This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy.

See Inside This Rare 1964 Clark Cortez RV

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Matt and Amanda from The Van Project travel full-time in a self-renovated 1964 Clark Cortez RV.  This classic motorhome had been built from 1963 to 1979 by the Clark Forklift Company, with only 3,211 units ever sold and about 1,800 still around today.

van
Their 1964 Clark Cortez conversion. All photos via Dylan Magaster (Youtube)

The couple, tired of paying the high rent in Silicon Valley, found this rare vehicle from a Cortez group online and fell in love with its classic looks.  It was also still in good, running condition and reasonably priced at only $7,500.

RV
They added a custom hitch receiver on the front to hold their bikes.

They bought the classic RV right away and gave it a complete interior makeover.  The RV was furnished with a large queen-size bed, a small toilet, and an on-demand hot water heater.

Sign up for the newsletter today!

Please enter a valid email address.

An error occurred. Please try again later.

× logo

Thank you for subscribing to the Do It Yourself RV newsletter, keep your eye on your inbox for updates.

RV
The cozy interior.

In the kitchen, they added a two-basin sink, fridge, and two-burner propane stove.  The cutting board can easily fit over the sink in case they need more counter space for cooking.

RV
A cozy place to cook meals.

The steering wheel and dash still have the same vintage look.  The driver seat swivels around and the front passenger seat folds down into a bed.  They added lots of overhead compartments and drawers throughout for storage and even a small bookshelf.

RV
Looking towards the front.

The exterior got some upgrades as well.  They installed a hitch receiver on the front to hold their bikes, and converted the propane storage into a solar battery compartment to house their 12-volt deep-cycle batteries and repair tools.

RV
The rear door and spare tire around back.

Matt and Amanda give a full tour in this video produced by Dylan Magaster.

You can learn more about Matt and Amanda’s adventures on their Youtube channel, The Van Project.  To see more videos from Dylan Magaster, check out his Youtube channel.

See also: A Look Inside This Transformed 1950 Bedford OB Bus




1 thought on “See Inside This Rare 1964 Clark Cortez RV”

  1. This is a great rig. They were used by NASA among others and a product of the Clark Forklift Company to begin with…The Cortez reminds me of the Amigo that my friend’s company built frames for back in the day. One of my friends growing up owned the Hellwig company. I grew up with their youngest son. They had an Amigo (again very much like the Cortez) wore well and was very well suited to fixing up. We played waterpolo and his parents took us everywhere for tournaments back in the day. Witch a quarter million miles on it their oldest son took over ownership and it continued to be in use. The open feel and maneuverability of this general design concept of both the Cortez and Amigo had to have impacted Safari Trek’s design (which to me is a Cortez with bells and whistles) which are now considered very collectible. Great article.

Leave a Comment

Welcome! Please follow these guidelines:

  • Be kind and respectful.
  • Keep comments relevant to the article.
  • Avoid insults, threats, profanity, and offensive remarks.
  • Refrain from discussing gun rights, politics, or religion.
  • Do not post misleading information, personal details, or spam.

We may hide or remove comments at our discretion.