Old RV-- what is? (or) was this?

[MaShep]

Can anyone ID this old RV?

[MaShep]

Somehow the picture didn't post, here it is - sorry

[59toaster]

Looks home built to me but I might be wrong. Looks like it's on a step van chassis from the wheel and driver posisitions

[MaShep]

Here are very bad pictures of the front and the back. It's has the title 'Ultra Coach'. The tire cover reads 'Honda'. Curious looking ol' thing, isn't it?

[MaShep]

Here's the back

[74Argosy24MH]

Atomic Ultravan, they were Corvair powered.

John

[Ken J]

Its called an Ultra Van. They were made back in the 60's kinda along the line of Airstreams. They are monoque/aluminum and have Covair frame/engines. I'm sure if you do a search for Ultra Vans you will find more of them.

There pretty cool.

Ken J.

[MaShep]

Cool! I found this web site and now I'm even more intrigued! Thanks for the info!
http://austin.onu.edu/~kwildman/ultraVan.html

[davidz71]

Interesting vehicles! After looking at all of them I followed the link to one of the owners and realized he had a business in Monteagle, TN. just up the road from us.

[59toaster]

Wow I guess I was wrong. I have never run across one. Friend had a Turbo Corvair and I went to a rather large corvair event with him and didn't see any.

The windows looked like mobile home windows. The black made it looks worse. The white one on the link looks pretty nice. Inside looks well thought out.

[MaShep]

I enjoyed looking at the photos as well. Only 250 left of 375 units total?
The one I photographed this afternoon has been parked along Riverside Drive near Griffith Park in LA for awhile. I caught a glimpse of it two weeks ago while driving along the 5 freeway that runs parallel. When I saw it again today, I turned around and took the pictures from my car. I sure hope I didn't disturb anyone. Thanks!

[davidz71]

MaShep,
Anytime you see something like that it sure makes your head turn around. You want to pull the camera out and walk over there to ask if you can take a few pictures and ask questions. While I had seen pictures of a few Airstreams while growing up, I didn't go inside one until sometime around 1987. A friend's uncle owned a gun shop and had something shorter than a 25 ft. model that he was selling. Wish I could have afforded it at the time. He bought 2 more over the next 10 years.

[MaShep]

Yeah... I would have loved to get a closer look, but from what I could see from the street the inside was in a lot worse shape than the outside.... for example, the screens on the windows were dark brown, ripped, and flapping in the breeze like cafe curtains. It's a busy LA street, so somebody must be moving it regularly.
I was just thinking... getting parts for restoring these units must be one heck of an adventure.

Linda

[59toaster]

Originally posted by MaShep
Yeah... I would have loved to get a closer look, but from what I could see from the street the inside was in a lot worse shape than the outside.... for example, the screens on the windows were dark brown, ripped, and flapping in the breeze like cafe curtains. It's a busy LA street, so somebody must be moving it regularly.
I was just thinking... getting parts for restoring these units must be one heck of an adventure.

Linda

Well with the Corvair drive train it's probably not bad. Corvairs have a big following and mechanical parts are available. The rest of the coach would be no worse then a vintage camper as long as the exterior body doesn't get damaged.

[74Argosy24MH]

There is an Ultravan group on Yahoo that is suprisingly active so that makes it easier. My biggest problem would be the Corvair engine. An air cooled flat 6 hauling around 4500 lbs. has to be working it's guts out. I had a buddy in high school who loved Corvairs, but they ate clutches so that could be another potential problem with the extra weight.

John

[ALANSD]

I was on a weekender in N GA mountains when I passed a group(!) of these going down the raod near Helen,GA. My Airstream was getting all the attention until they went by. All were white by the way.

[canny_banjo_man]

Hi All........
Well I thought I had seen it all....but yet agn U lot gone an done it once more...WHERE do U get these vehicles from?...lol, " Only in America "...lol, I had to look twice to see which was the FRONT...r these REALY on Yr roads ?...I have seen some odd vehicles in Fl:...goodness knows what I'll see in BOSTON...but 4now...the ultra takes it hands down, THANK'S guys 4 keeping the "LIMEY" smilling...Have a WONDERFUL day2day, stay lucky, stay safe...Chris..... .

[zamboni]

Owner of Byerley RV near St. Louis has one of these he wants to restore. I had to stop by in the AS one day on way out of town for other "camping" gear, he just had to come out and look at our AS, then take me back to show me his project. Really nice folks...but not an AS dealer...unfortunate because they are 7 miles from my house...Bill Thomas AS dealer is 35 miles!!!

Nobody ever said this would be easy!