Fun finds on craigslist

[CrabbyMilton]

Yeah  now I remember someone I went to high school with who's family had one and it did indeed have a DODGE chassis with the 318.
He always said it the engine was too small for it but it still got them where they wanted to go.
I knew DODGE built motorhome chassis back then but I thought you had a GM or FORD option with those WINNEBAGO class A.
Now FORD is the sole provider for class A gasoline engine versions.

[TomC]

Dodge chassis-M300 used 16.5" tires on 8 bolt wheels and 10,000lb/gvw. 318 was standard, 413 option. M375 used 17.5" tires on 5 bolt wheels and 12,000-16,000gvw with 413 standard.

[CrabbyMilton]

If CHRYSLER hadn't let their quality go down the toilet, they may have kept building these chassis. Imagine these with the HEMI V8 engines and CUMMINS as the diesel option.

[bigred]

If CHRYSLER hadn't let their quality go down the toilet, they may have kept building these chassis. Imagine these with the HEMI V8 engines and CUMMINS as the diesel option.

Never could figure Chrysler's move out on this .This was the one thing they were actually making money on .Up until the "K Car era"they were building heavy duty vehicles .They even had a road tractor at one time .A guy near us had one that he used for North American Van Lines,and that thing was still going up until a few years back .Don't have a clue where it got to or what model it was .Those engines that they used were quote/unquote "industrial "engines .The HD 318 was a B------ engine.Regular 318 parts would not work ,and from what I understand the 413 was the same. Winnebago actually had a mh smaller than the 20 ft one .It looked just like the other ones ,but only used single wheels in the back and I believe it was powered by a six cylinder Ford engine.

[CrabbyMilton]

Well they were on the verge of going out of business back in the late 1970's into the 80's so the medium and heavy trucks(and skoolie chassis) had to go even though they continued to build and sell them in Mexico for many years after that since they figured that people would want those K cars hence, more volume.
But like I said, they stunk with quality problems for years so there's no way to get around that.
Not to say everything was bad and they built and still do build some great engines but the perception is what becomes reality.
You might even say that CHRYSLER was back in the medium-heavy market from 1998-2007 when the were owned by DAIMLER since FREIGHTLINER is part of that group.
I know which WINNEBAGO model you're talking about. Can't imagine that FORD 300 6 in that though. The 318 V8 was sluggish enough. Plus that FORD chassis version had single rear wheels I think.

[Handyjim]

As I recall, there was some sort of antitrust suit that forced Chrysler out of
supplying MH chassis. I owned a 75 class c, 360 engine. Tough on fuel, tough on exhaust manifolds!

[MB LeMirage]

You are not kidding about the Dodge exhaust manifolds. I have a 1977 Dodge Midas MH built on a 1 ton Dodge van chassis and it has the 318/727. What a pig, but we went everywhere in that old thing until the roof started to cave in. And yes the exhaust manifolds would glow full red and spit out the gasket at least once every summer. We eventually added a set of headman headers with the fabric wrap and while better, it only spit the gaskets out every other year. Now the old girl is donating bits and pieces to the Prevost, and then it will make a good flat deck, 1 ton trailer puller for down in the gravel pit.
Ryan.

[bigred]

You are not kidding about the Dodge exhaust manifolds. I have a 1977 Dodge Midas MH built on a 1 ton Dodge van chassis and it has the 318/727. What a pig, but we went everywhere in that old thing until the roof started to cave in. And yes the exhaust manifolds would glow full red and spit out the gasket at least once every summer. We eventually added a set of headman headers with the fabric wrap and while better, it only spit the gaskets out every other year. Now the old girl is donating bits and pieces to the Prevost, and then it will make a good flat deck, 1 ton trailer puller for down in the gravel pit.
Ryan.

I don't know what it was about exhaust manifolds and motor homes!!! Chevy had the same problems with theirs .I had a 79 Itasca Sun Flyer that I had had them off so often I could put a set of manifold gaskets on that thing in 45 minuets and give you change back.I finally found a permanent cure  for the 95 Alegro I had after the Itasca.

[Oonrahnjay]

I don't know what it was about exhaust manifolds and motor homes!!! ... 

    Forget about the gaskets!  Did you see the condition of the plastic holder for paper towels?  It's in perfect shape!  There must be other valuable, useful items on that wreck, too.  Or ...  maybe not ...