Jump to content

My boss owned Sunrader motorhomes till the recall shut it down


justin86

Recommended Posts

I work at a rv repair and parts store in washington state. I was reading the sunrader 4x4 story and there appeared to be some unanswered questions or facts.

My boss his partner owned and operated sunrader motorhomes. So if you have any questions maybe i can answer them. Or ask him and relay the questions. He was just telling me about making the 4x4 models for the rv dealerships as flagship vehicles or just to get people interested in sunrader motorhomes.. Thats why there was so few of them made.

Also how do you guys rate sunrader motorhomes. I know my boss is extremely good at repairing rv's. At our shop we really focus on quality of work. My boss also seams to know so much about rv's and repair that it is flat out amazing. He has been in the business since he was 15. he is in his late 50's now. I am going to show this site to him tomorrow. Maybe he can answer

some of the holes in that story like how many were built. It would be cool to here your likes and dislikes about these motorhomes. From what i have heard from people that own sunrader rv's is they are pretty well built. They also seem to be pretty sought after. We have peaople call looking for used sunrader rvs's once and awhile. A lot of people only seem to want them if they are equipt with the v6. Though my boss said the 4 bangers were pretty peppy and a die hard motor. There is a sunrader for sale down the road from my shop but it hasn't sold. The dealer says everyone always asks if it is a v6. Then loses interest when they find out it is not. A few sunrader customers that we have that have 4 bangers say people would be impressed if they actually test drove it. Anyway pretty cool site and let me know what you guys and gals think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having owned a 4x4 I would be interested in knowing how many were built, how may 22re and also turbos versions, how many each year etc.

So your boss owned the facility in Vallejo California? Its now a RV Dealer with the same phone number that Sunrader had. I have talked with them and they still have the molds for the cab over windows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 years later...

What happened... Only one post that's it. I own one a Nissan Sunrader 720 chassis 1984 made there in Cali in 1984... please someone find this fella and get him to talk to us... Thanks we would really like to know more.. You can even email me Cajunnsc@gmail.com 

Sunrader New Trim on Oct 30th 2018 Drivers Side.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know it sucks it would have been real nice to find and speak to this fella and his boss...and who ever else they could have included..that knows the history of Sunrader... I would love to pick their brains and I would love to get the story down i writing from those who know it best...the real stories...facts..dates numbers times... thanks everyone ! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have doubts about his story so I don't think anyone is missing anything. The guy that still makes Sunrader windows in Napa, Ca. was the plant manager at Garner-Pacific in Vallejo, Ca. At least one of his current employees also worked there. The " owner " was a corporation that also owned plants in Indiana and elsewhere. At the time they made several brands of motorhomes and mobile homes too.

Linda S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Linda...Sounds right. Never know what people will say online... Thanks for the info. I am trying to get some of the information on the patents..In hope of leading to some original drawings and material list etc.. . I'll post what I find out. Thanks again

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stewart Gardner did not patent the Sunrader shell. Fiberglass was already being used for motorhomes and of course boats. He had a number of other patents. He invented the slide out which he first started using in his mobile home line.  He had a patent for the snap and nap pop out used in the Amerigo campers and he did put those in a couple of Sunraders. Google it pretty cool extra sleeping area.  When I first started doing these sites there was still lots of info about him. No longer, Google has pretty much forgotten him. 

Linda S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Linda sorry for delay. I didn't see that you'd posted till just now.. Good to hear back..I have a few photos of the tags that are on the side of my Sunrader... there is a patient number on it...some other tags are also unbelievably clear after all these years easy to read...I will try to make sure they are not destroyed....I am not sure how to best do that yet other than clean them with none abrasive materials and care....gently. Se if I can post a few here... let e know what ya think ! Happy Holidays Merry Christmas....and to all a good year ! 

The photo is me taken a few days ago...you can see how legible the tags are...I'll see if I can also post them with close ups I have a few... let me find a few..

Gib Dec 5th 2018 Sunrader project work 001.jpg

Sunrader Tages 1984 Sunrader Nonterey Nissan 720 Chassis 5 speed manual duelly 1 Ton Floating axle 6 bolt rear and front.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup I was wrong. Patent for the truck camper

USD238353-0.png USD238353-1.png

USD238353S

US Grant


Family:
DateApp/Pub NumberStatus
Unknown

Info
Similar documents
 
External links
USPTO
USPTO Assignment
Espacenet
Global Dossier
Discuss

 

Description

United States Patent 238,353

Patented Jan. 6, 1976 CAMPER UNIT FOR PICKUP TRUCK Stewart E. Gardner, 2643 Vista Ornada, Newport Beach, Calif. 92660 Filed May 6, 1974, Ser. No. 467,392

Term of patent 14 years Int. Cl. Dl2-16 US. Cl. BIZ-156 Des. 238,353 Page 2 of 2 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front, top, and left side of the camper unit for a pickup truck;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

The undisclosed bottom is substantially plain and unornamented.

I claim:

The ornamental design for a camper unit for pickup truck. as shown and described.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1972 Stroud D12-156 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science, November 1973, p. 57, camper unit, bottom of page.

Industrial Design, June 1968, p. 59, camper unit, bottom of page.

Amerigo flyer, recd Feb. 2, 1974, camper unit.

WALLACE R. BURKE, Primary Examiner I. M. GANDY, Assistant Examiner

Linda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Linda and Derek up North  < 

 

Wow CQQL that you located the Patent Docs. I tried as well and hadn't yet found it. I used to have a great search page that either is no longer available or somehow it wasn't pulling back up last I tried. I too rarely give up entirely, I take a break from it but normally I do go back a few times to see what and if I can find more... Thank you for sharing the info... I trust you and Derek up North are doing well and enjoying the Holiday Season.. Stay Warm ... I'll post whatever I find as well ...I enjoy this sort of thing...thanks again. 

 

Merry Christmas Happy Holidays .... to ALL 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's true Dereck. The patent is actually the form function style and material make up... The patent was for the two piece clam shell design, made of fiberglass and attached top / bottom seam... in a particular shape, used in a particular manner ( slide in / slide on / build on a platform / Chassis ) . The Sunrader as far as I know is still then only camper shell built in this way. There are others build in a similar manner but I haven't seen any that use the exact deign. Although after the 14 years period expired it is legal for anyone to copy said design... without application. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am pretty sure they were a dealer but not a factory manufacturer. That address is listed to Winnebago if I remember correctly.. I just posted it today so let me check to be sure...it came from Popular Science in then 80s I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here ya go...Derek,  See I am pretty sure that address was never a factory location for Sunrader...But I ma still collecting info so...who knows for sure. 

ScreenHunter_4593 Dec. 14 11.50.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And no mention of Nissan ...chassis Strange since they were the only one ( very few ) that never had an issue with the axles and dually issues... they were full floating 1 tons all of them as far as I know...no 5 Bolt Nissans that I know of. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those are the correct addresses for the Sunrader plants, not dealers. I have talked to guys who worked at the Vallejo plant and I have seen the lot where it used to be. The early brochures do list the Nissan and yes the Nissan's had axle problems too. There just weren't enough of them built to trigger a recall and the fact that they upgraded to a full float in 1984 made for even less of the bad ones. Those darn fake duallys didn't care what you put them on, they always caused damage. I have seen Sunraders built on Datsuns from the 70's. 

Linda S

Like this

Image result for 1978 datsun sunrader

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, linda s said:

Those darn fake duallys didn't care what you put them on, they always caused damage.

Correct. The Recall makes no mention of the length or weight of the motorhomes being recalled. Just 1978 (not 1979) to 1985, fitted with foolies. Obviously, greater length & weight will make things worse, but ALL with foolies.

Axles included 1978 - 1986.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well Mine sure doesn't have the foolies on it...it's a true full 1 ton floating rear...6 bolt with the heavy duty rear ...as the Nissans all had a heavier rear then the Toys did...least at that time they did...I have a 1984 Sunrader Monterey ( 17.6 Footer ) 18Footer by name The Shorty... I've already rebuilt the front and rear brakes systems... they actually looked pretty good besides needing pads and the front drivers side had a bad caliper but I went ahead and rebuilt the front and rear pulled the rear spins and greased ans repack bearings etc... you can literally push this thing in neutral on the grass by yourself...it doesn't wight much at all...rolls very easily..

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...