- Did Great Dale only make Dodge Charger RVs?
- What chassis did Great Dale motorhomes use?
- How much room was there inside the RV?
- How many of these RVs were made?
There are still those rare and unknown automotive gems floating around that baffle even the most knowledgeable muscle car enthusiasts. Such is the case with this RV, an ultra-rare 1966 Dodge Charger motorhome shown here. Built in Denver, Colorado, by Great Dale House Car Co., this was an actual product of theirs. Have you ever seen one?
Did Great Dale only make Dodge Charger RVs?
1966 Dodge Charger Great Dale Motorhome | Instagram
According to the website devoted to these freaks, the founder of Great Dale, Dale Wasinger, even invented a unique method for cutting cars in half. Real estate, selling used cars, auto body repairs, and starting gambling casinos, which he wrote a book about, were just some of his different endeavors.
The Great Dale company would mate any car to its generic motorhome back, but it had preferences, which were for low-mileage, rear-ended used cars. That’s why there was such a variety of car makes fronting the RVs. Then, he would hunt down low-mileage used trucks involved in front-end collisions, to use their frame backs.
What chassis did Great Dale motorhomes use?
1966 Dodge Charger Great Dale Motorhome | Instagram
Because the motorhome bodies didn’t weigh much more than the car’s rear half, no frame modifications were necessary. There were also no changes to the engines, cooling systems, transmissions, front suspensions, or brakes.
His first effort was a 1961 Cadillac. With his vision proven, he continued building these monstrosities for four years. He preferred Oldsmobiles because of their great power-to-weight ratios.
How much room was there inside the RV?
1966 Dodge Charger Great Dale Motorhome | Instagram
From the images of “ghettorvs” Instagram post, his 1966 Charger RV has more room inside than you would imagine. There is a double bed, cupboards, and cabinets galore, a built-in stove, and a dining table. Add some more seats and you have a kitchenette.
Though no mention of which engine the Charger RV has, we would guess it is either the 361 ci or 383 ci V8. That’s because they were the most common of Dodge’s big block offerings in 1966. Dodge 440 ci engines were not too common, and Hemi engines were rarer still, with under 500 made.
How many of these RVs were made?
1965 Dodge Coronet motorhome | Great Dale website
Besides the Charger, a 1965 Dodge Coronet was also converted. It has a dedicated website. There is also a website for the Great Dale House Car Company. Obviously, with its multifunctional uses and unique 1960s vintage car front ends, there was bound to be a lot of interest.
In all, Great Dale made between 52 and 60 motorhome conversions. With age, some of the front suspensions have sagged, which means bottoming out going in and out of driveways. Some owners have replaced the Mopar torsion bars or coil springs with heavy-duty replacements. In the Coronet’s case, racing torsion bars raised the front end one inch, and it no longer bottoms out.
Mostly though, these require the same restoration steps as a vintage car, plus tuning up the interiors. Supposedly, Great Dale made two Dodge Charger motorhomes. So if you must have one, it could be one of those rare gems out there floating around somewhere.
Keyword: 1966 Dodge Charger Motorhome: Best RV Ever?