1995 Provan Tiger CX

[68camaro]

@BritKLR. Very good info, thanks for sharing. I've seen your Tiger in person and have always loved them but I wonder if a Chinook converted to 4x is not a better starting point?

86, in 2017 I Iooked at buying a new Tiger and went to factory twice to decide on either a new one or one of the two used ones they had on site. The new ones were about 140-150k all-in, the two used were priced in the 80-90k range. While still researching the rigs I happened upon the Chinook Concourses and the more I looked into these the more I liked them. In thinking it through I decided that since I am not yet retired I couldn't justify the $80-150k for a Tiger simply because it would sit way too much to justify price, so I purchased a 2001 Chinook Concourse. However, my goal is once 1-yr before retirement to seriously consider getting a Tiger.

2wd Chinooks Concourses can be had in 20's in very nice condition, 30's in super condition, 4x4's add 20-25k, Baja's in 50's unless you get lucky and are very rare, especially here on east coast. Plus you can get lounge, dining, or double bed layouts to suit your needs.

I ultimately found a E-350 2wd V10, 2001 Concourse in AR with lounge seating and love it. I looked at adding 4wd but decided the $25k wouldn't be worth it here on east coast. Our off-roads are tight with low canopy. I only needed 4x4, or thought I needed it, due to snow, mud puddles, slick fire roads etc. Once I started really studying the areas I go I realized the clearance, width and height would be limiting factor, not 4x4 capability. So I opted for an Action Van 3.5" lift with custom radius arms, valved fox shocks, steering stabilizers and Duractracs. This setup has been great getting me where I want to go, and with weight and dually set up it cuts through snow and mud pubbles or slick areas. Note I am NOT rock crawling, mudding or going to crazy places.

The Chinook is an awesome platform and the lounge seating is sooooo comfortable, with your feet up on couch/bed it's like seating in recliiner in your living room, this is biggest thing I will miss if I go to Tiger or something else, I don't see bench seating anywhere near as comfortable. Tiger I think is more capable and as stated I may still pony up, but the Chinook drives great, was made with all very high quality components and for price is great bargain and platform to customize.

Willywalderbeast has thread on his E-350 Chinook build and it is very impressive. Paul is great resource on Tigers, as you can tell (plus he make a great Toolbag roll - seriously, I love mine), and is always quick with helpful advice.

 

[86scotty]

Willywalderbeast has thread on his E-350 Chinook build and it is very impressive. Paul is great resource on Tigers, as you can tell (plus he make a great Toolbag roll - seriously, I love mine), and is always quick with helpful advice.

Yep, Willywalderbeast is who I was talking about. Also, agree on Phil's goods. I talked to him at Expo East and saw them in person. I was very impressed with how well my dual rear wheel Itasca did when I went down a couple of unknown roads.

So, who is gonna take home this beautiful Tiger?

 

[Kess]

I wrote the owner and got a first response. I wrote to get his phone number and with a few more questions but have not gotten a further response. I am stuck between a Tiger and Chinook (or maybe a van or truck camper). I want to camp in the winter in ski area parking lots and think 4x4 would be good. Still up in the air and I just keep looking for the right one to come along. I hope I find one soon so I can buy it and retire. Hoping for some time this year so I can start adventuring more and working less.

 

[Rockey709]

I ran a Carfax on it and it’s listed as a 5.7l 4x4 and has fairly good service history.
It was born In CA and at ~70,000 it went east to the Carolinas and Arkansas for most of its life. (It’s listed as a 5 owner vehicle). In 2017 it went to FL.
Cool rig. Too bad my many children would t fit... I suppose I’ll be forced to an earthroamer and 1/2 a Mil in debt lol.

 

[BritKLR]

I ran a Carfax on it and it’s listed as a 5.7l 4x4 and has fairly good service history.
It was born In CA and at ~70,000 it went east to the Carolinas and Arkansas for most of its life. (It’s listed as a 5 owner vehicle). In 2017 it went to FL.
Cool rig. Too bad my many children would t fit... I suppose I’ll be forced to an earthroamer and 1/2 a Mil in debt lol.

Great info! Looks like a nice low mileage Tiger 25 year old camper. The 5.7 has plenty of power to move it at 75 mph getting 12-14 mpg. The best mod I did to ours was a new hp cat, 4 inch exhaust and manga flow muffler. It now sounds like a 1995 corvette. Totally freaks people out the stoplights when I take off!

 

[Herbie]

@BritKLR. I'm kind of bummed to hear of the problems with Provan, I thought they were a bit better built.

To be fair to Provan, we only talk about problems like these because they are a bit better built than the average cutaway class-C. Most wood-framed cutaway RVs from the same era wouldn't have survived unscathed this long either, especially if used off-road the way the Provans were designed to be.

The beltline seam leaking is as much a maintenance issue as a design issue. If the owner has been diligent about keeping the seal intact, then water intrusion is less of an issue. As it happens, most Tiger owners seem to have been unaware of the concern or the vehicles have changed hands enough that it was always someone-else's problem, hence this being "common"/

To my mind, though, the right Tiger with some water damage would actually be an opportunity, if you could get it for the right price. Mid-90s Tigers have great bones, but they reflect the design priorities and technology of their time: Inefficient gas-absorbtion fridges, old-school Suburban furnace, and full wet-baths with giant black- and grey-water tanks. I would love to find an extended-cab 4x4 Tiger with a bunch of water problems and re-work it for overland use. I almost purchased a rig for just such a project, but the sellers were very proud of their truck (and I think the Husband had carefully priced the unit to appease his wife that he'd listed it, but to avoid actually selling it.)

 

[68camaro]

I am stuck between a Tiger and Chinook (or maybe a van or truck camper). I want to camp in the winter in ski area parking lots and think 4x4 would be good.

Over on the Chinook owners forum there is one guy in particular that uses his to sleep in ski area parking lots, almost exclusively. He never reported issues with traction, as a matter of fact he carries tire chains but never used them. He went with skinny tires which he felt were better in snow/ice. I use mine alot in sub-freezing weather, I keep temp at 68 or else it gets too warm. The Chinook is an like an upside boat hull, I think it has very good insulation quality. I don't see much snow but when I have I haven't had issues.

If the Tiger that started this thread was available when I was looking I would have checked it immediately, and at that price unless something really concerned me, I would have bought it and drove to Provan in Columbia SC to do a once over and update some things.

I will say, the owner and people at Provan are great. Someone once said when you buy one of these rigs you are buying the company that built them. I never have heard anything bad about them and I found them a genuinely good group of people.

 

[Kess]

Thanks 68camaro I appreciate hearing more about your experience with Chinooks they looks and sound good for my purposes. I like the space they offer. Joined the Chinook forum as well.

 

[BritKLR]

(and I think the Husband had carefully priced the unit to appease his wife that he'd listed it, but to avoid actually selling it.)

Wait a minute Herbie........careful now, this “husband” secret could get out to all the wives on this forum would learn the secret man club secret of “Man Secret #103 - sell our stuff to appease the wife secret” could be exposed.....lol

 

[Herbie]

Wait a minute Herbie........careful now, this “husband” secret could get out to all the wives on this forum would learn the secret man club secret of “Man Secret #103 - sell our stuff to appease the wife secret” could be exposed.....lol

In this case, it was by mutual hallucination, I think. The viewing/test drive came with a whole story about ongoing remodeling expenses, etc. They were asking more than they paid since they liked the truck so much, but it had many of the "common" issues you noted in your earlier post. As much as I saw the potential, the entry price was too high for a project.

 

[laukwantaieric]

Just came across this thread! Super insightful. I have experienced both a normal Class C and find it too big and too much things hanging in the front and on the rear. I have recently did a Class B and feel the layout is really quite narrow to spend a lot of time in it. (say 2-3 weeks trip and eventually full time)

It looks like Chinook and Tiger have the right size and exterior living space and I have around 35-45k to spend. Should I pick up a mid 2000s Chinook vs Tiger? Many thanks in advance!

 

[Herbie]

Depends on if you like the layout. We're a family of 3, so I'm only in the market for extended-cab Tigers - my daughter doesn't want to ride in the "back dinette" of a typical Class-A (and I wouldn't want her to anyhow).

I really don't understand the layout of most Chinooks. All that space, and usually you just get the one king-size bet right behind the front seats. Great for a couple, less great for a family. There are some side-entry Chinooks that have a better layout, but they're as rare as hen's teeth.