I Spy’d a Vintage RV—1970’s Dodge Travco Motorhome

The Travco motorhome was an aerodynamic Class A Recreational Vehicle built on a Dodge motorhome chassis from 1965 until the late 1980s.

You just never know when or where you'll come across a vintage motorhome. Earlier this fall I was heading through Kalispell, Montana, got on the wrong side street and drove right by this vintage Dodge Travco Motorhome. With a quick u-turn I went back to snap a photo of this venerable, and seemingly well-maintained motorhome.

Not dissimilar from the GMC motorhomes of that era, these space-age looking motorhomes definitely have "George Jetson" appeal to them.

According to Wikipedia, "The Travco motorhome was an aerodynamic Class A Recreational Vehicle built on a Dodge motorhome chassis from 1965 until the late 1980s. The Travco design originally emerged as a 1961 model called the "Dodge Frank Motor Home" and marketed with the assistance of the Chrysler Corporation, who were the makers of its chassis. One hundred thirty-one were produced the first year, with an average price tag of $9000.

"The Travco/Dodge Motor Home design and fiberglass body were refinements by Ray Frank to the original Frank Motor Home, a conventional box-type design based on the Dodge chassis and built in Brown City, Michigan from 1958-1962. Ray Frank, founder of Frank Industries, also made up the name "motorhome" and went on to develop Xplorer Motorhomes. Mr. Frank has been inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum (RV/MH Heritage Foundation, Elkhart Indiana) as the father of the motorhome.

Travco enjoyed a large market share of the budding motorhome market. Its success played a part in the demise of more established makes such as the Corvair-powered UltraVan, and opened the market to lower-cost makes such as Winnebago. Travco's use of the Dodge Motor Home chassis established Dodge chassis as the most popular make of motorhome chassis for twenty years."

From this picture clearly the Dodge Travco continues to serve the RV motoring public—even if we call them vintage.

Do you have a Dodge Travco motorhome story to share? Share your classic RV restorations, or tell us your favourite story about a cool vintage unit you've encountered by filling out our Classic Vintage RV form.