Americans have always loved trucks and the outdoors.  What if I said both of those things were once available in the same package?  If you are looking for a project vehicle that can also serve as your home away from home, then have a look at this rare and very sought after 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet for sale on eBay in Redding, California.  Does the current bid of $6,600 leave enough room in your budget to refurbish this masterpiece of space utilization on wheels?  Would you use it as a camper, or would you keep it safe as an investment?  Thanks go to Mike M. for this fiberglass topped find!

Believe it or not, people actually left the house and did things outside in their spare time before social media and huge televisions with thousands of channels trapped us in our houses.  One of the pastimes that really took off was the use of recreational vehicles.  All manner of RVs have been produced and sold in the United States, but production really took off after World War II.  The need for housing combined with excess manufacturing capacity in the aircraft and aluminum businesses made such playthings a permanent part of American life.

The colossus that was General Motors noticed all of this, but their entry into this market was largely delayed until the seventies.  GM jumped into the market in a big way from 1972 through 1978 with their front wheel drive ffiberglass motorhomes.  Using a Toronado drivetrain, these well thought out RVs are still highly coveted today.  One was even used as the basis for an urban assault vehicle by the US Army.  Code named the EM-50, this armored RV even saw combat in a European border incident covered up by the Army, the State Department, and the CIA.

While the GMC RVs are still rather well known, GM’s partnership with RV manufacturer Chinook Mobilodge is almost a mystery today.  The collaboration used both Chevrolet Blazers and GMC Jimmys as a basis for a vehicle that looks at first glance like a slide in camper.  The difference is that the fiberglass camper shell took advantage of the removeable top feature of these two SUVs so that users could move freely between the front seats and the living space.  A pop up top allowed for even more space.  Users up to 6’5″ tall could stand upright in the back.  Amazingly, two beds (with an option for two more), a refrigerator or icebox, a sink, a stove, and a small dinette table all fit in that small space.  No toilet though.

Capitalizing on the parent vehicle’s off road utility, these were sold as the perfect way to help the owner “get away from it all.”  Rising fuel prices, the single purpose nature of the design thanks to the camper being permenantly affixed, and the eventual loss of an open top option for the Blazer/Jimmy all worked to end the collaboration after two short years.  Around 1,800 of these unique camper conversions were produced and few are believed to have survived until present day.

The Chalet you see here is number 1,584 and is a 1977 model.  While details are relatively scarce in the ad, we are told that the seller has owned the vehicle for 10 years.  It is listed as having 75,000 miles on the odometer and has a 400 cubic inch V-8 under the hood.  According to the owner, the truck runs and drives great and has the desirable options of power steering, cruise control, and air conditioning.

While details are scarce and pictures are few, there seems to be a lot of potential there for someone willing to undertake an unconventional restoration.  The interior picture reveals that a lot of the original material is still intact and could be refurbished.  There is a subculture of collectors that covet these camper conversions, and restored examples bring good money when they occasionally hit the marketplace.  Many were converted back into conventional Blazers and few survivors remain.  This one looks like a good starting point for an interesting restoration.

Have you ever seen one of these Blazer Chalets?  Would you use and enjoy it if it were yours, or just show it?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments.