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We’ve seen travel trailers with pop up roofs, both the regular type and the peaked version, and we’ve seen motorhomes with slide outs, 3, 4, and even sometimes 5, but this is the first time we’ve seen a motorhome with the peaked roof addition. When a regular roof just doesn’t give enough space, luxury RVs must find a way! I guess this is a new way.
This is a luxury motorhome featured on a show called Epic RV, but we can’t seem to locate the show, so if anyone knows some of the details about this one, let us know, or comment on our social media pages, and we’ll review it and add it in, and give you credit for participating, as we always do. One thing is sure either way, though, this is a massive, original RV motorhome. Epic!
For more RVs and motorhomes to peruse, click here. For the RV directory, click here.
Powerhouse Coach Company
In the market for a custom coach, conversion, camper, RV, or commercial coach? Powerhouse Coach Company wants your business. Their 2016 model is quite affordable, and their attention to each customer’s needs means their custom builds are just that – custom tailored to your wishes.
Powerhouse Coach prides themselves on using high-quality materials (they use a Volvo chassis for nearly every build, and it’s said to last a million miles), and their product speaks for itself. Capable of enduring almost any weather condition (partially due to its 2000 lbs of torque and up to 650 hp capabilities and its auto shift transmission), the Powerhouse is available to drive by everyone — no CDL required.
Another perk is that since this is technically a recreational vehicle, you will never have to stop at DOT inspections, weigh stations, or port of entries. The coaches are also purportedly much safer than other standard vehicles, with a ⅛” steel plate below and engine out front, providing stability as well as easy to control braking. Whether you’re wanting to haul vehicles, horses, or materials, Powerhouse promises that they can build something to your liking, capable of towing up to 40,000 lbs.
Starting from the ground up, Powerhouse begins with a Volvo chassis, then moves to constructing a second chassis for the coach body, which will be built to house tanks and wiring. This adds more space in the “basement” and gives the vehicle added strength. Next, Powerhouse uses NASA’s own urethane foam insulation, which both insulates and protects. Once the floor is complete, the next phase is installing the slide-outs’ two hydraulic rams and a gear rack system. It is interesting to note that most coach companies only include one hydraulic ram per slide, which can cause issues later on, requiring repairs, time, and lots of money.
The walls of a Powerhouse coach differ from other coach companies’ builds in that they’re fiberglass, gel coat sheeting, and vinyl board, not metal framing, though they do use steel reinforcements in specific areas. After the walls are up, the roof (which is a triple combo of fiberglass, rubber, and plywood) is put on, then everything is caulked so that the coach is airtight, and will retain heat or cool air.
The storage bays below sport welded hinges, and are constructed entirely of steel, though they are of course covered in a material akin to pickup truck beds to make them tough and resistant to wear and tear. After this is done, the interior of the coach is made to match the client’s specifications, and once again lower quality materials (like Formica) are ignored in favor of hardwood, as all the cabinetry and flooring are done in house by professional carpenters.
Whatever you’re looking for in a coach, Powerhouse Coach Company promises to deliver. If you’re in the market, it’s worth your time to visit their website, watch their YouTube videos, and see what’s available. If you want to see their videos, you can view them on their Powerhouse Coach Videos page. You can also see their floor plans, construction process, and read up on their warranty at the Powerhouse Coach Company website.
Where would you take your Econoline Van?
If you grew up in a big family in the 1960’s, 1970’s, or 1980’s, or had a friend in a big family, chances are you spent a lot of time in a Ford E-Series van – also called the Ford Econoline, Ford Club Wagon, Ford Falcon Club Wagon, and the Mercury Econoline in Canada. Hailing from Ohio, USA and Ontario, Canada, the Econoline has been in production for almost sixty years, though in the last few it has been trimmed down to a limited run. Ford used it to replace the F-Series panel van (it is second only to the F-Series as the longest-produced vehicle by Ford) as a cargo and passenger van, used often in rental fleets.
Before 2015, It was the best selling full-size van in the US since the 1980’s. The most recent iteration of the Econoline boasts three or four doors and an FR layout. It has an automatic transmission, V8 engine (6.2L Boss V8), and a rear-view backup camera, which is a first for the full-size van.
The first Econoline model was smaller than the ones we are used to seeing today, having been based on smaller vehicles such as the Ford Falcon (which also has the distinction of serving as the basis for a popular sports car – the Mustang). It only measured 173 inches. The second model had more in common with the Ford trucks than anything else, and introduced the V8 engine to the vehicle. Most of us, however, are probably more familiar with the third model, which was produced between 1975 and 1991. The third generation had even more commonalities with Ford’s truck divison, particularly the F-series truck, which upped its selling points and made it useful for families, fleets, and hospitals.
The fourth generation of the Econoline was named the 1992 Truck of the Year by Motor Trend because of its reinvention – with the inclusion of sheetmetal, a 138-inch wheelbase, and extended length options that allowed up to fifteen people inside. There was also a 50th anniversary edition available for sale in 2011.
While it may not be a glamorous sports car or a heavy-duty workhorse, the Econoline filled its place between the two with a steady, reliable drive that created a powerful loyalty in its customers. Though it will gradually be replaced by the Ford Transit, the Econoline is still in production and so far, there’s no end in sight.
