Description
A once in a lifetime opportunity to own a genuine piece of motor sport history.
The Graham Hill (father of Damon) Revcon 250 DT Motorhome.
The History:
This is THE motorhome owned and used by the F1 world champ, Le Mans 24 hour and Indy 500 winner with his Embassy-Hill F1 team between 1972 - 1975.
It dates from the period when an F1 team comprised a couple of cars, an artic and an American motorhome. As you can see from the historic pics, this motorhome was part of the Embassy-Hill F1 team set-up which included a light aircraft and Ogle Aston Martin!.
I have photos of it all over Europe in period (Anderstorp, Paul Ricard, Barcelona, Zandvoort etc), towing the famous Embassy Fiat 126 and with Hills Bultaco on the motorcycle shelf.
I bought this about 8 years ago when its provenance was hinted at, but not proven. Since then with the help of the archivist at LAT Photographic I have been able to prove its provenance, illustrated by the photos displayed here (hope they don't mind) from that period including one that confirmed the matching number plate.
In addition a VOSA historic vehicle check revealed the first registered keeper as WD & HO Wills of Bristol, owners of the Embassy brand, so this is 'the one'.
Quentin Spurring (now an acclaimed motorsport journalist) was Press Officer at Embassy-Hill at the time. He came to look over the vehicle a few years ago, shared memories and provided a stash of as new Embassy-Hill memorabilia (holdalls, stickers etc) that had been in his loft for 40 odd years (these are included in the sale).
Mentioned by name in Bette Hills ‘The Other side of the Hill’, in Spurrings articles, and featured in the ‘Driven’ documentary it’s clear that this Revcon could tell many a tale - the backsides of many of F1’s greats of the early ’70’s will have graced it’s seats.
In one of Hills own books an interesting passage recounts the night of Roger Wiiliamsons fatal accident at Zandvoort when an ashen faced Clerk of Course came to see Graham and had a coffee with him in the motorhome.
It was a pretty dark era of F1 and the Embassy-Hill team itself ended in the fatal crash of Hill’s light aircraft in Nov ’75 taking with it the principal team members.
The Vehicle:
There is plenty of on-line content about Revcon, but here are some specifics about this unique vehicle;
Specification:
This is the desirable ‘flat nose’ 250 (25ft)
4 berth:
Swivel front seats
Kitchen, diner, toilet, shower/ bath
LPG tank for cooking etc, (I don’t have the generator or roof AC),
Full size fridge/ cooker
Pumped hot water (new pump and new correct water heater included)
Ducted heating (furnace needs attention or replacement - readily available),
Grey & black waste tanks, city water/ power hook-up, needs a fresh water tank
320 hp 455 cu in V8 big block Oldsmobile
Turbo Hydramatic THM425 automatic gearbox.
List price in 1972 about $25, 000, north of £100k in todays money.
Construction:
Built in 1972 just down the road from Boeing it shares some key aviation-grade build characteristics e. g. stress formed aluminium riveted construction of the complete the coach body - famously watertight (as opposed to soggy timber construction). Revcon had strong links with Airstream, the design and construction methods are shared which opens a wealth of knowledge on restoration techniques and fixtures/ fittings of the coach body.
Condition today:
This is being sold as a partial restoration project. The key thing is that the heavy lifting has already been completed (see below for details).
That said there remains a significant amount to do to complete - but what a thing to own, show and enjoy when finished!
Interior:
As I bought it the furniture/ interior was standard and unmolested right down to the shag-pile carpets - all original fixtures/ fittings/ teak furniture are present and in good condition for age (except mattresses). This was carefully removed after purchased and is currently on pallets in dry storage. So that all-too-rare originality can be retained.
Mechanical:
Engine/ trans and front chassis is Oldsmobile Toronado FRONT WHEEL DRIVE (hence low stance, no trans tunnel) with 320 hp 455 cu in V8 big block (LPG conversions are available) and THM425 automatic, they get down the road very nicely I'm told.
We have removed cylinders heads, skimmed and replaced gaskets, sourced correct Quadrajet from the States.
We had the motor running a few years ago and it selects forward/ reverse gear and sounded crisp.
New exhaust manifolds (steel) and twin exhausts (in stainless) fabricated installed
New correct ally radiator included/ not fitted.
Pressure tested and certificated new stainless fuel tank professionally made to pattern included/ not fitted plus new sender.
Dash completely rewired with correct Packard terminals and appropriate gauge wiring. Included is the rest of the wiring materials for the body of the coach. Full wiring diagrams on blueprints included. Toronado manuals included.
Chassis:
The Achilles heal with these vehicles is the steel chassis, sandwiched between timber floor and sheet ally underbody… as I found to my considerable cost when we stripped the Revcon.
The good news for the next owner is that everything on the chassis has been restored to a high standard;
- We removed the floor and ally under-skin for access, replaced virtually all cross members, outriggers and entrance step steel and rear main chassis rails from just in front of rear axle with correct grade steel, a local sheet metal works made up the outriggers to perfection.
- The joints of new to existing main rails were fabricated and welded by a third party firm of specialist structural welding engineers.
- All new and existing steel scurfed, de-salted and treated with Rustbuster coating as per their recommended process. The chassis is perfect, all ‘done’ and beautiful.
The vehicle will also come with new under-skin ally (cut to size) and 12mm plastic flooring is included but not installed. This flooring is the type used in horse boxes - rot and future proofed. New poly bump stops/ bushes to rear axle, new rear flex hose and all materials required for front to rear brakes/ fuel provided not installed. New correct marker lamps and main interior lamps included not installed (being American, most parts have manufacturers details stamped on and it’s amazing how much is still made, like the main interior lamps with faux brown wood grain panels!).
Body/ tasks to be completed:
Were I to finish this I would approach it in the following order:
Reinstall dash board and terminate harness into engine bay and front electrics. Install new radiator, get engine running (a suitably sized new Bosch battery was purchased/ included for this purpose).
Install rear waste water and fuel tanks in chassis cavities and pipe up rear axle brakes and fuel supply (new correct pipe/ fittings/ chassis grommets included).
Rivet under body ally and fibreglass rear under cowling (fasteners supplied, rivets need sourcing) into position.
Run front to rear electrics to rear lights, decide on rear camera.
Insulate chassis cavity with rock wool or similar then install plastic flooring to coach body and cab.
Install front seats back onto existing mounts (30 minute job), the vehicle would then be running and mobile.
Decide on original or bespoke layout and get on with interior and coach
electrics - most electrical fittings are present and in position, some inner ally skin was removed for chassis work but carefully stored.
Repaint or wrap exterior to your taste.
Your dream Project:
As I’ve said. the heavy lifting has been done. It now represents a blank canvass for the new owner new owner;
You may choose to reinstall the original Hill era interior and repaint the Embassy livery (I can see Goodwood paying you to park it in the paddock!)
or…
Create the ultimate retro RV as a number have done in the States (see photo and links) and be the envy of the Glastonbury campervan field.
Maybe do the Embassy livery for a bit then wrap it...
Registered SORN in my name as a historic vehicle, my understanding is, therefore, that it requires no MOT test and tax is free - happy days!
Why I’m selling:
Until recently I owned a car dealership. When things were quiet my master mechanic would be tasked with restoration work on the vehicle.
Having just sold my car dealership I have lost storage space, facilities and my mechanics.
So it has to go.
I’m happy to meet (very) serious potential buyers in Yateley (Nr Camberley) for viewings. This is 1. 5 hour round trip for me so please only ask to see the vehicle if you have the funds, the storage, the wife’s permission, can collect by recovery truck.
It wasn't cheap to buy and I have many thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours invested in this vehicle, it represents therefore great value at the price listed, especially for a vehicle of such provenance.
I also have brochures, wiring diagrams, lots of photos and the spares mentioned above as well as others I've probably forgotten which I am happy to share should you wish to view the vehicle.
Please note: The only photos listed of this vehicle as it stands today are those in bare aluminium finish. No warranty implied or given.
