Vintage Ad 1973 Sportswagon – Ur-#VanLife

Here’s another new one for me: the 1973 Sportswagon. It’s a bit hard to put this in proper context, but it’s something of a cross between a regular full-size American van and a small RV. It’s low enough (74″ with the extending roof down) and short enough (224″) to fit in a garage, but at 90″ wide, that better be a modern, wide one. That’s…wide, and mostly explains how they fir so much inside.

This has seating for eight, a galley, shower and toilet, and its seats fold down into two double beds, the one in the rear running cross-wise. And room for the motorcycle too.


The brochure describes the Sportswagon as “a unique and versatile station wagon for daily family use and a camper for weekend or vacation touring”. Sounds familiar.

Power was by a Dodge 360 V8. No word on the chassis; undoubtedly a ladder frame and components from Dodge or someone else. The body is apparently made of a plastic from Uniroyal. Its styling is pretty advanced for the time and from a small outfit. It clearly reflects some elements of the GMC motorhome.