2023 | My MotorHome Life

#VIDEO/INTERVIEW: John Mest Worked on the GMC Motorhome Assembly Line in the 1970s

BY Marco Kathuria—Another episode in a series featuring interviews with GMC Motorhome owners. This time we hear from Tom Mest as explains how he was recruited to be parts of General Motors’ beta-testing of their soon-to-be-announced motorhome in 1972. Part two (to come) explores how the assembly of the motorhome came to an end in 1978.

#BUS/CONVERSION: Transit Bus Got a Complete Makeover and Became an Off-Grid Tiny Home

BY Mircea Mazuru—There are multiple reasons why people move into tiny homes on wheels. Some do it for convenience, some to save money, while others do it for pure pleasure. Regardless of the reason, everybody wants to feel as comfortable as possible on the road. One of the best ways of building a camper similarly equipped to a conventional home is by choosing a bus as a base vehicle.

#GMC/MOTORHOME: Ditching Your Carburetor and Getting Fuel Injection Makes Sense

BY Jim Bounds—In this video, I explain how the original fuel delivery system in the 1973-1978 GMC Motorhome works and why today’s ethanol fuels play havoc with your original fuel tanks, fuel hoses, and carburetor. I then discuss the advantages of switching to FiTech’s fuel injection alternative.

#VINTAGE/CAMPER: The Vixen RV is Unlike any Other Motorhome You’ve Seen from the 1980s

BY Ben Dain-Smith & Benjamin Hunting—When muscle car pioneer Bill Collins decided it was time to move on from his design role at DeLorean (where he penned the original take on what would become the DMC-12), he turned his attention to that most neglected of ’80s market slots: the high-performance motorhome.

#RVLIFE/SKOOLIES: Living Out of a Converted Schoolbus Full-Time

Skoolie-Conversion-Courtesy-RidingDirtyWithFergie-Instagram

BY Karuna Eberl—A skoolie can grant you boundless freedom, or become a really expensive lawn ornament. If you’re thinking about getting one, here’s what to know.

#NEWBIE/TIPS: How Do I Determine What Generator Load is Right for my 30 Amp RV?

By Scott Rivers—What size generator is appropriate for a 30 amp RV? When it comes to buying a generator for an RV, you have to think about the size of your motorhome, what kind of appliances you have on board, and how much time you plan to spend in the trailer.

#VIDEO/INTERVIEW: Fabienne Patricia Schenk Talks About Living Full-Time in a GMC Motorhome

BY Marco Kathuria—Fabienne Patricia Schenk, co-owner of GREASE 1, LLC, a small engine repair and maintenance shop in East Texas, recounts how she and her husband, Thomas Jetzer, came to own a vintage 1973 GMC Motorhome Canyon Lands RV.

#SOLD/VINTAGE: A 1970 Dodge Starcraft Motorhome

BY Ben Branch—This is a 1970 Dodge Starcraft Motorhome, it’s an unusual shorter wheelbase design that makes it look almost like someone cut a bus in half, but inside you’ll find all the amenities you need for life on the road.

#REHAB/RANCH: Restoring a GMC Motorhome? Where to Start, Part 1 (Interior Electrical)

BY Jim Bounds—In this video, I talk about the one of the biggest issues new owners of GMC Motorhomes face: the electrical system. Unlike modern coaches, these vintage beauties really have two electrical grounds and as such, mis-grounding can be a major cause of electrical weirdness – and failures!

#PRODUCT/REVIEW: A Monitoring System for Multiple RV Battery Banks

BY Marco Kathuria—The Philippi Battery Monitor BLS is a compact battery monitor for battery systems consisting of a 12/24 V starter battery and one or more 12/24 V house batteries connected in parallel. The 2.4″ TFT touch screen displays the current charging state of the entire battery system at a glance in our 1973 GMC Motorhome.

#SOLD/VINTAGE: This Airstream Argosy Is Cheaper Than A New Campervan And Looks Way Better

BY–Mercedes Streeter. This year, RV sales are returning to pre-pandemic normals. Despite that, camper vans continue to be a substantial segment. If you like Airstreams, its cheapest new camper van is the $147,570 Rangeline. Or, for half of that money, you can roll into a campground with something that’ll turn some heads.

RULES/CAMPERS: Why Some RV Storage Facilities & Campgrounds Are Banning RVs Over 10 Years Old

Old white camper bus. Vintage van. Tourism nostalgy concept with old vehicle.

BY Lynne Fedorick—Most RVers are aware of bans on older RVs at RV parks. However, some RV storage facilities are joining many RV parks in banning rigs that are more than 10 years old. In a thread on Forest River Forums, RV owners expressed shock at this increasing trend. Why would an RV storage facility have a 10-year rule?

#PRODUCT/REVIEW: The BioLite AlpenGlow Mini Lantern

BY Christopher Gardner—When notice of the release of the A lpenGlow Mini from BioLite Energy ($39.95 each or 4-pack for $143.82) hit my email inbox, my first reaction was akin to walking down the cereal aisle wondering how many versions of Cheerios do we really need.

#WRENCHING/VINTAGE: “You Must Believe You Can Repair It”

BY Scott Gilbertson—Six years ago, I moved my family into a 50-year-old RV—not just to see America, but to test my belief that anything worth fixing can be fixed.

#CAMPERCONCEPT: Citroen Type Holidays Concept Recent Debut As Modern Camper With Retro Style

BY Christopher Smith—Campers and motorhomes were center stage at the 2023 Caravan Salon in Germany, and Citroen is there with a fresh concept that evokes the company’s past while pointing to the future. It’s called the Type Holidays, and beneath the ribbed-retro bodywork is a modern SpaceTourer van that previews a forthcoming line of adventure vehicles from the French brand.

#REHAB/RANCH: Get Rid of Your “Stinky Slinky” and Replace it with a Macerator

BY Jim Bounds—In this video, I take you through the basic setup of a macerator system on a GMC Motorhome—this system is good for most ANY RV!—and why you should consider switching to this clean and efficient means of dumping the contents of your black and gray tanks.

#VINTAGERV: This 1977 Coachman Motorhome Recently Sold at Auction

BY Motorious—Step back in time with the remarkable 1977 Coachman Motorhome, a true testament to nostalgia and family ownership. With a rich history and exceptional preservation, this vehicle is a true time capsule that was waiting to be discovered.

#VIDEO/WALKAROUND: Scott Sommers Shows Us Around the Interior of His 1974 GMC Motorhome (Complete Episode)

BY Barry Ard—An interior tour of a vintage RV owner-conducted tour series featuring Scott Sommers, owner of a fully-restored 1974 GMC Motorhome. It is part of an on-going series of interviews and coach tours focusing on the GMC Motorhome owner community. Other videos in this series can be found on our YouTube channel.

#PRODUCT/REVIEW: OPT7 Aura Pro Interior LED Lighting Kit Video

BY Marco Kathuria—I installed the standard kit in our 1973 GMC Motorhome a few years ago with the intention of having a system that provided footwell lighting that was both dimmable and also offered a full spectrum of colours to choose from.

#REHAB/RANCH: The Birchaven – A GMC Motorhome Project (Part 1)

BY Jim Bounds—In this video, Jason Stryker talks about an ongoing GMC Motorhome project, what it entails, what to expect, and more. Stay tuned for updates!

#PARTNER/FOCUS: 8 Power Supply Solutions for ZERO BREEZE Mark2 AC

Zero Breeze AC2 portable air conditioner

BY BARRY ARD—There are two conventional power supply solutions for the MK2 air conditioner, namely the MK2 battery and the MK2 adapter. During the use of the ZERO BREEZE MK2 air conditioner, we have found that users have various demands on how to extend the working time of the MK2 air conditioner and have tried various methods.

Year: 2023