Vintage Dodge Frank Motor Home Can Still Bring Joy and Great Memories on the Open Road

Old-school mobile homes are an enjoyable and unique way to explore the great outdoors, regardless of whether you’re a die-hard fan of classic vehicles or just looking for a more interesting way to travel. Not to mention they are incredibly reliable. Vintage motorhomes are built to last and are much simpler to maintain compared to modern vehicles.

When Raymond C. Frank of Brown City, Michigan, built his very first motorhome in the 1960s, it was intended for his family to travel in. It was different and outside the norm for that period, as it wasn’t a motorized trailer or a camping unit attached to a truck like other models, but a camper built from the ground up.

The model sparked enough interest for Frank to start looking for ways to make the camper to more people. After a failed attempt to partner up with Chrysler for a chassis and drivetrain, he ended up pairing with a Dodge truck dealer that provided the bare truck chassis.

The Frank Motor Home was given a new name, the Dodge Motor Home, and 131 of them were sold in 1961, made in wheelbase lengths from 21 to 32 feet (6.4 meters to 9.8 meters). This is a significant number, considering the starting price of a unit was $9,000 in 1961 dollars, which is the equivalent of about $89,600 in today’s money.

The RV received a major design overhaul in 1963 that replaced the aluminum body with a rounded, aerodynamic full fiberglass body. With a stylish design and the ability to offer sleeping arrangements for at least four people, it was an ideal choice for families on the go.

The motorhome boasts a supporting steel superstructure under the fiberglass that connects to the frame of the motorhome. Its unique design included a large, curved windshield that provided excellent visibility and a rear window that allowed for better airflow. The use of a rust-proof composite body meant they were lightweight, easy to maintain, and ensured the prevalence of many Dodge Frank motorhomes over time.

The turquoise Dodge Frank Motor Home you see here is a vintage RV built in 1963, the final year of production before Travco Corporation took over the company, and represents an iconic piece of Americana. Though it’s 60 years old, it comes with all the amenities you need for comfortable camping or road trip experiences.

Surprisingly, this particular unit remains in largely original condition, which is quite rare, considering many of these vintage motorhomes have either been restored and given a more modern look or scrapped altogether. It does include some recent upgrades, though, such as new upholstery, air-conditioning, and new flooring.

This is a 26-foot (7.9-meter) example with a dual-tone exterior finished in turquoise and white and featuring large windows and chrome touches.

The spacious interior of the Dodge camper offers many of the amenities of an early 1960s home. It features a roomy living area with comfortable seating wrapped in turquoise cloth upholstery and a fold-down table, a sleeping area with a double bed, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a bathroom with shower, sink, and toilet.

For those who need extra sleeping space, the dinette table can be lowered and attached to the two dining seats to create a sofa bed.

The RV’s kitchenette is equipped with laminate countertops, a full oven with three burners, a fridge, a double-basin sink, and an exhaust vent. For kitchen utensils and groceries, there are plenty of storage cabinets.

The Dodge Frank Motor Home takes power from a 318 cubic inch (5.2-liter) V8 engine paired with a three-speed automatic transmission, allowing for a smooth and comfortable ride. It sits on white 17.5″ steel wheels with 215/75 Supermax HF1 tires installed in 2022.

The motorhome also features Duo-Therm roof-mounted air conditioner, heating, a 6,600-Watt Generac generator, and new plumbing. As for the owners’ water needs, the holding tanks are pretty decent: a 35-gallon (132 liters) tank for fresh water and a 30-gallon tank (113 liters) for waste.

Other features that surely come in handy when traveling in a camper include a rear ladder, dual air horns, and shore connections for power and water.

All these amenities go to show that you can easily take this rig on the road today without the need to add any updates.

Made famous as the Stone family’s “House Bus” in The Donna Reed Show, the Dodge Motor Home also made appearances in other TV Series like “Midnight, Texas.”

This 1963 Dodge Frank Motor Home is now up for grabs out of Wyoming, and its five-digit odometer currently shows 15,000 miles (24,140 km), but the total mileage is unknown.