This is a 1974 FMC 2900R Motorhome, inside you’ll find a bedroom, a kitchenette, a dinette set, and a bathroom with a sink, a vanity, a toilet, and a shower.
FMC Motorhomes were among the finest in the world in the mid-1970s. They cost as much as the average house, and they were owned by a slew of celebrities including Clint Eastwood, Carol Burnett, Pat Boone, and James Brolin, as well as racing drivers Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones.
Fast Facts – The FMC 2900R Motorhome
- The FMC 2900R Motorhome, built from 1972 – 1976, had a fiberglass body and steel chassis, it was powered by a rear-mounted 440 cubic inch V8 with a 3-speed automatic transmission. It provided luxurious accommodation including bedrooms, a kitchenette, dinette, and bathroom, and it became popular with celebrities and racers despite costing as much as the average American suburban house.
- FMC (Food Machinery Corporation), originally founded in 1883 as John Bean Manufacturing Company, growing into a large national business producing canning equipment and military vehicles. During a military-production lull in the late 1960s, FMC diversified into recreational vehicles, creating the premium-priced FMC 2900R Motorhome.
- Celebrity FMC owners included Clint Eastwood, Carol Burnett, Pat Boone, James Brolin, racing legends Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones, and astronaut Pete Conrad. Production peaked just as the 1973 Oil Crisis severely impacted sales due to its gas-guzzling 440 V8, resulting in limited sales figures.
- The 1974 FMC 2900R shown here features a classic 1970s interior, two beds, a dinette convertible to another bed, bathroom facilities, a kitchenette, air conditioning, and modern amenities. It’s offered for sale in Cottage Grove, Oregon, with manuals, spare parts, and documentation indicating prior engine upgrades.
The Fascinating Origins Of FMC
Interestingly, FMC stands for the Food Machinery Corporation. The company started out way back in 1883 when an inventor named John Bean created a new kind of insecticide pump, as a result it was initially named the John Bean Manufacturing Company.
With its four-wheel independent suspension, a powerful 440 V8, and a low center of gravity the FMC Motorhome was the best handling RV of its time. Image courtesy of FMC.
By 1928 the company was more focused on the canning machinery business, which was booming in the United States. The popularity of long-lasting canned food would only grow as the Great Depression arrived in 1929, lasting a decade until 1939. 1939 also marked the outbreak of WWII in Europe, resulting in an even stronger demand for canned food products – all of which played right into the hands of FMC.
FMC Enters The RV Market
FMC would continue to expand, they began producing amphibious vehicles for the US Military. This would become the firm’s primary focus, and they would become a major military contractor. In the late 1960s, during a lull in its military production, FMC turned its attention to the booming recreational vehicle market.
A series of prototypes were developed using a steel chassis and a modern fiberglass body, each fitted out with a full interior. Ultimately the company would settle on a 29 foot model, as it could fit all the comforts of home inside, with enough living (and sleeping) space for a family.
Production of the FMC 2900R Motorhome would begin in late 1972. They were among the most expensive RVs in their class at the time, costing $27,000 and $54,000+ USD depending on the specific options and model variation. This was roughly the cost of the average suburban house in the USA at the time.
Power was provided by a rear-mounted big block 440 cubic inch gasoline V8 sending power back through a Torqueflite 727 3-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. This drivetrain provided plenty of power, the fiberglass body helped keep weight within acceptable limits, and the FMC 2900R had independent four wheel suspension, as well as a low center of gravity – as a result the 2900R Motorhome offered excellent performance by the standards of the time.
Both Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones owned FMC Motorhomes, as did celebrities Clint Eastwood, Carol Burnett, Pat Boone, and James Brolin, as well as astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad. Image courtesy of FMC.
A Long List Of Celebrity Owners
The luxurious fitout and premium pricing attracted a very specific clientele including many of the biggest celebrities of the time, including Clint Eastwood, Carol Burnett, Pat Boone, and James Brolin. FMC Motorhomes were also owned by racing drivers Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones, as well as astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad – the Apollo 12 commander and the third person to walk on the Moon.
Full production of the FMC 2900R Motorhome was underway by 1973, sadly this coincided with the 1973 Oil Crisis which saw global oil prices skyrocket, resulting in record-setting gasoline prices. This all made the idea of a 440 V8 powered RV seem like an unwise decision and sales suffered significantly.
By 1975 FMC had won a lucrative contract to produce the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the 2900R Motorhome took a back seat, eventually leaving production just a year later. It’s believed that 1,000 or so examples were made in total, and thanks to the rust-proof fiberglass shell an estimated ~800 are believed to have survived to the modern day.
The 1974 FMC 2900R Motorhome Shown Here
The RV you see here is an original FMC 2900R Motorhome from 1974. It’s powered by a 440 cubic inch V8 mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission and this engine is said to have been rebuilt with higher-than-stock compression under prior ownership.
Inside you’ll find a thoroughly 1970s retro interior, with a wood parquet floor tile paired with yellow and orange upholstery, orange countertops, and orange curtains. There is a private bedroom in the back with two beds, further forward you’ll find a bathroom with a sink, a vanity, a toilet, and a shower.
There is also a kitchenette with a refrigerator/freezer, a residential-style power outlet, an oven, a four-burner gas cooktop, and a double-basin sink. This is next to a dinette set with seating for four. The dinette can also convert into an additional double bed when required.
Inside you’ll find a thoroughly 1970s retro interior, with a wood parquet floor tile paired with yellow and orange upholstery, orange countertops, and orange curtains.
Up front there’s a captain’s chair for the driver and a pair of passenger seats. Visibility is excellent due to the large windows to the front and sides, and the vehicle is also equipped with air conditioning, a CB radio, and a KEC CD stereo.
This 2900R Motorhome is now being offered for sale out of Cottage Grove, Oregon with an owner’s manual, a parts manual, a service manual, spare parts, and a clean Oregon title in the seller’s name. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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