That’s my guess.
Sleeper cabs are pretty tiny spaces. My assumption would be that the person already owned the tractor and bought the camper for vacations. This way they have an actual living space instead of just a bed. Plus depending on how many people are traveling, some can sleep in the truck and some in the camper, making more space for everyone.
I suppose for the few times a year they probably use it, it’s cheaper than buying or even renting, a pickup with a 5th wheel. And if they have kids, or at least if I was one of those kids, I’d be excited to brag to my friends at school about going on vacation in my dad’s giant truck.
And this discussion reminded me, there have been a few actual semi trailer sized motorhomes. The very vintage 1974 time warp one below was the one that came to mind, but in Googling to try to find that one I discovered some modern versions of the same concept as well.
Of course a supersized motorhome like that is probably out of reach for an actual truck driver; if you can afford that you probably hire a driver to take you to the campsite. Which would explain why the driver above went with the more typical sized fifth wheel camper.
Plus they’re not the easiest to get in & out of. One needs to climb up into the cab & then over the seat & thru the openings in the seat to the bed/cabin area behind. They are also like a teardrop trailer, in that they have an enclosed bed & not much else, including headroom.
of the Curtiss Aerocar. There’s one on display at the Glenn H Curtiss Museum in upstate NY.
If you know the name but can’t quite place it, think of the WWII era P-40 Warhawk. He built motorcycles before planes, back in the early 1900’s
Triumph Spitfire Mk. 2, which was built from 1965-67 per Wikipedia. Unfortunately by the time I dug my phone out of my pocket, convinced it I wasn’t driving, and got the camera ready, the light had changed and it was pulling away.
Then Just a short distance away I spotted this late 1970s Toyota Corona, which I actually pulled into the parking lot to photograph. I almost find it more interesting than the Triumph, because they’re not the kinds of cars people tended to save, so you see them way less often.
This evening I spotted the same Corona in the same lot. But it wasn’t there this morning; I checked. So it appears this nearly 50 year old Toyota is getting driven regularly, presumably by someone who works at the park visitor’s center (or is just a regular visitor to the park).
Not that it’s common, but over the last few months, more and more people have been doing that. Some of them a bit more subtle and believable, others meant as a joke, but making the same point (‘I’m embarrassed to own a Tesla’). I’m still so glad I bought a Mach-E when I was trying to decide between that and a Tesla last year.
When I was a kid, there was an accident next to our house. A Corvette pretty much disintegrated. My father found the “Stingray” badge, and put it on our Datsun B210.
Or Fire Bug? Complete with Screaming Chicken, I love it. Hagerty calls Pontiac’s Screaming Chicken the largest and most recognizable decal in automotive history. Here’s a nice Hagerty article about its history and naming.
I was not a fan of the Mach-E when it was first produced for the 2021 model year, but now some 4 years later I am a fan. Today I realize that my biggest objection to it is that they call it a Mustang. I still think it’s wrong that they do, but the car is gentler to my eye today than it was in 2021. And clearly, Ford has built a winner with that Mach-E. And, it’s not a Tesla.
In the EV thread I’ve made that exact same point (more than once, probably). They could’ve given it non-Mustang brake lights and called it the EV version of the Escape or Edge. I think it may have a similarly shaped hood as a regular Mustang as well, but that’s hardly noticeable. If I were a (ICE) Mustang guy, I’d probably be annoyed that they’re diluting the name with the Mach-E.
Another option would’ve been for them to make an EV version of the Mustang that had the same body as a regular Mustang, or at least closer to it.
Since Ford shifted away from regular cars and now only offers SUVs (and larger) with the exception of the Mustang, I wonder if this is their way of carrying the Mustang name forward, especially if they have any plans to discontinue it at some point.
I don’t know if it’s the largest, the engine callout decals on the flanks of the 1970-1974 Barracuda could give them a run for that, but it’s definitely among the most recognizable. Jeep used to do something similar on the Golden Eagle CJ-7s.
A late model Lincoln Town Car (which makes it about 15 yo) driving in the lane next to me in very bad need of shocks; I was getting nauseous just watching it bounce.
This afternoon it was three totaled vehicles; the driver (not me) of one won some new jewelry; a pair of bracelets, interconnected. Don’t drink & drive, folks!
A few days back I took the old 356 out for a drive along the coast to enjoy a sunny day. While in Santa Cruz stop and go traffic, at the beginning of my drive, there was this white Toyota 4Runner beside me for a few lights. It was filled with 5 young coeds singing and dancing and rocking inside. Their music was LOUD. At one stop light I was right next to them and they rolled down their windows to say hello and admire the car. They were having such fun that I couldn’t help but smile and give them a thumbs up. We paced each other for a few lights before I finally pulled out my phone to take their picture. I wished I’d shot a video to show them car dancing, they were having such fun!, but alas…
I needed to over expose my photo in order to see the girls in the back seat. I couldn’t help but think of my own UCSB college years. Good times.
On my commute this morning I was passed (very quickly) by what I think was a 2nd generation (1969-72) white Chevy Chevelle SS. It was gone in a flash, so no pictures.
