GMC might be known as the pickup truck king now, but back in the '70s they had their name on another road monster: The GMC Motorhome, which was the only turnkey mobile home built by a major auto manufacturer. It had a chassis kitted out with six wheels:
If you're a fan of the Bill Murray movie Stripes, you've seen the Motorhome before, though in a modified "EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle" trim dreamt up by the production designers:
Arizona-based motoring enthusiast Robert Nuccio got his hands on a Motorhome, and while he's not going full EM-50, he is heavily modifying it. All-new chassis, adjustable-height air suspension, winches both front and rear, a third winch just to lower the spare tire (it weighs 500 pounds!), two on-board welding rigs to enable repairs in the field. That latter bit is probably because Nuccio "is planning a massive road trip across Canada and the U.S. before possibly shipping it overseas," according to Motor1.com.
The interior is not yet complete…
…but you'll see evidence of a peculiar fetish installed in the cockpit:
Yep, those are all gauges. Nuccio inexplicably had over 130 of them installed, each one custom-built by instrumentation manufacturer Stewart Warner, a process that took two years. If that sounds a long time, consider that Nuccio's been having the vehicle worked on for 12. Now that's dedication.
I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.
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An Extreme 1970s Mobile Home Resto-Mod
I had a Palm Beach GMC Motorhome for several years and loved it! As original I consistently got 10 MPG - terrific for a Motorhome. The Tornado Engine and front wheel drive drivetrain made this rig super in winter driving conditions. I wish I would had the cash to do the type of customization done to this machine - Unfortunately, when my oldest went off to college I sold it for top dollar - the old GMC Motorhome is still in high demand obviously for many reasons.
The gauges are nuts. SW gauges are usually around $50 ea. Cool motorhome though.