1988 Emc Eldorado Motorhome

Lincoln Mark VII Motor Home? Yup! Meet The Eldorado Starfire!

I am thinking of buying a 1988 El Dorado but I am unable to find anyone that sells parts, no group, no El dorado forums nothing. So I am a bit hesitant is in buying something if I can not source parts for it. Right out of an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous comes this 1987 Eldorado Starfire RV in Anchorage, Alaska. From the Lincoln-esque grille to the disco-light interior, this Starfire offers style, unlike anything you’ll find today.

Manufactured by Eldorado Motor Corporation from 1986-88. All built on 1986 Ford Econoline chassis: Most with 460 4bbl, though the 7.3 Powerstroke diesel was also listed as available. Space ShuttleMotorhomeRvPowerstroke DieselBig TrucksFront DoorsRecreational VehiclesLoungeEntrance Doors '87 EMC Starfire 31' Motorhome RV. I have a 1988 emc eldorado rv 37-38' dual rear axle 454 chevy chassis/engine need to know what type of starter battery is needed for the rv, min cca amps, voltage? Also has 3-4 solar batteries as well with generator. The motorhome had a front-wheel-drive transaxle, which GM called Unified Powerplant Package, originally used in the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado with an Oldsmobile 455 cu in (7.5 l) V8 from the Toronado, but the later models made use of the 403 cu in (6.6 l) V8. Cadillac employed the 501 cu in (8.2 l) engine.

As you probably know, the 1980’s were a time of great excess, especially when it comes to road going vehicles. American luxury cars of the time were big, cushy, and broughamtastic. While you could stuff six people into your Lincoln Town Car if you had to, what if you wanted to take those six people on a transcontinental journey to visit every cocktail lounge in the land? Enter the Eldorado Starfire motor home!

Just you try and find a better way to travel the States in the mid 80’s. That’s right, you can’t! What a majestic, luxurious beast.

So, there’s one glaring aspect of this RV that stands out, and that’s the fact that it looks like it’s the result of what happens 9 months after a cocaine-fueled bender involving a Lincoln Mark VII, a “Dust Buster” Olds Silhouette minivan, and a Winnebago. Holy crap this thing is… umm… something. Well actually, it’s a lot of things. For one, these are rare beasts. The Eldorado Motor Corp. built a small number of these between 1987 and 1989 and obviously used the lights and grille of the Lincoln Mark VII. They were considered Class A motor homes, and built in various lengths between 27 and 31 feet. These were true land yachts.

CRT TV with a built-in VCR? Check. Skylight in the ceiling? Check. Enough brown and woodgrain to make you think that you are stuck in a Floridian “Over 55” community home’s kitchen in 1988? Also, check.

Oh, what’s that? You think that these things are so awesome that you have to seek one out to buy right now? Say no more, because I’ve found one for you already for the paltry sum of $25,000! You can thank me later. Let’s have a look!

The ad says:

ford fans/ RV fans and of course the you don’t have one of these fans. what we have here is a 1987 Lincoln 32 foot motor home 460 motor with a 6 speed overdrive automatic was featured on the cover of popular mechanics (1987), Oh ya i have that magazine for the non-believers, this RV gets around 14 mpg has all the style on the open road and turns heads has all the things you need to camp or because it is a mobile home you can use that to get around the loopholes that keep people from buying land and doping a camper on it yes because it is a motor home .This body is all fiberglass and well taken care of spent most of its life in California both roof top a.c”s work and its ready to drive away with its new owner . i will listen to reasonable offers/ trades and have many pictures and can answer questions

In typical BangShift fashion, let’s take a look at the pictures of this weirdo-mobile.

So, I’m thinking the seller found some nose candy inside of this old beast and snorted it all by the stuff he’s saying in the ad. Even so, there’s some important info here, like the fact that it comes with a Ford 460 for motivation. He says it will get 14mpg on the open road, but I’m thinking the drugs are doing the talking.

I always find it funny when RV manufacturers use lighting from other mass-produced automobiles. It’s a fun game to play “guess what vehicle those lights came from! ” on road trips, but if I saw this thing out on the highway, I’d have no problem figuring out where this luxury barge pilfered it’s parts from. They didn’t even bother removing the Lincoln hood ornament !

They even incorporated the Mark VII’s simulated continental kit hump into the back of this thing. Wowzers.

If I owned this thing, I’d drive across the country towing a trailer full of various Mark VII’s behind it, just because. I’d populate the trailer with a bunch of different ones from the 1984-92 model run, like a monochromatic 1992 Mark VII SE, a 1986 Mark VII White Lightning Edition, and even a equally-as-rare 1984 Mark VII Diesel, featuring a BMW turbodiesel I6! While I don’t think the one in the ad is worth the $25k asking price, it is definitely a conversation piece!

Let us know what you think of this luxurious monstrosity in the comments below!

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GMC Motorhome
Overview
Manufacturer	GMC Truck and Coach Division (General Motors)
Production	1972–1978
Model years	1973–1978
Assembly	Pontiac West Assembly, Pontiac, Michigan
Designer	Michael Lathers, GM Design Center
Body and chassis
Class	Recreational vehicle
Body style	Class A Motor Home
Layout	Longitudinal front-engine, front-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	455 cu in (7.5 L) Rocket V8 403 cu in (6.6 L) OldsmobileV8
Transmission	3-speed TH-425 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	140 inches (3,600 mm) 160 inches (4,100 mm)
Length	23 feet (7.0 m) 26 feet (7.9 m)

The GMC Motorhome was manufactured by the GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors for model years 1973–1978 in Pontiac, Michigan, USA — as the only complete motorhome built by a major auto/truck manufacturer. Manufactured in 23 and 26 ft (7.0 and 7.9 m) lengths, the design was noted for its front-wheel drive and its low profile, fully integrated body.

In contrast to most motorhomes which were manufactured on drivetrain equipped frames supplied by a chassis manufacturer; GMC designed, engineered and built the entire vehicle, and in most cases the interiors, completely in-house. Empty shells were also supplied to other RV manufacturers for interior outfitting and to specialty manufacturers for custom outfitting, ranging from mail delivery and mobile training facilities to people movers and ambulances.

Design and specifications[edit]

GMC Motorhome early 1/8 scale clay model

Industry rumors had been circulating for some time that GM was going to build a motorhome. On February 7, 1972, it was made official. About this time the new vehicle was known as the TVS-4, Travel Vehicle Streamlined. The motorhome design continued to evolve in the two main areas of styling and chassis. The Design Center was continuing with both the external and interior designs. There were twelve designers working with sketches and 1/8 scale (A-scale) clay models. Three or four of these 1/8 scale clay models were made, each with unique design characteristics, each refining their shapes closer to the final form. Once these models were completed, evaluated and approved, full sized drawings were made using 1/4 inch tape to outline the front, rear and side design. These drawings would guide the designers in the next stage: a full size clay model.

The clay full scale 26-foot (7.9 m) motorhome was created. Once the shape was completed, the clay surface was “polished” with a sponge and cold water and finished with a silver-blue film of DI-NOC, replicating the painted surface of a vehicle. Upon completion of the full scale clay, plaster cast segments were made of it. Dimensional drawings were made of this final design for tooling and early fiberglass prototype parts for the first prototype bodies.

The motorhome had a front-wheel-drive transaxle, which GM called Unified Powerplant Package, originally used in the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado with an Oldsmobile 455 cu in (7.5 l) V8 from the Toronado, but the later models made use of the 403 cu in (6.6 l) V8. Cadillac employed the 501 cu in (8.2 l) engine. (At the time, the Buick Riviera, which shared most of the same components, and used the same E-body platform, as the Toronado and Eldorado until its 1977 downsizing, was still using the conventional rear-wheel-drive layout.) Both used the GM-designated Turbo-Hydramatic 425 automatic transmission, with a wide roller chain drive to connect the output of the longitudinally oriented engine to the transmission. The final drive was connected directly to the transmission, and power was fed to the front wheels using half-shafts that ran under the front portion of the engine. The engine was fueled with regular gasoline stored in two 25-US-gallon (95 l) tanks.

GMC Motorhome chassis

The GMC was equipped with front disc brakes and drums on all four rear wheels. The front-drive configuration eliminated the driveshaft and rear differential and solid axle found on most front-engined motorhomes. As a result, the floor could be built with about 14 inches (36 cm) clearance above the roadway. The floor was too low for a rear cross axle, and GM designed the rear suspension as a tandem pair of wheels, mounted on bogies which rode on pins attached to the sides of the low-profile frame. With the exception of the wheel wells, the rear suspension does not intrude into the living space. The rear bogies are suspended using a double-ended convoluted air bag that is pressurized by an automatic leveling system to maintain the designed ride height. The leveling system can also be manually controlled to level the coach at a campsite. The overall chassis design, from the use of an existing GM E platform powertrain and a modified rear suspension has been considered an early ancestor of the crossover.

The motorhomes were built in either 23-foot (7.0 m) or 26-foot (7.9 m) length, with about 90% of the total production being the latter. The wheelbase from the front wheels to the centerline of the rear tandem pairs is 140 inches (360 cm) for the 23-foot (7.0 m) coach and 160 inches (410 cm) for the 26-foot (7.9 m) coach. All GMC Motorhomes are 96 inches (240 cm) wide and about 9 feet (2.7 m) tall including the usually-installed roof air conditioner. Interior head room is 76 inches (190 cm).

Gross vehicle weight rating for the 23-foot (7.0 m) coach was 10,500 pounds (4,800 kg) and 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) for the 26-foot (7.9 m) coach. Most GMCs with factory interiors have a 30 US gallons (110 l) freshwater tank and a 30 US gallons (110 l) holding tank.

GMC Motorhome production body-drop

Body construction consisted of a rigid frame made of welded aluminum extrusions. The body frame was mounted on the chassis steel ladder frame using body isolators. The floor was marine plywood, except where it sloped up at the extremities, where they were plate aluminum. The body panels are fiber reinforced plastic (fiberglass) below the waistline frame extrusion and at the ends. The upper side body and roof panels between the ends are sheet aluminum. GMCs are notable for their large expanse of windows, which redefined the RV industry at the time. They often had luxury features common on upper models of GM brands, such as cruise control, air conditioning, AM/FM/8-track sound systems, an aluminum/fiberglass body, as well as air suspension.

Rear lower compartments provide space for generators and propane tanks. GMCs were optionally supplied with generators from Onan in 4,000 watts and 6,000 watts, many of which are still in service. There were no driver's or passenger's doors at the front of the vehicle. A single door amidships on the right-hand side provided access to the main passenger compartment. At the back of the vehicle, the entire rear body panel could be removed by loosening the bolts around its edges. This allowed beds, appliances and other bulky items to be installed or removed.

Production[edit]

A total of 12,921 GMC Motorhomes were produced from model years 1973 to 1978. The interior of the motor home was constructed at the Gemini Corporation plant in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Peter R. Fink, owner of Travco motor homes, was the CEO of Gemini.^[1] The Gemini operation featured a progressive team concept with teams of workers constructing rooms of the motor homes in full, rather than performing repetitive tasks on an assembly line. Beginning operation in 1972, the plant featured state-of-the-art equipment including one of the first programmable routers. Gemini closed a few years after General Motors discontinued production of its motor homes.^[2] Over 7,000 are currently listed in an international registry. Estimates suggest that at least 8,000 to 9,000 of the original production are still in running condition.

A press release datelined Pontiac, November 11, 1977, read as follows: “GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors plans to discontinue producing luxury MotorHomes and similar TransMode multi-purpose vehicles and convert those plant facilities to expand truck operations, a GM vice president said today. Robert W. Truxell, general manager of GMC Truck & Coach said, “As a result of this action, GMC will be able to utilize production facilities more effectively for servicing growing truck demands.”^[3] Another factor is that the driveline for the new for 1979 E platform which was in the process of being downsized (and on which Buick would debut its first-ever front-wheel-drive Riviera) was lighter duty and incompatible with the GVW of the GMC motorhome where the existing Oldsmobile-sourced driveline was being phased out of production (the 403 and THM425 transaxle were phased out and replaced with the Oldsmobile 350 and THM325 when the downsized E platform was under development.)

Influences[edit]

Emc Starfire For Sale

Prior to the introduction of the GMC Motor home, a handful of other manufacturers made use of a similar front-wheel drive configuration and inspired the GMC configuration.^[4] These included the Cortez Motor Home from the Clark Equipment Corporation which initially offered a four-speed manual transmission with front-wheel drive, available from 1963 to 1970 until the division was sold to Kent Industries.^[5] From 1972 to 1977, a redesigned Cortez-SD was manufactured, initially by Kent and later a group of investors, using the same Oldsmobile 455 and three-speed automatic transmission that the GMC motorhome adopted in 1973.

Another parallel design was the Revcon motor home, which, starting in 1971, was an all-aluminum body front-wheel drive coach, initially with the same Toronado drive train as the later GMC.^[6] Beginning in 1978, the Revcon took on a more aerodynamic design similar to the just-canceled GMC Motor home, which included a slant nose and dual rear axle, while adopting a Chevrolet454 engine and Turbo-Hydramatic 475 transmission. These were in production through 1990, with one coach built in 1991 using remaining components before the factory closed.^[7]

References[edit]

^'Dodge/Travco'. RVBusiness. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original on 2017-07-02.
^'Gemini Corporation'. Michigan Corporates: Company Profiles of Michigan. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
^Bryant, William. 'GMC Motorhome History'. GMCMI. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
^Bryant, Bill (2003-09-10). 'Other Toronado Powered Front Wheel Drive Motorhomes'. Bdub's Place. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
^'Hey, what is a Cortez anyway?'. CortezCoach.com. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-09-06.
^'The Revcon Motorhome'. Revconeers.com. Archived from the original on 2010-04-03. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^'Support Page for wide-body 1987–1991 Revcon RV's'. PoliceInterceptor.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-21.

External links[edit]