Finding a Dodge Transvan For Sale (Price, Review, Full Specs)
Made to be a direct competitor. The Chinook Class B RV must have been a real winner for one company to build a Transvan model to compete against it. These unique vans did not have a long lifespan but they were compact and easy to drive.
Even though these vans were built during the 70s and 80s of the last century, you can still find these vehicles for sale at reasonable prices. You should check Craigslist and other classified ads as their selling prices are often below $4000.
To learn more about this unique RV just continue to read our article. it has the information you want to know about. That is if you are interested in owning an inexpensive RV while still getting that RV experience.
How Much is a 1980 Dodge Transvan Worth?
There are a lot of factors involved in determining the value of one of these RV models. The most important factor is the owner’s sentimental value or investment in the Transvan. What that means is that you are going to find prices all across the sale price scale.
Another factor will be the length of the RV. This model cam in 17, 19, 21, and 23-foot lengths, and those different sizes will influence the price somewhat. Then you have to look at the condition of the RV. One seller is selling his for $500 but the condition is not very good and it hasn’t been started for 8 years.
On the other end of the scale, 1980 Transvans in good shape can command a price somewhere between $3500 and $5000, if not more. The condition the interior and engine are in will play the most influential role here.
A 1976 was on sale for almost $7000 while a 1983 was going for just under $5000. What these vehicles are worth depends on how much you are willing to pay for one. You are the one that makes the final determination in this case.
Finding a Dodge Transvan for Sale
This is not a hard task to do even though the RV has been out of production for about 30 years approx. This website has 3 pages of these RVs for sale and they also list the cities & states where those sellers are located.
Then there is this website that also deals in used Dodge Transvans. Their selection may not be as great as the first website but at least you have options to choose from. The price of this 1981 model is $4500.
The final website to highlight is this one. It seems to have only one available at this time and the ad does not list the price but it has over 135,000 miles on it. In the end, you may have to look at individual websites that are not car dealers to find one.
We noticed many such sites in our search and there are too many to list here. The next best place to look would be the different classified ads. Not just Craigslist but local ads or regional ones.
Not everyone uses Craigslist so keeping an eye on your local newspapers is a good idea, especially if you want to find one cheap. Going through dealers will up the price somewhat.
Dodge Transvan Specs
The 1976 model came with a powerful 360 V8 partnering with a 720 transmission. shag carpeting, air conditioner as well as power steering and brakes. A 2 cubic foot fridge was standard and there was room to sleep between 2 and 6 people depending on how you arranged everyone.
There was a port a potty inside that gave you privacy by closing a folding door. What made this vehicle so ideal was that the frame was made from steel beams and not wood like most modern RVs are made from.
Plus, the outside panels were thick and made from very strong aluminum sheets with a backing of hard foam insulation, not fiberglass. The fiberglass was used only in the end cap and cab cover.
For some models, there was an onboard Onan generator. There was also a ladder attached to the back of the RV so you could climb up and utilize the luggage rack on top of the roof. A spare tire was placed on the opposite side of the rear door from the ladder.
The paint job was often colorful and very attractive with its racing stripes going from the engine area towards the back of the RV.
Dodge Transvan 4x4
Believe it or not, this type of Transvan was built and sold over the years. One 1979 model looked like a regular Transvan except for the higher suspension to accommodate the 4 wheel drive.
It had all the features you would want in a small RV like this one but that added touch of being able to go where you wanted off-road was something special. The problem is you do not see many of them for sale. This seems to be a rare type of vehicle and the one we found is at this link.
Part of the problem is that Champion Homes built the Transvan on 3 different chassis. The company used Dodge, Chevy, and Ford chassis to make this RV. You may not find many of the 4 x 4s under the Dodge name.
If you find one at a reasonable price, you may want to snap it up as an investment as their scarcity should keep their value high enough to make a little money off of it. We checked around the internet and did not come up with enough examples.
You may have better luck with your classifieds, These vehicles were made so that ads are not false if you see them advertising a 4 x 4 Transvan.
1979-1980 Dodge Transvan Review
The biggest problem everyone had with this RV was headroom. There just wasn’t enough of it. One person observed that anyone over 5 feet 5 inches was too tall to stand straight up in the back of this RV.
Another negative point that may explain why they did not sell well, is that this RV was built like the Chinook Class B. there was only one rear door to exit the back. That is not very convenient.
Also, toilets were optional and placed in the left rear of the vehicle making it hard to enter at times for larger owners The concept behind the rear door design was to enhance the living space in the non-driving area of the vehicle.
It is said that many original owners of this RV do not like to part with them as they were good functional recreational vehicles if you could overcome those negative points. Sleeping would be tight and if you are large, you may not be too comfortable on the sofa bed or lounger.
The 4 person dinette was good for families, small ones at least, as was the 2 cubic foot fridge. The storage space was limited which could make traveling as a family very difficult. This RV was probably better for couples than for families.
Dodge Trans van Motorhome
One of the good aspects of this RV option was its size. It was made for those people who did not want to have to operate and maneuver those larger Classes of RVs. But at the same time, they did not want a small Class B RV either.
This was sort of middle of the road between those two classes, so while you got some room in certain areas, you gave up room in others, for example, no standing up inside. The engine and transmission were well built and many of these RVs have lasted over 40 years.
The lack of amenities may not bother some people who just wanted a nice RV to travel in. If you are looking for space and luxury, this was not the motorhome to purchase. But if you liked the fuel economy, this would beat a Class A fuel mileage with ease.
What is impressive is that the main part of this vehicle was made from steel. That construction material protected you better than any of the modern wood-built frames that RVs are made from today.
The hard foam and furnace made sure you stayed nice and warm throughout those cold mountain nights.
Some Final Words
if you want the RV experience without the RV expense, this older model may be your way to go. You are not heavily invested in it financially and if it is in good shape, you can have a great time.
The Dodge Transvan is easy to maneuver and you do not have the stigma that larger RVs have when it comes to size and fuel consumption. The powerful V8 should get you over those mountains without holding up traffic.
Sometimes older is just better.
