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Archive for the ‘RVs’ Category

Did you know that motorhomes have been gaining rapidly in popularity over the last few years? It’s true. If you’ve driven on the freeways recently, you might have noticed that there are an awful lot of people taking to the roads of America in their new homes on wheels (motorhomes). This country is huge and so are the number of attractions that you could see in a motorhome. Motorhomes have always been popular among the more mobile of our population, but recent models have shown that manufacturers have been producing incredible automotive works of art. Here’s the 2 reasons why motorhomes are the wave of the future.

1)Retirement. There is a huge amount of the US population that is considering retiring in the next few years. Baby boomers have worked all their lives and have been spending their money like there is no tomorrow on all sorts of travel accessories. Motorhomes are no exception. One of the biggest things that all retirees want to do after they finish work is travel. Motorhomes provide future domestic travelers with lots of transportation options. Seeing the country (or even the world) in style is possible with a motorhome.

2)Cheap Mobility. Let’s be honest here, gas prices are expensive. They’ve been expensive and probably will remain so for a long time. However, 2 or more people traveling in a motorhome can see a lot of things for relatively little money. Imagine how much money it would cost you in airplane tickets to fly to each destination individually? A lot more than the gas it costs to navigate from city to city. A tank of gas, financially, doesn’t go as far as it used to, but it certainly isn’t that bad considering all the place it can take you.

There is a lot more to motorhomes than just what’s been covered here. In fact, there is a ton more of material available out there about motorhomes. Get informed before deciding to invest in a motorhome.

In the 1970′s, General Motors entered the RV market. Drawing on the exuberance of the times, the company set out to create the ultimate American Motor home.

Their aim was to produce a top-of the-line vehicle with cutting-edge design and construction, not just another competitor in the already crowded vacation vehicle market.

The common design in this era was a boxy, ungainly and top-heavy unit on a truck chassis. The GMC vehicle was intended to be a completely new design in every way.

Design work began in 1970, with the market introduction planned for 1973. “Doesn’t look like a box or ride like a truck” was the GMC ad slogan.

The new vehicle would be unusual for this era in several ways. First of all, it was to have a front wheel drive, a rare concept in cars of that day and unheard-of in mobile homes.

The drive train and suspension were taken from the design of the Oldsmobile Toronado. The 265 horsepower 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine was attached to a Turbohydramatic 425 transmission with torsion bar suspension.

The rear suspension was a product of GM’s bus design, using dual swing arms, one leading and one trailing, with a single air spring on each side.

Instead of a auto body steel, the body was to be made of lightweight aluminum and molded fiberglass-reinforced plastic such as was used in the Chevrolet Corvette.

The front wheel drive and independent swing arm rear suspension brought great improvement to the standard motor home design.

The lack of drive shafts and axles underneath the coach allowed a very low floor height, leading in turn to a low overall vehicle height and lower center of gravity.

Aside from easier entry and exit, this reduced rollover risk and wind resistance and made the vehicle much safer and easier to operate for buyers accustomed only to car driving.

A six-wheel braking system, with disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on all four rear wheels, further enhanced drivability.
Previous motor home design focused mainly on the use of the vehicle as a temporary home once it had reached its destination, an extended stay in a mobile home park or a camping spot.

Ease of getting to the destination was of secondary concern, and cumbersome handling on the road was taken for granted. GMC made a special point of targeting this feature for improvement by adding visibility from the driver’s seat with a panoramic expanse of glass.

The motor home was featured in 23 foot and 26 foot lengths, fairly small even for this era.

Nowadays, much larger models are common. The motor home’s interior design was compact, with no permanent sleeping areas in the original design. All beds were converted from seating areas when required.

Hot water was provided by water heaters using engine coolant loops, which produced water so hot it could actually present a scalding hazard since coolant temperatures usually exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

The refrigerator was powered by a standard automotive battery, adequate only for overnight use before recharging.

The prototype was first displayed in May 1972 at the Transpro ’72 trade show in Washington, D.C. Production started in 1973 with two models, Model 230 and Model 260, 23 and 26 feet long respectively.

They were sold with a finished interior for the public as well as unfinished to other RV manufacturers such as Avion and Coachman, who then provided their own interiors before reselling to consumers.

30 different floor plans were available, and models were priced from $35,000 to $40,000.

The GMC vehicle changed slightly over time, the most notable alteration coming in 1977 when the 455 cubic inch engine was replaced by a 403 cubic inch model in response to the energy crisis.

This decade caused hardship for all RV manufacturers as the increased price of fuel pushed large gas guzzling vehicles out of the market.

The GMC motor home had never sold at high volumes, and the company decided that the RV production facilities could be more profitably used to make light trucks. After the manufacture of 12,921 vehicles, production of motor homes was discontinued after the 1978 model year.

Almost immediately after production ceased, GMC motor homes became collectors’ items, with owners’ associations being established to provide parts and service for these vehicles.

Small manufacturers and garages developed a cottage industry servicing them. In 1992, as General Motors prepared to scrap all remaining tools and parts, Cinnabar Engineering purchased all the motor home manufacturing supplies and negotiated a deal to continue to provide parts for the discontinued vehicles.

In 1992, a monthly magazine called GMC Motor home Marketplace was introduced, and in 1994 Cinnabar started publishing a quarterly newsletter called GMC Motor home News.

The vehicle’s futuristic design has even found a place in pop culture: Mattel Toys created die-cast versions of the GMC motor home for its Hot Wheels line.

More than 50 different GMC Hot Wheels are available, and in 1977, Mattel released three toy GMC versions in a Barbie Doll Star Traveler promotion.

In an amazing example of customer loyalty and product durability, more than 8,000 units are still registered by owners.

An internet search of “GMC Motor home” produces 771,000 results, as sites advertise motor home parts, engines and upgrades as well as classic car rallies for owners.

Used GMC motor homes sell for $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the condition of the vehicle.

RV camping can make for a great trip almost anywhere, but I think it is best in the west. In many areas, you can just drive into the desert, and stay free for up to two weeks. It’s true of most BLM (Bureau Of Land Management) and national forest lands, and many state forest lands too. You have to move every two weeks, but how far is open to interpretation, and mostly yours will be accepted.

Long Term RV Camping on BLM Land

RV camping, or “boondocking” is growing in popularity. In fact, the BLM has begun to establish special areas for longer stays, particularly in Arizona. A permit fee is around $140 now, but this allows you to stay up to six months, and you get pump stations, dumpsters and water. People are living in some of these areas. It’s cheaper than paying property taxes or rent for a lot to park on.

RV camping is common in Winter in Arizona. One of the largest gatherings of “boondockers” is in Quartzite. Several hundred thousand people spend at least part of the year in their RVs here. It’s near the California border, on Interstate 10, only 20 miles from the Colorado River. Surrounded by BLM lands, Quartzite is famous for gem shows, swap meets, and the multiplying of its population each winter.

If you ask around when you are in the desert southwest, you’ll find there are RV communities that form every winter. Some of these temporary towns like “Slab City” in California, have bookstores, grocery vendors, and other businesses run by RVers. Once summer returns, these boondock communities disappear, and reappear again the following winter.

Other RV Camping Opportunities

Just look around, and you’ll find “hidden” places where you can park your RV for a week or a month in the desert southwest. Some are inexpensive, other’s free. The Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area, for example, north of Bowie, Arizona, costs $3 per night, and has nice hotsprings and plenty of wildlife. An annual permit costs $30, but you’re limited to two weeks per month (permits are sold at the BLM office in Safford). You can stay outside the fenced area free, but then you don’t get the hotsprings and shaded picnic tables.

For information on other areas, contact the Bureau of Land Management. They can tell you what’s available under their jurisdiction. Also, the Woodall’s campground guide lists campgrounds that are free. Keep your eyes open for other RVs parked out in the desert or forest. Finally, ask around. Other RVers will give you the best information on RV camping.

RV awnings add something extra to the experience of travelling and spending time in different areas of the country. You might think that putting up an awning each time you stop takes away time from your vacation, but once you see the awnings suitable for RVs, you will want to buy one. You can find these awnings for sale at retailers that specialize in the sale of awnings and at retailers that deal in RV sales. If something should happen to the RV awning, you won’t have any difficulty finding replacement parts. If you own an RV, you owe it to yourself to check out the line of RV awnings.

Once you install RV awnings, you can leave them there. You simply winch them in and out by hand or by pushing a button if you have a motorized awning. For RV’s, retractable awnings operate by means of a 12 v battery, so you don’t need an electrical hook up to use one. You can also get an RV awning replacement that has lighting included, which makes for the ultimate outdoor setting when you stopped for the night. Enjoy your meal outdoors in the dark or enjoy the beautiful sunset from under the shade of your awning.

The canopy support of RV awnings is well able to withstand the force of the wind and the weight of water from the rain. The material won’t sag or flap in the wind keeping you awake all night. There are manufacturers that use the Awnbrella technique that blows the awning upwards, thus eliminating any possibility of sagging. This also helps avoid the problem of looking for an RV awning for sale or a replacement part when the fabric in your awning sags too much.

If you choose Awnbrella as your choice in RV awnings, you will have an aluminum awning made of anodized extruded aluminum. The high temperatures used in creating this type of RV awning for sale ensure that it won’t rust and will resist corrosion from the weather. You do need to have poles to keep this RV awning from sagging and experts recommend that you do not place the posts on the ends of the canvas. The total weight of the poles is only four pounds, which means you won’t have any difficulty getting them in place when you stop for the night.

RV awnings help to reduce the heat and humidity inside the RV by as much as 70%. They help to make your motor home a more comfortable place to spend a vacation when you can relax outdoors under the awning and not have to worry about the UV rays of the sun. You can get RV awnings for just about any size of camper and if you have problems there are RV awning replacement parts available as well. However, chances are you won’t need to look for those for a long time.