoba requires a mention of Corinthian Leather, then it’s only natural.
The Craigslist ad for that same camper says $3,600. Doesn’t run. The VIN says it’s a 26 footer, despite what the ad claims.
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/rvs/d/saint-charles-1973-gmc-motorhome/7449516607.html
Good find, Joe.
Funny how there are no takers at $3,600 where the non-running condition is not mentioned. Just that it is sold as is.
I would hate to see this ad after paying way more for it on EBay.
Potential bidder only has to do a VIN search on Google – takes 5 seconds.
It’s just not a thing that sells well on CraigsList, I guess.
Everyone is stuck on the steering wheel for some reason.
This is the first one I’ve ever seen that isn’t brown and beige.
Because if you look at the pictures, it had a crappy repaint when the interior was redone.
Located in:
Saint Charles, Missouri
As you all know the two best days of owning a motorhome is the day you buy it and the day you sell it. Also works for boats.
I guess that depends on the boat. I had an ’81 Ski Nautique for 17 years, and will have owned my 2002 Nautique 20 years ago in June. I still love it as much as the day I bought it.
Having had a father who owned a number of boats through the years, I can certainly vouch for your comment about the boats!
this (the Astronaut’s) the vixen or realto seem abt right (smaller is beddah!)