I Spy’d a Vintage Motorhome – 1980’s Dodge Van Conversion
All Ram Vans and Wagons were built at the Pillette Road Truck Assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which has since been demolished.
I recently came across a beautifully restored Dodge B-Series Van Conversion in pristine condition. Not only did it have great street-appeal, it was finished nicely inside as well – this unit appeared to have received some serious TLC.
Wikipedia reveals some history about the popular Dodge Van series: “The Dodge B-Series is a full-size that was built by Dodge. Starting in 1981, the B-Series was sold as the Dodge Ram Van; the passenger variant was known as the Dodge Ram Wagon and Plymouth Voyager.
DaimlerChrysler discontinued production of the Ram Van and Ram Wagon after more than 30 years of production following the 2004 model year, replacing them with the Dodge Sprinter. All Ram Vans and Wagons were built at the Pillette Road Truck Assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which has since been demolished.
All generations of the B-series van feature similar construction, with only small variations from era to era. The most pronounced changes were to the front fenders, hood, grille, and bumpers, which tended to follow their full-size truck counterparts in each era. Much of this was a result of the need to meet Federal "crash-worthiness" standards. Additionally, the first generation's side door was mounted back several inches, using a fixed panel between the passenger's side front door and the side door, allowing for more access to the side door without interfering with the front passenger's seat. This panel was eliminated in 1978 which was a transitional year for the B-series van. Similar construction for the entire 32 years of production made the Dodge Van very popular with up builders, service companies, and other fleets due to the compatibility of installable options from year to year without necessitating a redesign.”
Got a Dodge B-Series Van Conversion? 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.
