Russ Moen, of Port Alberni, Canada, had the dream to create a usable motorhome with a 1954 Chevrolet COE cab-over truck as a starting point. After building and restoring a number of cars over the years — including a big-block ’55 Chevy, ’73 Camaro Z28, ’66 Corvette 427 and a ’34 Ford with a 383 CID V8 — Moen used his customizing skills to create his one-off recreational vehicle, which he calls the 1954 Chevrolet Tourliner.
The result of this five-year build is a fully custom rig that is as much of a show vehicle as it is a travel vehicle, and it’s cool enough to make any hot rod enthusiast jealous.
This project began, simply enough (cue sarcasm light), with a Chevrolet Advance-Design COE truck and the plans to marry this cab with an existing camper trailer. As is usually the case with such a Frankenstein of an idea, Moen soon realized that using a camper wouldn’t work, and even worse, the truck’s factory chassis wouldn’t be able to accommodate the added weight. So he went to work mounting the classic truck cab on top of a chassis from a 1985 motorhome and creating a custom-made shell for the living quarters. Because hot rodders can never have too much power, he swapped out the motorhome’s original big-block gas V8 with a tuned 12-valve Cummins 5.9-liter turbo diesel engine pumping out 400 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque.
Behind the cab, the Tourliner has a custom aluminum shell with a boat-tail design, and those massive rear fenders are custom made from fiberglass with integrated valance panels between the wheels to create a finished look. An air suspension system gives the Tourlienr its squatted stance, while the two-tone, black-and-tan paint job is both understated and eye-catching (who knew that was even possible?).
The true beauty of this motorhome is on the inside where a mix of rich leather and high-quality woodwork reveal immense craftsmanship. The cab features loads of pleated, dark brown leather, and the vintage looking cabin houses modern amenities such as power windows, heated seats and a trio of backup cameras. Access to the one bedroom, one bathroom living area is possible through a cab pass-through or an exterior door, and here you’ll find an interior that showcases birchwood with cherry trim and teak wood flooring.
