the transmission. The final drive was connected directly to the transmission, and power was fed to the front wheels using half-shafts that ran under the front portion of the engine.

To maintain the flat floor front to rear, the engineers at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan eliminated any sort of traditional rear axle. In its place, they substituted an equally innovative rear suspension: a tandem pair of wheels on each side mounted on bogies, which rode on pins attached to the sides of the low-profile frame. The result was minimal intrusion into the cabin. With the exception of the wheel wells--which are concealed behind cabinets--the rear suspension does not intrude into the living space.

A further innovation was the use of airbags for the suspension system. These gave the GMC MotorHome the benefit of an automatic leveling system that could adjust ride height, as well as level the cabin when parked at a campsite.

Compared to the competition, GMC MotorHomes were exceptionally compact, measuring either 23 feet long on a 140-inch wheelbase or 26 feet long on a 160-inch wheelbase. Yet they were surprisingly spacious on the inside. No matter the length, all GMC MotorHomes measure 96 inches wide (the maximum allowed at the time) and less than 110 inches high (a figure that includes the standard roof-mounted air-conditioning unit).

Inside the cabin, the floor-to-ceiling height measures 76 inches. The vehicles boasted a low center of gravity, which contributed to class-leading driving dynamics of which other motorhomes could only dream.

The GMC MotorHome deviated even more from its competitors in the area of body construction. Instead of using the typical wood frame covered with aluminum, GM engineers employed a rigid welded-aluminum frame mounted on a traditional steel ladder frame using body isolators to save weight. The body itself was designed with weight reduction in mind throughout.

With their expertise in molding the complex panels for the Corvette, GM's designers specified that lower body panels for the GMC MotorHome be constructed from molded fiberglass below the body's waistline. The upper side body and roof panels between the ends are sheet aluminum.

Without the wood frame found in most other recreational vehicles, GMC

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