Spartan shows new gas motorhome chassis

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Gary RV_Wizard

Gary RV_Wizard

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Spartan Motors, well known for their excellent diesel pusher chassis, has developed two new gas, front engine, motorhome chassis.  One is called the EXTOL High Output/Performance chassis, while the other is called the REVEL High Performance/Low Cost chassis.  They went on display yesterday at the RVIA Show in Louisville. The RVIA show is the RV industry trade show - no public invited.

The Extol features an 8.8L gas engine carrying the Spartan brand name, but is undoubtedly the new gas engine from PSI that is discussed in this thread. The engine has 430 hp and 512 lb-ft of torque.  The Revel features a 6.0L engine that sounds like it may be the GM 6.0l.


See the Spartan press release HERE.
 
Not that I'll be buying a new MH anytime soon, but it sure would make me nervous to head out on a cross-country trip with a totally new engine few shops have even heard of. :eek:
 
The new 8.8 is a bored and stroked 8.1 big block Chevy engine, should be no new problems with it as it has been around for the most part for years in the hot rod world, just not all the emissions stuff that is in use already on the 8.1.
Though I'm sure the makers would not want to say this for new sales.

8.1L=496 c.i.

8.8L=540 c.i.
 
True the 8.8 is based on the Chevy 8.1 block, but just about everything else had to be redone to pass current emissions.

ken
 
Who will be the first major RV manufacturer to utilize the new Spartan gas chassis? This will give Ford a little market share competion for the RV market. 
 
It will be interesting to see if any RV builder gets onboard with the new chassis. It costs them a bundle to re-do a body to fit on a different chassis and they have little incentive to do so unless either their customers demand it or the chassis is substantially less expensive to utilize than the one they now use (i.e. Ford). Another reason would be improved capability in the new chassis, e.g. the ability to handle longer or heavier coach bodies or better fuel economy. Anything they could translate into more sales. No RV builder has announced plans to even experiment with the new chassis, but with the Spartan brand name behind it, I think some will give it a try.

Note that the chassis is still a prototype and the 8.8L engine is still undergoing EPA certification, so don't expect a roll-out of a new coach on a new chassis next week!
 
I am surprised that Spartan didn't have a "roll-out" customer lined up. Unless for some reason they wanted to keep this quite until they were ready.

I think this means that Workhorse will not re-open. Bill Osborne, President Workhorse and Monaco, knew Workhorse couldn't continue with  big gas engine. He stated last year that they were working on a source for a gas engine, but I would guess that Navistar probably pulled the plug on any development with somebody like PSI.

Since RV manufacturers are always looking to build bigger, I think Spartan will be successful with the gas chassis.
 
I suspect the chassis wasn't done soon enough to get somebody to convert an existing body to work on it. Or maybe none of the big RV manufacturers had the time - or inclination - to work on it.
 
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