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Topic: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C (Read 672 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #1 –
Wow a Kodiak 32'er they only made  three of those. Ad says V10 engine that is not correct. It's a 8.1 ltr V8.
Lynn and Lori
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #2 –
The three-Kodiaks production in 2009 was a "dark" chapter in LD's history; Steve worked on the design and engineering of the LD box specifically for GM's Kodiak chassis (which is not a "V-10"; see the snip from Andy's "Changes by Year" doc below) for about three years prior to building three super LDs. IIRC, one was a "prototype", and the subsequent two had a few minor changes. Then GM discontinued production of the Kodiak. Major gut punch; three years of very expensive, time-consuming, physically and emotionally exhausting R&D down the tubes.

"32' island bed and twin bed models, Chevy Kodiak chassis, 325 HP/8.1 liter/494 c.i.d. V-8, 6-speed Allison auto transmission, GVWR: 19,500 lb., CCC: 3,500 lb. (NOTE: Only three of these were built before GM shut down Kodiak production.)"

I met one couple who bought one of the Kodiaks; they were headed to Alaska right after taking delivery. No idea if this was their rig.

I know that Larry (and a few others) are also aware of the history of "Steve's Kodiak", and they may post their recollections. The Kodiak R&D and production years also coincided with other goings on at the factory, i.e., an economic downturn roughly from 2007-2010, employee and production line changes, development and upgrading of LD's Ford-based models, and several other issues that made for hard times for all in Montclair.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #3 –
For all the costs involved why would they not put it on a Duramax !
1996 Twin King
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #4 –
DW and I had the pleasure of exploring one of these at the factory.  Gorgeous, but pretty far out of our price range at the time.  If LD made something like this now, I would give serious consideration to ordering one.
2011 MB
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #5 –
"For all the costs involved why would they not put it on a Duramax !"
----
The Kodiak was a medium-duty truck chassis with a GVWR of 19500 pounds; even the current Chevy cab chassis with a Duramax engine has a GVWR of only 13200 pounds, 1300 pounds less than the E450 Ford. At the time the LD on the Kodiak was conceived and engineered, the intent of building an LD on a medium truck chassis was to provide a rig with a much greater load-carrying capacity than the 30' (31'). (At the time of development, the GVWR of the Ford E450 chassis was 14050; currently it's 14500.) Why re-design and re-engineer a box to fit a platform with less GVWR than the platform in past and/or current use?

If the production of the E450 comes to an end - and it may, possibly by 2020 - LD will either have to re-tool the boxes to fit whatever appropriate chassis are available at the time or close the doors.

As ever, YMMV.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #6 –
What would be the negatives of owning a Kodak?
Dale from Downey 27’ 2012 RB,”Casa Verde”, 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Formerly1991 RB & 1990 Jeep Wrangler.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #7 –
Quote from: dollinsdale  - 
What would be the negatives of owning a Kodak?
Several years ago we had a Kodiak show up at a Yahoo GTG, at Lake Cachuma.
It had tons of storage and plenty of extra CCC.
I didn't get to drive or ride in it and I wondered how comfortable the ride would be with the straight front axle and leaf springs. It has a dropped, straight front axle, the type used in HD trucks for strength, not comfort.
The larger 19.5" wheels should help with the ride.
One downside, for some, is how high it sits,  getting up into it can be difficult for those with climbing difficulties.
Its overall height is much taller than a standard LD.

For those who want to full time, this is the type of rig to have. It has the capacity to carry what you need and then some.
Although expensive, LD would have sold a decent quantities of Kodiaks to those who wanted to have a fixed queen bed and a lot of CCC.
Many of our friends have upgraded to Class As, with similar capabilities (and usually slides).
They might have bought a Kodiak, if they had been available.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #8 –
I'm wondering about the gas mileage and torque of the huge 8.1L chevy? Do they still make the engine?
  Seems like it WOULD ride stiff with that front suspension. Seems like a great price though.
Dale from Downey
Dale from Downey 27’ 2012 RB,”Casa Verde”, 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Formerly1991 RB & 1990 Jeep Wrangler.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #9 –
Quote from: dollinsdale  - 
I'm wondering about the gas mileage and torque of the huge 8.1L chevy? Do they still make the engine?
  Seems like it WOULD ride stiff with that front suspension. Seems like a great price though.
Dale from Downey
Considering how low the miles are and that the asking price is a third of the original cost, this might be a good purchase for a full timer, depending on its actual condition.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #10 –
Quote from: LazyMatt  - 
For all the costs involved why would they not put it on a Duramax !

I wondered the same thing as the 2009 Kodiak chassis was available with the Duramax as an option.
My guess is they may have been trying to keep the cost down. And the diesel option would add $$$$.
Sure would be nice with the diesel though.
Lynn and Lori
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #12 –
OH!!!  Lazy daze Super C!    Awesome!  :)
Rebecca in WA
2016 mid-bath
"Ramirez"
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #13 –
I've rearranged my retirement schedule so that I can drive to Cleburne on Thursday to see this special LD.  If anyone wants additional information or pictures, please drop me a note.  I don't mind peeking into corners, underneath, the roof, and so forth to see if I can spot any sore spots!  Please note that I am not qualified do much more, but I'd do my best for someone interested in this LD.  (Btw, we're only looking out of curiosity.)

As you may have noticed, the ad is with PPL which is a very large and successful used RV Dealer in Texas with locations in at least three (3) places.  If I'm not mistaken, all the RVs are on consignment, which might mean this LD's owner is somewhat local to the DFW area.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #14 –
She is so beautiful :)
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #15 –
Oh, I wish, I wish...

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #17 –
Ed & Margie,
    If you're going to look at the Kodiak, see if they'll let you take it for a spin. I'd like to know if it rides rough on that straight axle and front leaf springs. I'm also curious about the mpg and power. Wish I was closer, I'd go too.
Dale from Downey. 
Dale from Downey 27’ 2012 RB,”Casa Verde”, 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Formerly1991 RB & 1990 Jeep Wrangler.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #18 –
Quote from: Larry Wade  - 
Several years ago we had a Kodiak show up at a Yahoo GTG, at Lake Cachuma.
It had tons of storage and plenty of extra CCC.
I didn't get to drive or ride in it and I wondered how comfortable the ride would be with the straight front axle and leaf springs. It has a dropped, straight front axle, the type used in HD trucks for strength, not comfort.
The larger 19.5" wheels should help with the ride.
One downside, for some, is how high it sits,  getting up into it can be difficult for those with climbing difficulties.
Its overall height is much taller than a standard LD.

For those who want to full time, this is the type of rig to have. It has the capacity to carry what you need and then some.
Although expensive, LD would have sold a decent quantities of Kodiaks to those who wanted to have a fixed queen bed and a lot of CCC.
Many of our friends have upgraded to Class As, with similar capabilities (and usually slides).
They might have bought a Kodiak, if they had been available.

Larry

Makes me wonder if LD has considered doing a Super C on the Ford F550 chassis. I've noticed some other mfrs (e.g. Born Free) doing this, and experience with an F-series chassis might be useful if/when Ford decides to drop the E450.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #19 –
Quote from: JCT  - 
Then GM discontinued production of the Kodiak. Major gut punch; three years of very expensive, time-consuming, physically and emotionally exhausting R&D down the tubes.

What probably made it even worse is that just a few years earlier, Steve Newton had just started building units on the short lived Ford E-550 chassis.  Again only a couple of units were made and sold when Ford discontinued the E-550.  We have run into one of the owners at a couple of bluegrass festivals in southern California.

Art
Art and Barbara
Settled in Atterdag Village of Solvang
2015-2022 fulltime in a 2016 Tiffin Allegro Bus 37AP
2002-2015 2002 LD MB
Art's blog
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #20 –
I've seen one of the E550 LDs, a blue one, probably at the same bluegrass festivals, Art!  ;)

And, now I see what was meant by "why didn't they put it on a Duramax?" (I was looking at more recent cab chassis GMs with much less GVWR than the Kodiak had.) All moot now, of course, but a 6.6L diesel engine, the LMM Duramax, was available at the time, according to a couple forum members and this from Wikipedia:

"The LMM (engine code "6") debuted part way through 2007 and ended production with the start of the 2011 calendar year and is mated to the 6-speed Allison transmission. The LMM was the only Duramax offered for model years 2008-2010."

As "Duro" speculated, a diesel option in the Kodiak may likely have pushed the price of the LD beyond what Steve felt would sell.

(LD did offer the 26.5' with a 6.0 Power Stroke V8 in 2004 and 2005.)



2003 TK has a new home
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #21 –
Quote from: dollinsdale  - 
I'm wondering about the gas mileage and torque of the huge 8.1L chevy? Do they still make the engine?
  Seems like it WOULD ride stiff with that front suspension. Seems like a great price though.
Dale from Downey
I had the 8.1 in a 25 foot Class A on a workhorse chassis and it was a great engine. Got around 11 mpg after a "Dyno Tune" at my local hot rod shop.  On;y down  side is how short a time they were produced it may become hard and expensive to source parts before it becomes really old. It died when GM beat all share holders out of their investments and restarted with no debt. So production was a very few years.

If you have no engine problems then no problem, may not even be if you do but I suspect it could be.

Garry
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #22 –
So we made the drive to Cleburne to look at that AMAZING LD 32'.  But first ... this lovely LD in excellent condition sold in 48 hours to a member of the LDO Forum who owns a LD 23.5' and lives in this area of Texas.  Therefore, I will not post any of the many photos we took out of respect to the new Owner.  Btw, I happened to meet the new Owner at PPL and he certainly is about has happy and excited as one would expect in this situation.

IMO, all the comments posted about this LD 32' are spot on.  I hope the new Owners will take some time to post some pictures and to write a review so that others will know about this remarkable LD.  Finally I'd like to suggest that the LD 32' Kodiak RVs represent a high water mark in the evolution of Class C MHs.
Re: Amazing LD for Sale - A Super C
Reply #23 –
I knew it would sell fast for that price. Sure wish it would have been in my area. Thanks Ed for the info.
Lynn and Lori