Neat 'bus' I found yesterday!

[Songman]

Don and I were riding around the other day and we pulled off on the side of the road to look at a Jeep Wagoneer that was for sale. I am redoing a Wagoneer that I have so thought it might be good for parts. The Wagoneer turned out to be nothing but what I found was a heckuva lot cooler than any Waggy I have seen!

I snapped a couple of pictures with my cell phone and figured I would post them and come see if anyone knew what they were. After a short web search I got real excited and now I have to go back and see if they want to sell it to me! What a great little 'bus' to have in a time when fuel prices are so crazy!

This thing was built in the late 60s and early 70s. It was designed by an aircraft engineer and it is powered by a Corvair engine. We spotted that by looking beneath it when we were trying to figure out what it was. It is called the UltraVan or UltraCoach as the emblem on the rear shows. I think it would make a great little hopper for just a couple of people.

[Songman]

And this is how they look all dolled up and on the road... (Internet picture)

Quote:
The Ultra Van is a unique motorhome. Powered by a Corvair engine and transaxle, it was designed by David Peterson (a professional aircraft designer) in the early sixties. These units were produced in limited quantities by the Ultra Van Corporation of Hutchinson, Kansas until June of 1970.

As a true monococque structure, the Ultra Van has no chassis. It is constructed like an airplane with aluminum ribs covered with riveted sheet aluminum on the top and sides. Compound curved areas (front and back corners) are fiberglass. All wheels are independently sprung with coil springs and tubular shock absorbers.

These units cruise easily at 60 mph and deliver 15 plus mpg. More than 200 of about 370 units produced are still on the road, many with between 100,000 and 500,000 miles of use.

[Barn Owl]

You can tell it was an aircraft designer by the front. It looks like a plane. That would make for a cool conversation piece.

[Songman]

Or a cartoon... or is it a bustoon?

[Chaz]

Very cool!! Get that bad boy and have some fun with it!!
  Chaz

[captain ron]

I seen and took a picture of one in a museum I was in a couple weeks ago. I'll post a pic tonight.

[Songman]

I'd like to see it. I'm really enjoying researching these little rigs.

[luvrbus]

Dale, there in Bakersfield someone from the Cortez family has the 1st Cortez motorhome built about 16ft in length with a 1 or 2 digit FMCA plaque on it keep your eye out for it they still use it

[JackConrad]

Dale,
   There was one of these on display at the Florida Flywheelers show last February. It had been restored and we were allowed to tour the inside. It was a very well designed vehicle with a great floorplan.  Jack

[Songman]

I will watch out for it, Clifford. I remember seeing that neat Cortez at Quartzsite. That is the only one I have ever seen.

Jack, I haven't been inside of this one because no one was home there. From the pictures, it looks like the front two seats swivel and turn into a dinette. Is that how the one you saw was?

[RJ]

Ah, yes, the Ultra Van!  The ultimate Corvair project vehicle!


http://www2.onu.edu/~kwildman/ultraVan.html



FWIW & HTH. . .

[captain ron]

I think Ralph Nader used to live in one 

[Blacksheep]

If you look closely it appears the famous Wiener mobile is based from one of these too! It has the same front end appearance!

BS

[tekebird]

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has evolved from Carl Mayer's original 1936 vehicle to the current vehicles seen on the road today. Although gas rationing kept the Wienermobile off the road during World War II, in the 1950's Oscar Mayer and the Gerstenslager Company created several new vehicles using a Dodge chassis or a Willy's Jeep chassis. One of these models is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. These Wienermobiles were piloted by "Little Oscar" who would visit stores, schools, orphanages, children's hospitals, and participate in parades and festivals. In 1969, new Wienermobiles were built upon a Chevy motor home chassis and featured Ford Thunderbird taillights. The 1969 vehicle was the first Wienermobile to travel to foreign countries. In 1976 Plastic Products, inc., built a fiberglass and styrofoam model, again on a Chevy motor home chassis. In 1988, Oscar Mayer launched its Hotdogger program, where recent college graduates were hired to drive the Wienermobile through various parts of the nation and abroad. Using a converted Chevy van chassis, Stevens Automotive Corporation and noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens built a fleet of ten Wienermobiles for the new team of Hotdoggers. In 1995, the Wienermobile grew in size to 27-feet long and 11-feet high. In 2000, the big dog was given the power of a 5700 GM VORTEC engine. The most recent version of the Wienermobile, built in 2004, has been updated to include a voice activated GPS Navigational System, an audio center with a wireless microphone, and a horn that plays the Wiener Jingle in 21 different genres from Cajun to Rap to Bossa Nova, according to American Eats. There are 6 Wienermobiles in existence. The current Wienermobile sports fourth generation Pontiac Firebird taillights.

[Songman]

I told Don when we were looking at it that it looked like the Weinermobile.

I took my daughter to the local Albertson's a couple of years ago where they had the big Weinermobile out there. Being a Pontiac guy from way back, I spotted the Firebird taillights right away. That would be a fun gig to have, driving that thing around.