This month’s feature brings us to the very first RV Company to have a drivable toyhauler. Four Winds International out of Elkhart, Indiana actually came into the market for a somewhat different reason. The story goes that Cruise America (a large sales and rental dealer) asked Four Winds to build them an RV with a rear garage, so that photographers for the 1996 Olympic games could film the running of the torch. Up to the task, Four Winds, already being an accomplished RV manufacturer, accepted the build, created the unit and opened the door to an entire new RV category we call “Drivable Toyhaulers.” After the Olympics they realized they had something special and went back and started to tweak the concept for consumer use. It must have been very exciting around that manufacturing facility in those early days.
Much like other toyhauler concepts, I’m sure everyone said, “It will never sell.” But, they stuck to their idea, added in the correct marketing and now with 10 years of manufacturing the Fun Mover behind them, Four Winds watched Fun Mover sales steadily grow. Not resting on their laurels, the product development continues starting with the full body paint that is now available. These units are very hot looking and you can just picture yourself going down the road in this head turning machine.
Jay Cavitt, Fun Mover product manager for Four Winds tells us that they currently offer the Fun Mover with either a Ford or a Chevrolet chassis. The Ford will have the Triton V10, while the Chevrolet will come equipped with the Vortec V8. The diesel model buyers will have to choose either the 6.6 Duramax with the Allison 1000 transmission on the Kodiak C-5500 chassis or the Ford F-750 chassis with the Caterpillar 300 and the Allison 3000 transmission. As we have said before the real advantage to the drivable versions is the ability to pull an additional trailer. If you choose the F-750 model you will be able to pull just about anything you could dream of. By our numbers, the tow capability is over 20K lbs. with the Ford F-750 chassis. Needless to say, that would be one monster trailer.
Loading comes two ways in the Fun Mover line up. You can choose a model with a hydraulic lift gate or the removable, 48” wide, aluminum, “stow-away“ ramp. This brings you to the garage where the best way to describe the area is clean and professional. The optional diamond plate floor and white cabinets always look great, and this year they offer the electric bunk for the garage. All units are eight feet wide and range from 9’5 to 13’7 feet from front to back. There is one other really cool option that is actually above the garage, that is the observation deck available on the 39 C&D. Up a ladder and through the roof top door and you find yourself with the best seat in the house—the top of your RV! Three-foot collapsible side rails allow for a fun, safe place for kids of all ages to get the best view.
Inside this hauler of fun, you have extensive standard features. The first thing you may notice on the larger models is the 84” ceiling height. This creates a very “roomy” feeling. The seating surfaces and floor covering work well together and the kitchen comes complete with stainless steel sinks, a double door refrigerator, and a convection microwave with a three-burner range top. Now, for all of you who are never satisfied with the “stock” set-up, Four Winds offers the interior with a sport package. That includes gray flooring with black leather and fabric seating and gray laminate cabinets. It all really looks great together and gives it that “racer” type feel.
The extensive options include everything from hydraulic levelers and outside entertainment systems to additional water tanks, leather seating surfaces, and of course the full body paint. Check out the feature on the following pages and if you would like more information on how you can get a Fun Mover of your own visit www.th.fourwinds-rv.com or you can call 574-266-1111.
We’re glad to see that Four Winds continued forward with their design despite the “nay sayers”. Sometimes you have to go “all in” with the best hand if you want to win, and it looks like they’re “IN”!
- THM
