Photo: Chris Lancaster/Facebook Marketplace
When it comes to vintage motorhomes, we often think about products from Airstream and Winnebago. And needless to say, some of them are pretty rare and valuable nowadays. But no RV, no matter the brand, is as intriguing as the 1980 Gama Home.
A one-of-a-kind motorhome developed in the 1970s, the Gama Home was the brainchild of Roger Gamaunt. If you're unfamiliar with the name, he also helped create the Gama Goat, a six-wheel-drive, semi-amphibious off-road vehicle that the US military used in the Vietnam War.
Featuring an articulated chassis, the Goat appeared to be a four-wheel-drive vehicle pulling a two-wheel trailer from afar. In reality, it was a six-wheel rig that could navigate rough terrain as easily as a mountain goat. Hence the Goat in its official name. Known as the M561 while serving as a military vehicle, the Gama Goat was built from 1969 to 1973 and remained in use until the 1990s.
While it doesn't feature the Goat's then-innovative articulated joint, the Gama Home stands out through a similar 6x6 layout. And it's not just about having six wheels. This thing is switchable from 2WD to 4WD and 6WD. Yup, it's probably one of the earliest overlanding motorhomes out there. And it's the only one that Roger Gamaunt got to build, the prototype of an RV that never became a production model.
Surprisingly enough for a vehicle of this variety, the Gama Home survived for more than 40 years. Roger never got to complete the interior before he passed away, but other than that and a fuel tank that needs to be replaced, the Gama Home is ready to hit the trail. And the current owner claims that the vehicle's off-road capabilities are "very impressive."
As for other features that come with the motorhome, it has a 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8e engine of the Chevrolet variety (it's obviously based on the third-generation G-series van), a four-speed manual gearbox, and four-wheel steering. It also rides on a fully independent suspension with a self-leveling airbag system and includes a built-in generator.
While the prototype looks pretty solid on the outside, the interior needs work. It already has cupboards, a sink, and even a stove, but it's not usable as is. It doesn't look like it would need a tremendous amount of work, either. All told, it's a unique albeit relatively unknown piece of RV history that could shine with the right amount of TLC. Oh, the motorhome is also a low-mileage vehicle with only 5,937 original miles (9,555 km) on the odo.
If the one-off Gama Home is something you'd fix and enjoy, it's available in Grass Valley, California, for only $7,500. Is that a bargain or too much for an RV you've never heard of? Let me know in the comments section.
Featuring an articulated chassis, the Goat appeared to be a four-wheel-drive vehicle pulling a two-wheel trailer from afar. In reality, it was a six-wheel rig that could navigate rough terrain as easily as a mountain goat. Hence the Goat in its official name. Known as the M561 while serving as a military vehicle, the Gama Goat was built from 1969 to 1973 and remained in use until the 1990s.
While it doesn't feature the Goat's then-innovative articulated joint, the Gama Home stands out through a similar 6x6 layout. And it's not just about having six wheels. This thing is switchable from 2WD to 4WD and 6WD. Yup, it's probably one of the earliest overlanding motorhomes out there. And it's the only one that Roger Gamaunt got to build, the prototype of an RV that never became a production model.
Surprisingly enough for a vehicle of this variety, the Gama Home survived for more than 40 years. Roger never got to complete the interior before he passed away, but other than that and a fuel tank that needs to be replaced, the Gama Home is ready to hit the trail. And the current owner claims that the vehicle's off-road capabilities are "very impressive."
As for other features that come with the motorhome, it has a 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8e engine of the Chevrolet variety (it's obviously based on the third-generation G-series van), a four-speed manual gearbox, and four-wheel steering. It also rides on a fully independent suspension with a self-leveling airbag system and includes a built-in generator.
While the prototype looks pretty solid on the outside, the interior needs work. It already has cupboards, a sink, and even a stove, but it's not usable as is. It doesn't look like it would need a tremendous amount of work, either. All told, it's a unique albeit relatively unknown piece of RV history that could shine with the right amount of TLC. Oh, the motorhome is also a low-mileage vehicle with only 5,937 original miles (9,555 km) on the odo.
If the one-off Gama Home is something you'd fix and enjoy, it's available in Grass Valley, California, for only $7,500. Is that a bargain or too much for an RV you've never heard of? Let me know in the comments section.
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