was underrated and really more like a 1^1 ⁄ 4 -
ton truck. The longer-wheelbase 1-ton SRW
and DRW versions were powered by a 226ci
flathead six with 105 hp, which provided
barely adequate power for the day and came
with either a three- or four-speed manual
transmission.
As the story is told, someone at Streamline
got the idea to try a motorhome build on an
FC-170 chassis. They mated the FC to the
Streamline Model 23—a 23-foot coach trade-
named the Duchess. It appears as though the
Duchess’ 4-inch channel frame was mated to
the FC chassis rather than extending the FC
chassis. The rear axle is “dead” and appears to
be the original trailer axle with the hydraulic
trailer brakes tied into the FC-170 system. The
Jeep’s transfer case is locked into 4-Hi and
the motorhome is front-drive only. We can
all think of the downsides in taking that path,
but it might make some sense if they were just
looking at putting something together inex-
pensively to test the concept.
It’s pretty clear this idea was never pursued,
though there were some smaller Class B
motorhomes built on FC chassis by other
manufacturers. We can think of one good
reason Streamline didn’t do it right off the
bat: The Jeep Forward Control went out of
production in 1964. A small number of FCs
were built in January of 1965 to finish off
commercial contracts and orders, but the vast
AT A GLANCE
Vehicle: ’64 Jeep FC-170/Streamline Trailer
Motorhome Conversion
Owner: Dan Horenberger
Estimated value: $10,000
Engine: Buick 300ci V-8
Power (hp): 210 @ 4,600
Torque (lb-ft): 330 @ 2,400
Bore & stroke (in): 3.75 x 3.40
Comp. ratio: 9.0:1
Transmission: Borg-Warner T-90 3-spd
Transfer case: Dana 20 2-spd
Front axle: Dana 44
Rear axle: Dead
Axle ratio: 5.38:1
Tires: 30x9.50-15
Wheelbase (in): 195So how did this one survive? According
to the late Dan Horenberger, a venerated FC
collector who passed away not long after we
photographed this rig in 2016, the prototype
was sold to an employee of Streamline. This
person was a bit of a SoCal beach bum, so
he’d drive it out to the various shoreside
areas and spend the weekends doing
whatever it is that SoCal beach bums
do. This distinctive rig is well remem-
bered by veteran beach partiers of the
’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, and it was last reg-
istered in 2008, when the original owner
died. Dan acquired it the next year and
had it in storage until 2016.
We saw it at what was going to be
the first of a new series of FC events
in Illinois put on by Dan, but sadly he
passed on shortly after the first event. He
had most of the story of this rig in his
head, and we missed out on a follow-up
interview to get more particulars. If you
happen to have any documentary pieces of the
puzzle, please contact us and pass it along. FWmajority of those sold as ’65s were leftover ’64
production. There may have been other rea-
sons more closely related to the design of the
coach. Streamline did build a limited number
of Class A coaches in the ’60s, so they didn’t
drop the idea altogether.|>The entire rig is in a state of “suspended-decay,” and still contains all the stuff left behind by the original
owner in 2008. As to the layout, it’s less than optimal by today’s standards. The engine doghouse prevents
an easy transit between front and rear, but the young and limber can do it. The driving position in an FC Jeep
is pretty nice, so it wouldn’t be a horror to go down the road by ’60s standards. The dining area was just
behind the doghouse and presumably it could turn into a bed as well.66 SEPTEMBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com
Feature Mingled DNA
<|Looks like beds for two with the option of bunk
beds. The bathroom has a shower to the left and
a toilet to the right. The Duchess had an option of
two built-in twin beds or a twin and one double.
->The interior layout is similar to the Model 23
Duchess, but the front dinette and kitchen are rear-
ranged and moved back a little from the standard-
model floor plans we’ve seen. From the kitchen
back, it’s a ringer for the Duchess.