Can anyone tell me anything about this?

[guhleman]

Hello There!

Can any of you tell me anything about this vehicle? I think I'm about to buy it! There is so little info about it. I'm told it is one of six built by the Vancouver Island Aircraft Company in Canada.

Any thoughts?

G

[J. Morgan]

Never seen one, but if you buy it, don't break a windshield.....

One of six probably means not much chance of finding either a new ore or a used one....

Just something to ponder....

[Wolfe]

Are they still in biz ?. who's chases ?. Good luck

[vinstream]

I think I saw that in the movie Stripes?!

[streaminwild]

Very cooool.... as we say in the 70s. Righteous in the 90s or sick today. Ditto the windsheild comment.

[Ahab]

Yes, it's not an Airstream.

[perryg114]

It is cool looking though.

Perry

[guhleman]

Thanks for the replies!

[streaminwild]

Originally Posted by Ahab

Yes, it's not an Airstream.

I think that you would be the center of attention at any airstream rally. Put a airstream logo below the windsheild and say it was a concept motor home. It has a massive side window. Welcome to the forum more pictures please.

[Foiled Again]

If you're going to buy it, better jump. Someone is going to blow up your picture big enough to see what the phone number is on the "for sale" sign, then grab it out from under you.

I looked at it about 4 separate times. I think the rear 2/3rds might have started out life as an Airstream trailer, that got mounted on a bus frame. Forward of the door it gets interesting. The big picture window - well one of the Avions I've seen has a window just like that... then there's the window in front of the picture window. Notice how it looks like the forward edge has no trim, and is tucked under the aluminum of the cab area? And the roof line goes down to meet the cab for about the last three feet. Whoever built this married some kind of cab & power train onto an Airstream trailer.

There are a couple of things I really don't like - The awning being #1. Look where the forward awning bracket falls. Good bet is that the builder just used the stock awning from the Airstream he was morphing into a moho. It really needs one long enough to cover all of the windows - especially his add on.

It's INTERESTING... You can see that a lot of work must have gone into it... and at first glance it's not as bad a fit as I've seen on one or two others. I keep thinking that I have seen that front end on something, but for the life of me I can't figure out what. It looks more like a bullet train than a bus front end.

Anyway, keep us posted.

Paula

[guhleman]

Thanks again people!

So I've got some more info about her, and i'm going to the city to view on Tuesday! It is in fact an Airstream Trailer conversion called the Slipstream. The chassis and Front end are GM, and just like someone suggested the front end seems to match pictures of the "Stripes" movie RV which is all GM. So, to the windshield comment, it seems it might be more readily available. Its power plant is a 6cyl Perkins turbo diesel. Thats all I know so far...

[Stefrobrts]

Take pictures when you go check it out. Even if you decide to pass on it, I'd love to see more pics, What an odd duck! You would definitely be the center of attention wherever you took it

[J. Morgan]

Since the front is GM, the windshield should be findable, but not readily available.

Sorry for bringing that up, but breaking a rare windshield is a big deal, I think about it often when I drive my 55 Lincoln Capri, one of 14,000...

What do you bet that GM didn't deliver 14,000 vehicles that used that particular windshield?

(In fact I think there was an episode of Counts Customs that centered on getting a windshield for a 70s GM RV......).

[m.hony]

Even if it is the same windshield as the GMC motorhome it would still be hard to find.

[idroba]

The front bumper is a GMC Motorhome bumper. The windshield looks very much like a GMC motorhome windshield. The window behind the windshield is a GMC motorhome window, as is the next window back. From there back it is an Airstream trailer as far as I can see, other than the dual front to back rear tires, which again look like a GMC rear end.

If it has front wheel drive, it has to be a GMC marriage with an Airstream. The Diesel however throws me, as it has been really hard to substitute engines in the GMC design, as the front wheel driveshaft goes through the oil pan on the original engines.

I had a GMC motorhome for several years, and was just comparing the photos of it with the rig you show.

And I am sorry, it has neither the grace of a GMC motorhome or an Airstream trailer. But interesting anyway.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, it does look like they used some parts from a GMC motorhome, but I think it is probably built on a P-30 Chassis. GMC motorhomes did not have deep dish rear wheels. Could be a dually with a tag axle. Picture not the clear when blown up. Also a P-30 would be easier to change engine types on.