Any other "Galavan" Owners out there?

[fred heath]

I have a 1979 Galavan made by Champion in Canada.

I guess it was only mfg in 1979. On both Toyota and Datsun chassis.

I have searched the web and Google but no luck.

It's 16' fiberglass on Toyota chassis with no bathroom or holding tanks.

I hate to think mine is the only one registered in the U.S.

Derek, Do your magic.

[Derek up North]

Why do you hate to think that? Makes yours worth a fortune at Barrett-Jackson!

[fred heath]

Saw that photo. Any owner info.?

[Derek up North]

Minnesota plates. That's in Canada isn't it?

[Derek up North]

http://forums.nicoclub.com/new-to-forum-t453854.html

[fred heath]

Derek,

I sent a request to the owner online. No reply.

Maybe an old picture?

[Derek up North]

The pictures are at least 5 years old.

[shibs]

I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuv those round port hole windows.

Can ya buy round rv windows online?

[fred heath]

Mine has sliders. No portholes. She's my girl.

[linda s]

Fred I also run another Yahoo group called minitruckcampers. We post a lot of motorhomes that are for sale and we really like the unusual ones. I checked and we posted at least 5 Galavan's in the last 3 or 4 years. I'm afraid none of the purchasers have joined my group but at least you know they are out there. Aaron is a member of my group and he used to own one. That's about as close as it gets to a real owner.

Linda S

[fred heath]

Thanks Linda.

I also posted a thread on Yahoo Group. I'm glad to hear they're more out there.

Your the "Boss".

[linda s]

Found a neat one. Galavan coach put on an 89 truck in Alaska. Ad,s only a month old

http://cars.yakaz.com/toyota-camper#lo=4&docid=0008e4fko0b6rv5e

Linda S

[alysia]

Hi! I just bought a 1979 Galavan.. I've had him a whole 48 hours and already can't wait to get him cleaned up and ready for an adventure. Do you know much about them? I've found a couple articles online but only one or two pictures of the original look and one that someone remodeled..have you had yours long? Is it original or remodeled?

[fred heath]

Mine is also 1979. I believe this is the only year they were mfg.

Msg me your email and I'll send what info I've been able to find.

Unlike most of the pictures you'll find, mine has no portholes just sliders on both sides.

And welcome to the best Toyota motorhome site on the web. Many knowledgeable folks here who can answer almost any question.

Read the archived posts. Most topics have been thoroughly discussed. Fred

[bugabago]

Hello All,

 

I am new to this forum, but I noticed that there are a few of you who own Galavans.  I have owned one for about 15 years now.  Mine is a 1979 on a Datsun chassis.  I have basically re-built it from the ground up.  I found it on ebay and discovered when I picked it up that it wasn't exactly in the best shape.  When I brought it home I guess the thing that I most objected to was the orange shag carpeting that covered almost the entire interior.  That is long gone now.  I had to re-build the pickup cab almost entirely, but I can't complain because it was a lot of fun to do.  After 15 years it isn't done yet.  I still need to paint the exterior.  Maybe this year.  I have taken it on some longer trips, but because it is a very old vehicle part of the experience is dealing with minor to major problems.  I have lavished money on it without reservation, and over the years it has paid off.  It is running pretty much like a new truck.  As a matter of fact, I am packing it to go on an overnighter in the Superior National forest today.  That is where she really shines.  I can leave it mostly packed and toss some food and clothes in and take off on real short notice.

 

Because I have taken my galavan down to the frame, I am pretty familiar with everything in them.  If I can answer any questions, I would be delighted to do so.  We galavanters are a very small community and we need to support each other. 

 

Happy trails, 

 

Al

[fred heath]

Al,

I found one other owner who also has the Datsun chassis. She is a member of this forum, but hasn't been active for some time.

She lives in Arizona. I have the contact info somewhere.

Like you, I've done a total gut and reconfigured mine to the way I want it. Not too much of the original floor plan is left.

[bugabago]

I pretty much left it alone.  I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a better layout and never came up with one.  I did make some changes however.  I tossed the propane furnace in favor of an electric space heater about the size of half a loaf of bread.  As long as I can plug in, I have plenty of heat and in the process dropped thirty pounds off the coach.  When I re-did the coach interior, my goal was to drop as much weight as I could.  In the end, I got about 250 pounds off it which seemed to help it some.  I also tossed the electrical system entirely.  The replacement is safer, more efficient, and less than two pounds.  Luckily, the fridge still works just fine.  I need new cushions, which I may or may not do anytime soon.  But all in all it is a fine little unit that gets a lot of admiring looks where ever I go and is comfortable both to drive and live in. 

 

I would like to get a sense of how many of these are still on the road.  I doubt that there are too many left being used regularly like mine. 

 

Al

[fred heath]

What do you have for a rear axle?

Lots of problems with the dual wheels on the 5 lug axles.

Oops, I forgot yours is a Datsun. Maybe no problems with your axle.

[zero]

No insightful comments, Just a November 1978 ad promoting the Galavan.

[fred heath]

JD,

Did you note it only has singles on the back?

Was the Datsun axle a better design? If not, I wonder why they used duals on the Toyota chassis.

I do know that in 1979 they retooled the coach making it slightly longer and taller, but still doesn't explain the decision to use "foolies".

[fred heath]

This is my 1979 coach. Notice the porthole window is gone and a much larger slider. There is also a grill for the exhaust fan, a fresh water fill connection with a small (5gal) holding tank, and a separate garden hose connection all on the passenger side of the coach.

Perhaps the 1978 didn't have the gas cooktop and small sink like the 1979 did.

 

The link I was trying to post was a picture of my coach from a different thread. I may have to go to my laptop.

Edited June 18, 2016 by fred heath

[zero]

2 hours ago, fred heath said:

JD,

Did you note it only has singles on the back?

Was the Datsun axle a better design? If not, I wonder why they used duals on the Toyota chassis.

I do know that in 1979 they retooled the coach making it slightly longer and taller, but still doesn't explain the decision to use "foolies".

I tried the link you posted and it goes nowhere. I'll try again later. Here is a another Galavan ad from July of 1979, I have over 200 Champion ads from the 60s-80s and very few show the Galavan. The 79 looks like a good deal if it come with the chick on the hood.  Note - 1979 Datsun and Toyota trucks both used 1 1/2" diameter axles, but the Datsun design was better and used adjustable cup and cone bearings. Not just one sealed ball bearing per side like the Toyota.

[fred heath]

This is my 1979 Galavan.

You can see it has a much larger sliding window than the one shown. There is no port hole window, and a discharge vent for the gas cooktop where the port hole would be.

I also have a potable water supply just ahead of the gas door. It went to a 5 gal. storage tank, and from there to the small kitchen sink. The sink discharged via a garden hose to the street. {try doing that today}.

[zero]

Neat looking little rig. Kind of looks like a pop-top Chinook with the roof permanently up.  I like these little rigs more and more.  I am anxious to get my 78 Chinook finished up and use it more.  

[fred heath]

37 minutes ago, jdemaris said:

Neat looking little rig. Kind of looks like a pop-top Chinook with the roof permanently up.  I like these little rigs more and more.  I am anxious to get my 78 Chinook finished up and use it more.  

The really neat thing was that they posted the mpg figures under the picture you posted. And its factual. ?

[bugabago]

My galavan has a six lug axle that I think is a good bit stouter than the Toyota axle.  I have considered converting to a dual wheel set up but so far the single wheel rear works just fine.  As a result of the single rear wheel set up, I have had to mount the spare tire on the front.  I have done this with a number of trucks because they didn't have a pickup bed to carry the spare.  If anyone is worried that a front mount will restrict the air flow for the radiator, it never has on any of my trucks with the galavan being no exception. 

 

The overnighter that I just got back from was everything I expected.  For $7.50 a night, the campground that I used was perfect.  I slept like a baby and the next morning went for a nice canoe paddle before taking off for a leisurely drive home. 

 

Al

[zero]

On 6/18/2016 at 2:03 PM, bugabago said:

My galavan has a six lug axle that I think is a good bit stouter than the Toyota axle. 

Al

The 6-lug  axle is actually a little less rugged then the one Toyota used - when it comes to pulling. It has a smaller ring-gear, more like Toyota used up to 1974.  In 1975, Toyota made theirs bigger.  The Nissan is 7.5", just as Toyota was until model year 1975 when it was upped to 7.8" and called the "8"' rear.  Even the Datsun/Nissan  full-floating dually has the smaller ring-gear.  The axles themselves - in the Datsun/Nissan and Toyota semi-floaters are both 1 1/2" diameter and both have the exact same max weight load rating.  The difference is - the Datsun/Nissan has a pair of adjustable cup-and-cone bearings on each side, like a full-floater.  The Toyota uses a single sealed ball-bearing instead.  I have no idea if there is any difference in durability between the two types of bearings.   Since it is the axles that tended to break when subjected to the huge offset of add-on duals - I suspect they both had the same breaking point. Can't prove it though.

[bugabago]

I see that there is a good bit of discussion about rear axles on this forum.  I guess that I never gave it much thought when it comes to my little camper though.  One of the first things I did for mine was to take it to our local driveline specialty shop and have the entire thing gone over from the engine back.  I dropped a thousand bucks on it and never regretted it once.  I do however have some second hand experience with overloaded trucks from a previous life.  It seems that almost all of the problems with overloading those trucks was located in the automatic transmission.  I have always driven standard transmissions on all my vehicles, so I wasn't subject to those troubles.  I suppose snapping an axle could happen on my Bug, but with the whopping amount of horses rampaging under the hood, versus the reduced total weight of the rig, coupled with the way I drive, I'm not too worried.  I find that my rig likes to go around 50 mph.  55 is okay, but 60 is pushing it.  That works for me just fine.  When I am traveling, I like to take my time and look around.  When I was young, I took my bicycle on a 1600 mile trip and I guess that looking around at 15 mph got set in me pretty hard.  I also really like getting 25 mpg a lot.  I almost got 30 mpg going across South Dakota which nearly got me punched in Mitchell.  I was gassing up there and a guy with a behemoth next to me overheard me exclaim my mileage, and got upset I guess.  My wife and I were taking a ten day trip to the Black Hills, for $350 in gas.  I can take that. 

 

After having her for 15 years she is now running almost like a new truck.  She won't pull a wheelbarrow though.  I can live with that.  Part of the Galavan experience, which is what I call traveling in her, is learning to not push her.  For me it really cuts down on the stress level.  I will admit to another part of the Galavan experience which is seeing her on top of a tow truck.  I've had quite a bit of carb trouble.  Anyway, I think I will be keeping her for a while yet. 

 

Al 

[fred heath]

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2014 at 5:20 PM, Derek up North said:

http://forums.nicoclub.com/new-to-forum-t453854.html

Al,

I think this is you (bugabago). Derek posted this link for me awhile ago.

[zero]

1 hour ago, bugabago said:

I see that there is a good bit of discussion about rear axles on this forum.   I do however have some second hand experience with overloaded trucks from a previous life.   I suppose snapping an axle could happen on my Bug, but with the whopping amount of horses rampaging under the hood, versus the reduced total weight of the rig, coupled with the way I drive, I'm not too worried. 

Al

The axle snapping or departure that has happened in a few Toyotas (cars and trucks) has two unique issues involved that you likely never had with any truck you drove.  

One - the wheel bearings get no lube from the center oil-reservoir of the rear-axle housing. Most any large truck does, except for some older Ford F100s and F150s.  So there are bearings on the axles that require maintenance, just like the front wheel-bearings. I know the rears often get neglected and many do not realize they even need any maintenance.  I learned long ago when the axle and rear wheel came off my 1966 Ford F100.  Maintenance on a Toyota means taking apart and installing new bearings.  Maintenance on a Datsun/Nissan means repacking the bearings with grease and adjusting with shims. 

Two - the aftermarket, add-on dual-wheel kits that do NOT center the offset of the two wheels on the centerline of the bearing area.  They put huge stress on the axles and sometimes snap them. NOT an issue if a truck has single rear tires, and also not an issue if it's a smaller 16-17 footer.

[Totem]

On 6/18/2016 at 0:34 PM, fred heath said:

This is my 1979 Galavan.

You can see it has a much larger sliding window than the one shown. There is no port hole window, and a discharge vent for the gas cooktop where the port hole would be.

I also have a potable water supply just ahead of the gas door. It went to a 5 gal. storage tank, and from there to the small kitchen sink. The sink discharged via a garden hose to the street. {try doing that today}.

why two spares? is this 6 lug in back 5 in front?

[bugabago]

Fred,

Yeah, that's me.  I didn't do an intro on this forum, my bad.  I bought my Galavan off of ebay.  I had to tow it home to Duluth from Flint Michigan on a flatbed trailer.  It fired up and ran, but that was too far to go on the first day.  I later found that the bottom of the rig was completely gone.  It took me a couple months to strip and replace anything that was rusty.  In the end, the rig is now solid and no rust anywhere.  After I took care of the things that would end her life, I dug into the running gear.  As of now the only thing that is original and untouched is the engine block.  I tried to bring the running gear back to factory specs in the belief that I would get the best mileage and longevity possible by adhering to the original design.  This has turned out to be something of a treasure hunt.  OEM parts are to say the least, scarce.  Non-existent is more the case.  Parts from overseas suppliers are sketchy.  I have learned to never buy body parts from overseas suppliers, especially Chinese suppliers.  I still have some important fixes to accomplish, such as finally getting the parking brake working. 

 

I also build and sail sailboats.  A big part of that is maintaining and improving the boat.  I enjoy fussing over my stuff, so lavishing money and time on my Galavan is  in line with that.  I kind of hope that this project is never done all the way. 

 

Al

[fred heath]

8 hours ago, Totem said:

why two spares? is this 6 lug in back 5 in front?

That's an 8 lug, 14 bolt, 10.5" ring gear FF off a GM truck. I had to upgrade to 15" rear wheels as no 8 lug 14" rims are available.

There's a thread on completed projects that shows the swap.

Edited June 20, 2016 by fred heath

[zero]

I figured this road-test is relevant to the discussion.

 

 

 

[Ramblin man]

my Galivan is the 1978 datsun chassis. Only 71.000 miles. Got it at an abandoned car auction in 2009 for $150. After I cleaned it up, and reapolstered the bed I realized what I had! Grand kids love it.