The wife and I just returned from 11,000 mile trip outside. Fairbanks to Arizona to Alabama and back, with excursions along the way. Our 1976 Dodge-based Chinook was always the oldest thing on the road with the exception of some show cars in local towns and some really old motorhomes around Quartzsite. Before leaving we did brakes, shocks, rebuilt transmission, 16" tires, etc. The biggest change was a Holley Sniper fuel injection system to replace the carburetor. Makes it run really smooth and will allow for remote start to be installed. Got two oil changes along the way. The starter went out in Louisiana and we had to be towed. Good Sam roadside assistance saved the day. 42 year old parts can break or wear out, but overall the RV performed splendidly. Easy to keep up with traffic. Best mileage seemed to be at about 55mph. 10 to 11 miles per gallon with very heavy load. Driving through Canada in January was slow going, but no incidents. Lots of fun. So yes, an older motorhome can be completely viable if you're willing to do the maintenance and upgrades.
