One day he was just another bicyclist in Los Angeles, the next he was the proud owner of a 1973 GMC Canyonlands motorhome. Today, Dutch Marc and his dog Donovan are full-time RVing, vintage style.
Dutch Marc and Donovan travel the country together.
The Vintage Motorhome that Lives On.
The former tent camper and pop-up trailer owner had no intention of getting into a 46-year-old motorhome. But the allure of owning a 1970s space age GMC Canyonlands was irresistible. After seeing one for sale near his home, he did some research and found a more well-loved model at a lower price. Then he bought it and everything changed.
“I was like, oh wow I bought a vintage motorhome. I don’t even want to drive a used car!”
As the third owner of “Mellow Yellow” as he calls it, Dutch Marc has been living full-time in the classic motorcoach for the last three years. It has not disappointed.
Marc’s home is where he parks it.
The coach is in prime condition. It still has all-original interiors and a rebuilt engine too. He’s put 50,000 miles on Mellow Yellow as a full-time RVer. Today the odometer reading is an estimated at 276,000 miles. For Marc, this vintage GMC motorhome has treated him quite well. “It drives great!” he says while on his way to Southern California.
Why the 1973 GMC Canyonlands is Still on the Road
Marc didn’t know it at the time but this vintage motorhome was the first RV built entirely from the ground up by a major American automobile manufacturer. Fans say that GMC wanted to produce the best looking and best engineered RV the world had ever seen. And according to the Hemmings.com video below, they succeeded.
The GMC motorhomes were light years ahead of their competitors. “That’s why they’re still on the road after forty-five years!” Marc explains.
Since the motorhome’s engine is very compatible with the 1976 Oldsmobile Toronado, Marc loves how he can get parts pretty much anywhere just by driving to an auto parts store.
“You’re not dead in the water if something breaks,” he explains.
Other replacement parts, like the door handles and fiberglass sections are still being made by companies around the U.S. And while Marc says he’s not a mechanic, when he needs help he can find GMC motorhome support on the Internet. “There’s such a big GMC community and they’re all very supportive, they help each other out.”
At home in the Sierra Nevada.
Finding one of these vintage beauties isn’t too difficult. Out of 13,000 that GMC produced, vintage GMC experts say that about half are still on the road. The motorhomes are so well built that almost a half-century later, fans are still camping and driving across America with them.
As for Marc, he raves not only about how much he loves his 1973 GMC Canyonlands, but is especially fond of how well this coach helped him transition from a sticks-and-bricks lifestyle to full-time RVing in a vintage motorhome.
He’s a GMC motorhome fan for life!
“I just love it,” he explains. “The lifestyle, the compact living, the small footprint. It makes my life so much simpler.”
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
Hi there,
I have for some time now had an interest in the GMC.
Can I please ask the writer/owner/GMC to drop me
an e-mail? Or anyone else for info and tech. data and
poss. availability.
I am wondering if owning one is a good idea for me.
Many thanks.
Yup – They are awesome alright. Have owned 5 in the past 6 years – one project & 4 cross country ready coaches – now down to 3. Will have my best one for sale next month.
Mike/The Corvair a holic
Hi Mike, I’m retiring soon, but ready for the outdoors calling–what are you selling and got any you’re working on down the road?
Awesome to hear .I have a 1973 Glacier myself. Been sitting but getting the air bags and new brake lines on her now .
how bog is the frame beam 8 or 9 goes to what kind of weight
Good for you, Dutch Marc! I was surprised they didn’t even go into the smooth, air-ride suspension, the rot & rust-free aluminum and fiberglass construction, the uber-helpful club & Facebook support, the dedicated network of vendors keeping parts available, or many of the other dozens of reasons a 40+ year old GMC motorhome is superior to most of what’s being built today. Whether you own one, or see one drive by and smile, they’re hard not to love!
Hello everyone. Where can I buy one of these today? I am in Dillon, SC. I am retired and Very much interested in trying this life style.
Was wondering if the GMC was available yet and what you were asking? Thanks, Rose
The first motorhome built by a major automotive manufacturer was built by GM in 1931. It was a one off, custom built for Mae West.
Interestingly, Prior to the GMC, Revcon built a custom chassis motorhome based on the Toro front end. After GM forced Revcon to build 5 test chassis, GM turned around and built the GMC based on the Toro. While the GMC had more modern styling, it was not as robust and had a higher center of gravity. Yes, the GMC was much better than the typical motorhome of the day, but being half the cost of a Revcon, it could not match the quality of materials or engineering design. Revcons are fairly rare, so most people have never heard of them.