My lovely bride has set few limits when it comes to my vehicular acquisitions, but few is not none. She has made it clear that she will in no world that we occupy allow a ’70s Winnebago to darken our door, and it’s a shame. It has less to do with the looks or size than it does with the smell; any 50-year-old RV is bound to harbor mold of the sternest varieties. Well, maybe not this one. Sold as a “time capsule” that’s been stored indoors and reupholstered, maybe this one would pass the smell test. If you’re inclined to find out for yourself, it’s currently on Marketplace in Winneconne, Wisconsin (an appropriate place name), and we have Barn Finds reader Lothar…of the Hill People to thank for giving us all another reason to be in the doghouse.
So, how much? Fifteen grand. That’s all the money for a Winnebago, but most of them you find for sale are roached after decades of hooliganism and regret. The owner of this 440-powered Indian is clearly having fun with it. The kitchenware is era-appropriate, as is the food processor, but we all know that the Elvis painting is what really makes it. This is why a Winnebago is always a possibility in my world; you just can’t make stuff like this up.
There are a few custom touches here and there, such as the metalflake steering wheel and Sun Super Tach, both of which I approve. The Rat Fink on the dash and the foot-shaped accelerator pedal? Not for me, but they might be for you. I’m staying well clear of this thing for marital reasons, and these minor modifications are easily reversed.
The avocado greens and harvest golds of America’s past are just the sort of kitsch I enjoy. One would expect Monty Hall to turn around and gesture at Door Number Three, showing not somebody’s poor old goat but a glamorous new Winnebago! This isn’t an RV, it’s a museum of ’70s decor.
From a mechanical perspective, the Winnebago sounds like it’s tip-top. As I mentioned, it has the big 440 with under 100,000 miles on it, and it’s been treated to the maintenance a Winnebago deserves but doesn’t always get (the advertisement is quite thorough). It has hot heat and cold air, working amenities, a solid roof, and it sleeps six adults. The closest I’m going to come to one of these is a Tonka Winnebago (yes, I have one), and that’s not even close to the real thing. Someone needs to buy it and tell us all about it.
Speaking of wives…..a few months back, I bought a 66 T-Bird, and I parked it in my “compound” as I was cleaning it up/assessing the condition of the mechanicals. I didn’t mention that I had bought the car.
After a week, my wife returned from her Mom’s house, and was looking in the compound for a shovel or something, and saw the car. She was thrilled. She loved it.
Another week later, after I discovered the engine was blown and the block was ruined, I put the car on FB Marketplace (with full disclosure of course) for cheap money just to get rid of it. She said: “That’s too bad. Well, you’ll find another one”.
I got the best wife.
Me too, Rex. Honestly, if I came home with a Winnebago, I’m sure she’d just shake her head and keep on keepin’ on.
There’s a keeper! (Wife, not the car..)
My wife has horses. As long as she gets to keep them (plural) I can pretty much have any toy I want. Planes, Boats, Cars, Hookers (not really) .
Any Horse Husband out there knows who is getting the better deal..
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Luckily I like horses too.
I to have a wife that loves her horses and doesn’t care what I spend on my big block camaro or when I go to the drags or hunting. Yes one of the horses is mine and I enjoy riding the trails.
I’m really lucky. My wife lets me bring home any car I want to as long as I can sleep in it.
Rex- The first car I “restored” was a ’66 Town Landau Thunderbird, that was in 1982. That car had the most beautiful interior of any I’ve owned.
My shop and my “collection”, [some finished and some “kits”], is about 20′ farther from the house than my wife usually wants to walk.
I too have the best wife.
I’m married almost 32 years. My wife somehow, some way has the patience of a saint with me. She’d actually probably be ok with this too. If we had the room. Oh and the money to buy it of course.
And Aaron, great write up, and I dont know if we both have the same one, but I have my Tonka Minnie Winnie from when I was a kid. The door opens in the back. Its green and white too.
This is great and inside storage too? If theres no lurking rot anywhere its well worth it in my eyes.
I too have a very understanding wife. Many years ago while she was out of town I purchased a bright red AMX and parked it in the garage. Couple days later she came home, asked “where did the cool car come from?”
Several years (and a few dozen cars) later I picked up a bright red Conquest, parked in the garage, and she was happy it happened again.
The root beer brown and di-noc sided Country Squire wagon was another “surprise, along with an electric yellow fire truck. However I accidentally found out where the line was while removing a Honda Hurricane 1000 off the trailer.
A real WTF was uttered as she walked back into the house…
She’s pretty awesome!
Yeah, that’s nice to hear some had success in marriage, sadly, like me, many did not. Note to aging single men, if you don’t have a gal by retirement, don’t bother looking. For a multitude of reasons, I’ve found, older women have little or no interest in any relationships.
Now, redirecting the conversation some towards the motorhome, my parents had an older model Winnebago, a bit smaller, no toilet, 318, older gauges, it,,,was,,,miserable. It was underpowered, we as kids liked it because we got to stop so often for gas, rough ride, and watch those high profile wind warnings. Had several tense calls I didn’t think the old man would pull it through. On 2 lanes, semis would almost blow us off the road, the old man cussing.
I think for a short weekend camping trip, of maybe 2, 3 hours of travel would be okay, but the limitations involved in driving these around, gets old. It’s why so many pull a small car, further complicating matters. Price is out of line, they is a dreamin’ in Winneconne,,,
I used to work with an older single woman who was a certified witch. She would go out of her way to create problems for her coworkers and secretly delighted in bringing chaos to the workplace (the company owner thought that she walked on water…). One day, she came into work and announced that she was engaged. When she went out to her car at lunchtime, someone had affixed a “Catch and Release” bumper sticker to her car. We all had a good laugh. You know what they say- payback is possibly a receptionist. Careful what you wish for, Howard. 😉
Aside from the Elvis photo and the afghan, very cool.
Last year a buddy and I bought an 85 Bluebird short bus and converted it to a zombie apocalypse bus (but as a camper inside). My wife said no way that’s going to sit in our driveway. So I had 3 yards of crushed stone delivered and made a spot for it in the woods behind the shed. Can barely be seen. Then I found a mint black 88 Cougar XR7 this spring and bought that for her. She’s happy.
Have you ever thought of becoming a marriage counselor?
Oh my no. One marriage is all I can handle. But I am thinking of starting a school.
Howard don’t give up on finding someone. I was divorced a long time and then I retired. I too found a lot of women weren’t interested in relationships. I had given up when I noticed a favorite band of mine was playing across town, so I drove to the venue and long story short I met the love of my life. Never been happier and I’ve been married twice. Good luck to you my friend and happy hunting.
Yeah, my girls (niece and SIL) definitely have issues with me buying
an old car, truck, or anything else for
that matter. They like the late model
stuff because of all that computerized bling bling that goes with it. Sis likes the ease of driving
and the fact that no matter how expensive parts are, you can pull into
most any repair shop and have it fixed
in no time while herniating your check
book at the same time. We’ve been
putting off getting the horn replaced on the K5 due to cost—$1,000 to replace the horns! The shop says they have to pull the engine and subframe just to replace them! And when I suggest buying an older car so
that I can do most of the small stuff
myself, I get a nice, flat “No-uh!”. So I sit on the sidelines and still dream of
owning a classic car to tinker around
with and keep well maintained all by
myself. Gotta run, gotta call!
Get a second opinion- just like a doctor. I have a friend that was told by the dealer that the entire front of their car (bumper cover, etc) had to come off ($$$) to change a headlamp. I wiggled my arm down through all the components and finished both lights in about an hour. Or, look at YouTube- perhaps someone has figured out a shortcut to fix the problem. If nothing else, go buy a cheap set of air horns (they get drivers’ attention), find the feed wire to the factory horns, cut it and splice in the relay for the air horn compressor input. I upgrade the horns on every vehicle that I drive to air horns- too many distracted drivers these days. Are factory (OEM) horns really worth $500/each? Just trying to help. 😉
All these happy wife stories! Someday I’ll have one to share : (
As it stands now, I have a 1995 Firebird and a 1970 Toronado occupying our garage, and her response to buying another project is “I don’t want our driveway looking like a used car lot!” I gently respond, “It won’t look like a used car lot, baby. The car will be on jack stands so it’ll look more like an auto wrecker’s.” Welp… honesty was NOT the best policy in this case…
👍👍👍👍👍
The auto wrecker line is classic- I may have to steal it! So funny that I wish that I had thought of it, the highest form of flattery.
Googling Tonka Winnie
I want the gas pedal!
When I expressed the desire to buy an old camper, my wife’s response was “you would be living in it”. I’m not sure that was the threat she intended!
This is missing the most important parts of a Mini Winnie. NO A/C (check the roof line) which means no Generator. My uncle had one of these w/AC, but no generator. Tough to enjoy the great outdoors with out a plug in. Have him donate it to the RV Museum in Indiana. Drive by it and all the out of business RV/Camper businesses and know why NOT to own one.
Little RVs are a blast!
My previous comment was blocked. The most polite shut up ever.
Thanks.
I to have a wife that loves her horses and doesn’t care what I spend on my big block camaro or when I go to the drags or hunting. Yes one of the horses is mine and I enjoy riding the trails.
I also have a very understanding wife. Doesn’t really care what I drag home. On the subject of the motor -home, I was having a Christmas Vacation flashback with cousin Eddie 😂
Poor ole Elvis mite be a hunka hunka burning canvas being that close to the gas stove ! But I love nostalgia stuff ! I wonder how much Tupperware and crocheted pot holders it comes with ? At least maybe some lawn darts !
for a minute I thought I was the only one who saw the Christmas Vacation connection. Was the first thing I thought of when I saw it. Damn I watch too much tv, especially during the holidays.
This RV is 20 minutes away from Lake Winnebago, Wis.
So the new owner cab buy lake property and never drive far :-)
Love these retro Winnebagos and they usually came with Chrysler motivation 413/440.
Is it autographed by Randy Quaid?
I don’t believe that I will jump into the main storyline here, but what I will say is that personally I find this thing pretty cool. I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to whether the price is reasonable or not, mostly because another toy in my life is not “reasonable”. Nonetheless, I find this thing to be really neat and I truly believe that it would be an absolute gas to own. I only live about 50 miles from Sedona, and it would be so cool to pull into one of the RV campgrounds up there among all their $600,000 luxury buses in this thing.
Love this “Winnie”! Once had a disturbing wife that pushed my ’48 Anglia panel into the pool!
I never managed to find a wife — and frankly, I’m too old now; besides, no woman could put up with living with me. I have a very low fixed income, and more records than a 1958 radio station. If I am not listening to talk-shows on the radio, I have the phonograph playing 78s. In addition to all of that, I am Autistic. Clearly, no woman would put up with this!
Like the three stooges said ” Are you married or are you happy? “
Howard, there is a dating app for guys our age….it’s called “Carbon Dating”.
YOU win the internet today! Too funny.
Lost my wife 21 years ago to a massive stroke that really did a number on her both physically and mentally. Oh she’s still living, but now
she is very violent and abusive. She’s
confined to an institution and will spend the rest of her days there. I tried to take care of her, but all it got me was 2 heart attacks in 3 months.
Didn’t want to leave her, but it became a matter of my own personal health
and safety so I decided to step out of
her life forever. I had to sign away my
marital rights as her husband in order
to get her placed in a proper care
environment–one that I could never
afford for her. She’s now a ward of the state of Florida and the only real
satisfaction of knowing that she has
most everything she needs to stay alive. And me, I’m with Howard and
Harrison. Tried the dating apps and
found too many phones on them, so I found a nice job and married it instead. Long story short, before her
stroke, my wife was okay with letting
me have an old car or truck to drive
and enjoy. Taught her to drive a 4-speed in my friend’s ’71 Vega wagon.
Nowadays, I come up here, look for
something to make a print out of, and
talk to all of you. Time to get ready for work. Gotta go earn some money.
This will probably piss off a lot of people, but I really don’t care. When did Barn Finds turn into Dear Abby? There are plenty of other forums to discuss your personal trials and tribulations on, why do it on a site dedicated to all things transportation related?
Ultimate sleeper. A 440 with a double shot of Nitrous. As for the better half. Mine left when I moved the 5 ton central unit to the shop and put window units in the house. Hey, you are only in one room at a time. Why cool all the rooms you rarely go in. Like the kitchen.
Drive it to Portland someone will buy it, park it on the street so they can live in it
I’m originally from Portland and your comment is probably more factual than many people realize. The whole “keep Portland weird” thing has gone a little too far.
To Charles: true, this is a vehicles forum. But it also is a place where memories are stimulated. And one never knows what will be conjured-up. People don’t come here to share personal problems, per se. But sometimes something one person says “triggers” something in someone else — and then folks respond to that. It could be (and often is) some personal “car” story — but not always, as you can see. One of the beauties of a forum such as this, is, people feel free to “talk” — and often their lives are somewhat lonely and trailed with old personal tragedies. It helps sometimes to talk these out. And “transportation”, being central to most of our lives, relates tangentially to numerous other issues with each of us. Besides, we read each other’s posts here all the time — and sometimes we feel like friends who can confide things beyond our interest in old vehicles. Sorry if this offends you.
Well said, Harrison Reed. If I could get the “thumbs up” button to work I’d hit it 10 times for your comment. Cheers from Tampa.
Sorry dude, but it doesn’t offend me in any way. I just happen to believe that there are many more appropriate forums that one can access to discuss ones life issues. If that is what you read this forum for, then by all means continue. I am certainly not in a position to dictate to anyone else what they do or don’t read or say on a public forum. I just don’t happen to find it appropriate.