Shinoda Goes RVing: 1971 Dodge Rectrans Discoverer
When you hit two bases-loaded home runs in the world of automotive styling, what do you do for an encore? Larry Shinoda, the famed designer who is credited for elements of the 1963 Corvette and the Boss 302 Mustang, took on a rather unusual project. Shinoda designed these 1971 Dodge Rectrans Discoverer motor homes for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Bridgman, Michigan. These two starship-shaped recreational vehicles, previously profiled by Todd Fitch on Barn Finds in October of 2016, are still for sale at a two-for-one price of $2,000. All you will need is two trailers, a lot of effort, and a whole lot of cash before these far-out RVs are back on the road again. Would you be willing to restore these RVs? Thanks to reader Ted for the two for one tip!
The designer of these far-out homes on wheels was none other than Larry Shinoda. Shinoda was born in Los Angeles to Japanese parents and showed an early love for all things automotive. He spent a fair amount of time in his boyhood drawing cars using broken pencil stubs. When World War II broke out, he and his family were interred at the Manzanar War Relocation Center with about 110,000 other men, women, and children of Japanese descent. When the war was over, he threw himself headlong into racing, even serving on the pit crew for a car in the 1956 Indianapolis 500. During his life he secured employment as a designer at both General Motors and Ford, influencing the form of several vehicles. After leaving Ford, Shinoda opened his own design company and worked on projects ranging from the Goodyear Blimp to recreational vehicles for what later became Monaco Motor Coach. Sadly, he died of kidney failure in 1997 at the age of 67.
The story behind the Rectrans Discoverer is that when Bunkie Knudsen left General Motors to become the president of the Ford Motor Company, he took his friend Larry Shinoda with him. Knudsen never found success at Ford and ended up being unceremoniously fired. Shinoda knew that he would soon be shown the door as well, so he left Ford soon thereafter. Knudsen became involved with the Rectrans when it became a division of the White Motor Company, as he was president there on his next stop after Ford. He hired Shinoda to design an aerodynamic motor home to sit on a Dodge chassis built for such vehicles. Using a wind tunnel on 1/4 scale models, Shinoda came up with the unconventional, but efficient shape. It supposedly ran 0-60 in 11 seconds and got around 10 MPG. While those numbers aren’t very impressive today, they were quite the achievement in an era when aerodynamics was not a concern of RV designers.
While groundbreaking, these interestingly shaped vehicles were soon overshadowed by the much more attractive GMC motorhomes built from 1973 through 1978. These Discoverers are seldom seen today but occasionally show up for sale. Sadly, one unifying characteristic of these is that they never seem to find buyers and often sit in “for sale limbo” for long periods. The two 1971 models have been for sale so long that their pictures end up in every Google search about these RVs, and maybe even in scam ads. However, for a scam to work, you need a buyer.
So, if you want a vehicle that Larry Shinoda designed, but you don’t have Sting Ray or Boss 302 money, then the seller has you two different Discoverers for you at a bargain price of $2,000. Neither of these funky RVs is drivable, and they look like they haven’t left the seller’s yard since the last Barn Finds write-up so long ago. The seller tells us that the gold one runs and has a title, while the blue one does not and has no paperwork. Both are powered by 413 cubic inch Mopar V-8s. The chassis on both are solid and coated with just surface rust, and the blue one has been outfitted with Weld aluminum wheels. Both still have their original interiors, which include a furnace, a generator, a refrigerator, and a bathroom in the rear.
If you take on these projects, bear in mind that the seller says that both will have to be gutted. However, no pictures of the interiors were provided. Rebuilding a gutted RV is a tough job best left for a talented craftsperson, but many amateurs have been able to come up with innovative designs that they find useful. After sitting so long, the $2,000 asking price is likely flexible.
Would you consider taking on one or both of these vehicles as a project? How would you proceed as far as renovations go? Please share your plan in the comments.
Comments
Rectrans? Sounds like something we all go through during old age. It’s hideous, but, an early attempt at aerodynamics. I remember when the KW T600 came out, oh, we laughed and was nicknamed the “ant eater”. Little did we know, with our square front Petes, and wind bucking cabovers, it was the harbinger of things to come. Motorhomes too. Originally, just a box on wheels, and as aerodynamic as one, fuel was not a concern. .35/gal., keep your foot to the floor. I think these early attempts were more for stability, and worked, kind of, still pretty tense in a crosswind. 413, dual wheels tells me all these were built off a small Dodge dump truck chassis, and will ride like one. Maybe it’s just me, but you’d think a motorhome ad would have pics of the inside, no?
The T600 came out in 1984, Diesel was a lot more expensive than .35 cents a gallon then, the economy was not great and fuel prices were becoming a concern in the trucking industry. You must not be old enough to remember the oil embargos in the 70s.
I’ve locked horns before with you, mainly because you apparently have poor reading retention. I never said when the T600 came out, nor that fuel was .35/gallon then. In 1971 when this was made, gas was indeed .35/gallon, and for your information, I was trucking in ’73, while you may have still been in diapers and remember the embargo , AND the resulting 55 mph speed limit, as well.
Howard not old enough? 😂 Rumor has it that he may or may not have been conceived in the back of a covered wagon!! 😂😂 (Just kidding Howard, I love your posts).
Good luck to the seller, but old motor homes are nearly impossible to sell, and that’s if they run. And offer photos of the interior… They’ve become the preferred housing of the homeless for a reason.. Many times, people just give them away for free. I think he’d do better just selling both to a scrap yard.
Rick… I remember the early ’70s gas crisis. Fuel jumped to 83 cents a gallon and we scrambled to get a second tank in our 11 mile per gallon Blazer. Was in the Air Force stationed in Key West keeping track of Russian Bear bombers going to Cuba. Residents were buying and filling gas cans in huge numbers and it really got tight to the point of no deliveries for weeks at a time. Saving grace was we were members of the local sports car club and all three of the Standard Oil stations were owned by club members. Hording was the name of the game at that time.
One big reason to stay way from rigs like these. Only 1 entry/exit door.
Why do you need 2 doors?
You roll this rig over on the right side you have no way out. If it’s on fire you are a cooked goose. Newer models have swing out rear windows big enough to climb through to get out. A lot of the big rigs have a driver’s door that can also be used. Most of the smaller rigs like ours with a cutaway chassis that’s also used for box trucks etc. have the the left and right doors, the main entry door and a climb out, swing out rear window.
Rick just one reason- fire
U do not want to get caught at at opposite end as the door with a fire in between
I just cant grasp why someone would try to sell a motor home with no interior pictures. That’s like listing a house for sale using only exterior pictures and expecting someone to buy the house. It just doesn’t add up..
I am assuming these cannot both be 1971’s, given the drastically different grills and the slightly different side marker lamps ??
As to the guy about rolling over on the right side he failed to mention that thats why there is an escape hatch in the roof big enough for anyone under 250 lbs.to get out.
Both these and the GM motorhomes hit the market just as gas prices skyrocketed during two (2) oil embargoes. Buying a toy that gets less than 10 mpg and only be used once or twice a year for family vacations when gas prices had doubled had predictable results, and sales cratered. Both were gone by 1978. The fact that they had all of potential pitfalls of cars (rust, bad wiring, engine and chassis repairs) and houses (termites, carpenter ants, mice, rats, wood rot, plumbing, HVAC and electrical repairs) combined, didn’t help the sales appeal any.
A better way to remember Larry Shinoda designs is to look at a 1990-91 Shinoda-Mears ZR-1 Corvette.
Small thing: but Manzanar did not have 110000 internees- about 11000- that was the total number in all the camps. Manazar is a must see if you are ever on the east side of California- fascinating and sad.
Bur a wackadoodle RV
This RV reminds me of the Shelby van; very rare and historical, but just not too popular with car enthusiasts.
From the thumbnail Pic I thought this thing had been crushed in the front and was wondering why it was on here.
How can you bering up Larry Shinoda and NOT mention his contribution to the very successful Jeep Cherokee, which design was stolen from him?
https://www.wardsauto.com/vehicles/marking-grand-cherokee-s-anniversary-and-designer-who-inspired-it
Maybe the engines are worth the $2k. Don’t see 413 much anymore
Make a super stock dodge with a 413 and recreate beach boys two cool sharks song
413 truck motor.
Two of these motorhomes, both all black, are part of the plot in the 1973 film “Slither”. Through much of the movie, the RVs pursue the protagonists, James Caan, Peter Boyle and companions, Louise Lasser, Sally Kellerman, who are in a ’72 Impala pulling an Airstream trailer. It’s an enjoyable, madcap film, worth a watch.
Just to TOUCH BASE on a touchy subject….. only one door .. true … but there was an ESCAPE HATCH on the roof …. just over the entry door.
I left another comment on this last night. I’ve had three of these … 2 rear bath .. one rear bedroom. I was going to keep the rear bedroom but my move to Florida killed that. First …. There are a lot of misconceptions about the Disco. Hideous ? .., LOL .. your opinion. Dump truck chassis ? Yes …. With a HORRENDOUS rear end gear ratio. I was going with a 3.73 or 3.54. Increase water tank and other tanks capacities. But being QUITE DIRECT …. Redoing all this would have been extremely expensive. Now the WORST ISSUE with these Motörhomes was the roof and it sagging down into the interior and pulling away from outside wall of the body and the water leaks. In conclusion for right now…. I probably would have kept it in my florida move and completed it .. but I had no place to keep it …