1969 Ferber “Works” American Motors AMX

It was not my intention for this story to be all about motorhomes. Alas, I may have failed you in this regard. However, please stay alert as I have not let you down completely; for there is a lesson contained within; an important one for the automotive hunter in each of us.

Geoff Hacker of Tampa, Florida is known for many things. He has a PhD in Psychology, is a prolific online college professor, is a world expert in mid-century modern microphones, and has been studying and writing about fiberglass sports cars for much of his adult life. In 2006, for reasons he can’t fully explain, Hacker became fascinated with the Ultravan. What’s an Ultravan, you ask? It’s a truly unique all-American motorhome of the Woodstock era. Designed and constructed as a true monococque without a conventional chassis, the aerodynamic structure came to life courtesy of aircraft designer David Petersen. The flat body panels were of sheet aluminum riveted to supporting aluminum ribs and the curved body components were from fiberglass. To the best knowledge available, 376 Corvair-powered Ultravans were built by Ultra Inc. of Hutchinson, Kansas, between 1966 and 1970. Hacker liberated his first Ultravan, in 2006, dragging it from a swamp near Sebring, Florida, where it had been abandoned some 18 years prior. Classic & Sports Carfound Hacker’s automotive rescue so intriguing that they chronicled it in the June 2007 issue. Like everything else in his life, Hacker became consumed and fell into Ultravan-mania. This included the rescue of two additional examples (one being the last Ultavan built which Hacker dragged from a junkyard in Alabama) and the creation of an Ultravan song (music following the theme to Spiderman). Of course none of this has anything to do with this month’s hidden racecar but we are inching (yes, only inches) closer.