Circa 1970 Big Willie winged motorhome

[nascarxx29]

Is that a wing on it and is the front end a little modified
http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397837&page=2

[Ghoste]

Thats a cool pic, it needs to be in the thread sunroofgtx is putting together for him.  Looks like the police wing car he created behind it.

[nascarxx29]

Thers about 4 pages of good pictures on that site

[nascarxx29]

At some point the winged police car lost its roof
http://bsr-international.ning.com/photo/the-reserve
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7552532@N07/2187369702/in/photostream/

[surmanajaja]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72-ugqolIxk&feature=related

that is the coolest motorhome I ever saw. looks like something Mad Max would sleep in.

[moparstuart]

 there was one of those mobile homes for sale , someone posted it up here on the site a couple months back . The thing looks like a big whale in the front .
 

[GULFGLENY]

Very cool.

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

Dodge Discoverer.... there are a few for sale on craigslist.  They are cool!

[nascarxx29]

More Big Willie pictures
http://members.boardhost.com/StreetRacer/msg/1140299863.top
http://bsr-international.ning.com
http://bsr-international.ning.com/photo/photo/search?q=big+willie
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,14491.260.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7552532@N07/2187369596/

http://www.twoguysgarage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9979

[wingcar]

Big Willie's Motorhome is a Rectrans the brainchild of Semon Knudsen, who served as both the President of Ford Motor Company and the Vice President of General Motors (but not at the same time )   It was styled by Larry Shinoda who had a hand in the Corvette Sting Ray, the Z-28 and the Boss 302 Mustang.  The story goes that Shinoda was tasked with finding a way of getting 10 miles per gallon from motorhomes of this size, and he did it by using aerodynamics.  (*I have a Class C that can get fuel mileage in the mid teens due to aerodynamics).  Shinoda used a wind tunnel to come up with the front end styling.   Note the use of a Dodge van grille.        
There were only about 3,300 built from 1971 through 1974, so they are a rare sight.   The 25 foot motorhome is mounted on a Dodge M350 chassis and was powered by a 413 Chrysler V-8.  The cost of a new Discoverer was around $17,000.00 back in the early 1970's.  (Not cheap for the 1970's)  One very interesting feature of the Discoverer was the "Thermosan," an ingenious sewage disposal system that pumped raw sewage through the exhaust system and incinerated it.  No holding tank!  (*not to sure if this resulted in any strange smells for those following)
The gas shortage crisis in 1973 pretty much put Rectrans out of business as people were not in the market for a vehicle that got only 10 mpg.  By January 1974, production of the Rectrans ceased and the factory closed its doors.  Interestingly, the company was spared a huge loss courtesy of a stroke of Divine intervention when in March 1974 a lightning bolt hit the Brighton, Michigan, factory, burning it to the ground, and the beleaguered company was able to collect on the insurance.
They are one of the coolest Motorhomes to ever built in my mind.  And, it's a Dodge..best of both worlds!

[hemigeno]

Found this pic of a vintage RecTrans Discoverer, pretty wild ride - although we'd expect nothing less from BW.  Also read that RecTrans and Bunkie Knudsen were initially tied to the White Motor Company, although the story of the company's demise seems to indicate White had cut them loose.

[nascarxx29]

Thers a color picture of it described on here as towing a daytona 7-9th picture .Had to be Big Wiliies 
http://moparbvans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=sportsmans&action=display&thread=1571

[nascarxx29]

Larry Shinoda designer and Bunkie Knudsen play a part for this strange vehicle.Kar Kraft is where 429 Mustangs were built
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?6675-1970s-Auto-Dealers-Discoverer-25

1970s Auto Dealers - Discoverer 25




Hello, I just wondered if anyone remembers the Discoverer 25 Motorhomes that were sold around 1971 - 1973. Rectrans, Inc., the company that produced them was started by Bunkie Knudsen and Larry Shinoda. The plant was located at 800 Whitney Ave. in Brighton, the site of the old Kar Kraft plant and the previous Vagabond Coach Co. They were sold at various auto dealers including Clohecy Pontiac, Superior Pontiac, etc. Does anybody have any memories of these? Any former Rectrans employees out there? Thanks!

[wingcar]

I know of a guy on the west side of Phoenix that had one sitting in his back yard a couple of years ago....along with a collection of vintage autos.  I was in it and it was complete from what I could tell.  The seating position was very high, looked to be higher than a Semi.  It was painted black and needed work, but could have been restored.  He has since passed away and I don't know what happened to it or his auto collection......
I have a story from either Hot Rod or Car Craft from back in the day that has a drawing of a Discoverer with a ramp rear door that was turned into a car hauler......way cool.....