1973 Travco 270 motorhome with 1993 Cummins 6BT engine.

This classic coach has a NEW OWNER! *sniff!* Jeremy, I hope it brings you as much enjoyment for you as it did us. May you have smooth roads and clear highways ahead!

What's next for us?
I guess you'll just hafta stay tuned and find out. ;)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 1973
• Dodge
• Travco
• Motorhome
• camper
• rv
• cummins
• turbo
• diesel
• loud
• dodge
• boost
• obnoxious
• cool

[leonshel1]

AWESOME RIG!! definitely the way to go. Have you considered running Waste Veggie Oil? Were you able to use the 413's transmission? Did you need an adapter? any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Leon

[michigandon]

I've considered setting it up for WVO but never haven't yet acted on it. Heck there's even an extra fuel tank onboard that's not hooked up to anything right now! I have burned plenty of B20 and B99 in it though, which it runs on just fine.

The 413 transmission had a final drive of 1:1 which would've required regearing the rear end. I used a 518 overdrive from the same truck the Cummins came out of, The .69:1 overdrive allows a 60-65 MPH cruising speed and a top speed of ~80MPH.

[michigandon]

I would like to retrofit it with an Allison 1000 out of a Chevy Duramax truck. That would offer six speeds instead of four, an even higher overdrive ratio (.64:1), and the advantage of a lockup converter. An adapter for this can be obtained from destrokedDOTcom.

[eam33380]

Great job! But the coolest thing is that the wife helped.

[Microillusions]

You just got passed by a MOTORHOME!!!!

[Seattlecarnut]

Nice looking motorhome. Nice sounding diesel engine.

[thumperdaddyrabbit]

what MPG does this rv get with the diesel?

what is the horsepower and torque compared to the original motor?

does it have more power now?

how loud is it from inside? it sounds very loud on the video. any way of quieting it?

nice camper. retro with a cool diesel powerplant. should last forever as long as the roof never leaks.

[furyfantoo]

@michigandon

My reply is 3 years late, but in case someone else can use the info -

If you change the rear cover/bellhousing on the engine to an SAE #3 you could use factory Allison and Cummins parts. Also, depending on the axle ratio of the Travco, a wide-ratio LCT might be better suited, it has a 3.51 1st gear instead of the GM 3.11. Gears 3-6 are all pretty similar between the close and wide ratio transmissions, so top speed is unlimited.

[eerrbb256]

@sokodad it costs them to get rid of the waste oil. they'll probably give it to you or sell it really cheap..

[eerrbb256]

it must be nice and peacefully going down the highway for miles wherever you're going sitting right next a chattering cummins...that'd get annoying fast..

[bigvirgotube]

I remember our neighbors having one of these. I thought it was the coolest thing to own...

[TheMarquanj3]

how much

[leonshel1]

@sokodad I used to deliver to farmer's markets where they BBQ'D chicken, I figured I could get some oil from them. I'm still planning on doing a 6BT conversion but that's far down the road right now.

[sokodad]

@leonshel1 That's a great idea, but where do you find the waste oil. A lot of the fast food joints have a company that pick it up. Some of the bigger places use recyclers, so it's getting harder to find it. A friend of mine picked up several drums of brand new oil when a company went out of business.

[flyfish31]

did you change the gagues its ram/ cummings i found one a 1976but folks say bad things about the 440 dodge engine thanks for any info

jim