This is one of just 225 examples of the Casa Grande camper that were built back in the 1970s. This one was refurbished under previous ownership, and it now presents as one of the best we’ve seen in recent memory.
These 4×4 campers were ideal for more adventurous types, allowing them to bring many of the comforts of home with them almost anywhere thanks to the off-road capabilities of the GMC Jimmy. The camper can be moved from the back if required, though it is said to be a relatively arduous task.
Fast Facts – The GMC Jimmy 4×4 Casa Grande Camper
- The GMC Jimmy Casa Grande was a rare 1970s camper conversion based on the Jimmy 4×4 platform, with just 225 units built. Developed in partnership with Chinook Mobilodge, each unit received a fiberglass camper shell permanently affixed to the cab, offering off-road mobility paired with simple camper-style accommodation.
- Designed for more adventurous travelers, the Casa Grande featured seating for four, sleeping arrangements for up to four, a dinette, sink, gas stove, and optional fridge – though notably no toilet. Its tough 4WD system, body-on-frame construction, and live axles front and back made it capable of reaching remote destinations inaccessible to most RVs.
- The example shown here is a 1977 model finished in gold and white. It’s powered by a 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) V8 and a 3-speed automatic transmission with a dual-range transfer case. The vehicle has undergone a refurbishment, with a clean interior, refreshed mechanicals, and exterior details including period-correct striping.
- With vintage 4×4 campers gaining popularity, the Casa Grande’s blend of retro charm and off-road capability makes it highly desirable to many. This example, now listed for sale in Maryland, includes original fittings like fold-out beds, a kitchenette, and curtains, and is accompanied by a framed display and a clean Florida title.
A Four-Wheel Drive Cabin In The Woods
By the mid-1970s the recreational four-wheel drive industry was booming. From its relatively obscure origins in the 1950s and 1960s the genre had found its feet, and Americans across the country were buying up four-wheel drives in their droves.
The Blazer Chalet and Jimmy Casa Grande offered simple accommodations for two, and it gave owners the ability to go almost anywhere. Image courtesy of GMC.
A few other revolutions were happening concurrently, the dirt bike craze was sweeping the nation and showing no signs of abating, and the American infatuation with RVs was taking off. In the 1970s General Motors was showing significant interest in the RV sector and they tried a number of approaches to capitalize on it.
Two of the most memorable were perhaps the GMC Motorhome and the Chevrolet Blazer Chalet along with its sibling, the GMC Jimmy Casa Grande. Both vastly different types of RVs, designed to appeal to both ends of the market.
Whereas the Motorhome was a large self-contained home on wheels the Blazer Chalet and Jimmy Casa Grande offered more simple accommodation, but it also gave owners the ability to go almost anywhere.
Each Jimmy Casa Grande started life on the production line with all of the regular Jimmys, they were then sent to the facilities of Chinook Mobilodge Inc. who completed the build process. This build process included cutting out the back of the original passenger cab before the installation of the steel-framed, fiberglass camper shell back.
The camper shell was designed to be permanently fitted, which did limit the versatility of the vehicle somewhat, though some owners have found a way of removing them for repairs or to convert the vehicle back to a standard Blazer/Jimmy.
Each Jimmy Casa Grande started life on the production line with all of the regular Jimmys, they were then sent to the facilities of Chinook Mobilodge Inc. who completed the build process. Image courtesy of GMC.
“Did you ever notice that the toughest places to get to usually turn out to be the nicest places to stay? Too bad you couldn’t have a neat little cabin right in the middle of it all. With a new Chevy Blazer Chalet, you’ve got it.” – Blazer Chalet advertisement, 1977.
Casa Grande Fittings + Options
The options list when ordering your Casa Grande was long, though none of the options included a toilet, so owners had to make do in the woods on that front. When placing your order you could choose to have two additional fold down beds (allowing the vehicle to sleep four), and an electric refrigerator with an extra battery.
The standard options included everything you really needed, like two beds, seating for four, a small dinette table, a sink with a water carrying capacity of five gallons, a two burner gas stove, and an icebox (if you didn’t opt for the fridge).
Four-wheel drive campers have come a long way over the past few decades but there’s an undeniable charm to these older original models, and with the recent explosion in popularity of vintage four-wheelers it’s only a matter of time before vehicles like the Blazer Chalet/Casa Grande are discovered by a new generation of enthusiasts.
When placing your order you could choose to have two additional fold down beds (allowing the vehicle to sleep four), and an electric refrigerator with an extra battery. Image courtesy of GMC.
The 1977 GMC Jimmy Casa Grande Shown Here
This is a 1977 GMC Jimmy Casa Grande finished in gold and white with retro multi-color stripes down either side. It’s powered by a 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) small block V8 mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission, and power is sent back through a dual-range transfer case.
Much like the Chevrolet K5 Blazer it was based on, the GMC Jimmy rides on front and rear leaf springs on live axles. It uses body-on-frame construction much loved by true off-roaders, with front disc and rear drum brakes, and standard versions came with a removable rear roof section much like the Ford Bronco.
Inside this Casa Grande you’ll find a dinette table, bench seats, two fold-out canvas beds, and a kitchenette with a mini fridge, a sink, and two gas burners. There’s plenty of cupboard and storage space, and some curtains over the windows for when you need a little privacy.
Inside this Casa Grande you’ll find a dinette table, bench seats, two fold-out canvas beds, and a kitchenette with a mini fridge, a sink, and two gas burners.
This GMC Jimmy Casa Grande is the nicest one we’ve seen, as mentioned higher up, and it appears to have had some thorough refurbishment – the interior and underside both look exceptional for the age.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Rockville, Maryland with a framed display board and a clean Florida title. 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
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.