Retro Home on Wheels: A 1969 Winnebago D22 Camper Van

This is a 1969 Winnebago D22 motorhome, it is one of the most important models ever made by the world renowned motorhome manufacturer, and this particular example appears to be in original condition.

The model name “D22” simply means that it is built on a Dodge chassis and is 22 feet long. There was a closely related earlier model called the F-19, which, as you may have guessed, was built on a Ford chassis and was 19 feet long.

Highlights – The Winnebago D22 Motorhome

• Winnebago, founded in 1958 in Winnebago County, Iowa, has grown to become the world’s largest manufacturer of motorhomes. Originally a travel trailer manufacturer, the company pivoted to affordable motorhomes and grew rapidly through its vertically integrated supply chain. In 2023, Winnebago Industries reported operating income of $300.7 million on revenue of $3.5 billion.
• The 1969 Winnebago D22 was the company’s second motorhome model, built on a Dodge chassis with a 318-cubic-inch V8 engine and automatic transmission. It featured “Thermo-Panel” construction, combining aluminum, polystyrene insulation, and prefabricated panels. The 22-foot motorhome included a dinette, kitchenette, bedroom, and bathroom with modern amenities.
• The D22’s boxy design with bold graphics contrasted with competitors like the Airstream. It offered easy driving for inexperienced RV users and included features such as running water, a refrigerator, an oven, gas burners, and household batteries. The model is considered one of Winnebago’s early key models, contributing to the company’s success.
• A well-preserved 1969 Winnebago D22 is currently for sale in Menasha, Wisconsin. It retains its vintage interior with faux wood paneling, period-correct upholstery, and original features. Potential buyers are advised to inspect the underlying Dodge chassis for rust issues, as this can be a common problem with these vintage campers.

Winnebago: A historic speedrun

Winnebago is today arguably the most well-known brand in the recreational vehicle (RV) world, primarily focused on manufacturing and selling motorhomes in the United States and Canada. But it wasn’t always this way, the company was founded in 1958 in the Winnebago County, Iowa, city as a last-ditch effort to save the local economy and provide much-needed local jobs.

Winnebago was founded in 1958 in the Winnebago County, Iowa, city as a last-ditch effort to save the local economy and provide much-needed local jobs. Image courtesy of Winnebago Industries.

Winnebago was founded by businessman John K. Hanson. Together with local community leaders, they convinced California-based Modernistic Industries to open a trailer factory in their town. Fortunately, they were successful, Modernistic Industries’ leaders agreed, and the company that was created was named after the town.

In turn, the city was named after the Native American tribe that lived in the area, and as a result, many early Winnebago motorhomes were given names derived from Native American culture, including Chieftain, Brave, and more.

Although the company started out manufacturing travel trailers, it soon shifted to producing motorhomes. These vehicles are self-propelled and therefore do not require a tow vehicle. Winnebago was able to produce them at a much lower cost than its competitors. This was largely due to the company’s vertically integrated supply chain.

Winnebago’s ability to offer high-quality motorhomes at a price many can afford has allowed the company to experience stratospheric growth and become the largest manufacturer of its kind in the world. Last year, Winnebago Industries earned an operating profit of $300.7 million on sales of $3.5 billion and employs more than 6,000 people.

The Winnebago D22 motorhome

The Winnebago D22 was released in 1968, and was only the company’s second motorhome, following the previous F-19 in 1966. The D22 was built on a Dodge truck chassis and measured 22 feet long, powered by Dodge’s 318-cubic-inch gasoline V8, and power was sent to the dual rear wheels via a Torqueflite 727 three-speed automatic transmission.

This transmission made the D22 relatively easy to drive for people who had never driven a truck or bus, and the lack of a manual transmission was a major selling point. Up front, there were two seats separated by the engine hood, and the glass surrounding the cab provided unmatched visibility forward and to each side.

This is a page from a vintage Winnebago brochure about the D22. Image courtesy of Winnebago Industries.

The body was largely constructed using Winnebago’s “Thermo-Panel” system, which was essentially a sandwich of aluminum alloy on the outside, polystyrene insulation in the middle, and prefinished panels on the inside. The result was a lightweight, highly corrosion-resistant body.

In the back you will find a dinette that seats four and a table in the center, a kitchenette with two sinks, running water, a refrigerator, an oven, four gas burners, a microwave and an extractor hood. Further aft you will find a bedroom with a sofa bed and an upper bunk, the sofa folds down to form a rear bed and many owners simply leave it set up with a bed with all the bedding in place semi-permanently.

The Winnebago D22 also has a bathroom with a flush toilet, sink, and shower with hot and cold running water. It can be ordered with a home air conditioner and has home batteries that power standard outlets to operate appliances, televisions, radios, etc.

The model’s body design follows the boxy, somewhat angular styling of the company’s early travel trailers with bold, colorful graphics – almost the antithesis of the curved minimalism of the popular Airstream travel trailers with their polished aluminum bodies.

The D22 sold well for Winnebago and today it is considered one of the company’s early key models, even being mentioned on the company’s official history page.

The 1969 Winnebago D22 shown here

The Winnebago D22 motorhome you see here is a 1969 model, making it an early example from the second year of production. It appears to be in remarkably good condition, perhaps thanks to the bodywork being essentially an aluminum load-bearing shell. That said, some of the upholstery could use replacing.

The underside looks pretty good from the listing pictures, the underlying steel chassis of the Dodge Ladder can be an issue on these due to the risk of rust, so the first thing any potential owner should probably do is go under it with a flashlight and have a detailed look.

At the front, two seats are separated by the engine hood in the middle. Visibility from the cabin is excellent thanks to the greenhouse-shaped design.

Inside this D22, you’ll find a delightfully retro interior, with faux wood paneling, upholstery, curtains and 1960s carpeting. Up front, you’ll find fold-down cupholders, an AM radio and an aftermarket FM receiver.

This D22 is now offered for sale in Menasha, Wisconsin on Bring a Trailer with no reserve with a clean Wisconsin title in the seller’s name. If you would like to learn more, see more pictures, or make an offer, you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer

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