The Safari Trek was a line of Motorhomes built by the Safari Motorcoach Corporation (SMC) based out of Harrisburg, Oregon. The Trek line was developed in the late 1980s with some early model prototypes. The first official model year began in 1991 and ended in 2001 under the Safari Motorcoach Corporation banner. In 2001 SMC was purchased by Monaco Coach who took over the production of subsequent model years. The early pre-Monaco Trek's now hold a venerated status among Safari RV enthusiasts-"Trekkies". This is in part due to the Trek's patented "Electro-Majic Bed" which provided for spacious floor plans. There was as well an exceptionally high build quality that used a riveted aluminum outer skin in lieu of the more popular tin or fiberglass, real hardwood cabinetry, and a small bus like design that made the Trek easy to drive and maneuver. In 2009 Monaco Coach filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy ending the "Safari Trek" line of motorhomes. The exact production numbers of the early pre-Monaco Treks have never been officially released, but estimated to be approximately 200 per year at peak production during the ten-year run. Much of this is derived from former employees and customers who took the factory tours that Safari Motorcoach Corporation would give to potential buyers. Since there is no official registry, it is difficult to know how many are still on the road today.
History
Safari Motorcoach Corporation (SMC) and the Trek line of motorhomes was the brainchild of Mat Perlot, former marketing manager for Beaver Motorcoach Corporation. When Beaver Coach decided to pass on creating a Class A motorhome with a $80,000 to $120,000 price point, Mat Perlot along with Curt Lawler, also a Beaver Coach employee, left to create Safari Motorcoach Corporation. Legend has it that Mat Perlot felt there were many young drivers who wanted a smaller RV with the same quality of the larger, higher priced units. After studying some of the space saving features of the Class C coaches like the overhead bunk, Perlot conceived of a pull down mechanical bed which would be tucked away in the ceiling when not in use. They called it the "Electro-Majic Bed". This innovation in the Class A motorhome allowed for the elimination of a separate rear bedroom and opened up space in the living quarters while maintaining a small 24 foot length. The inaugural 1991 model year also came in a 28-foot model for those who wished to have a separate rear bedroom.
Although dealers were skeptical, Mat Perlot's intention was to build an RV for weekend use and priced for volume sales. There were various technical issues to make the Electro-Majic Bed work; however, through trial and error these were resolved with the 1991 model year which had an electric motor made by Somfy that was powerful enough to raise and lower the 250 pound bed. Once the dealers started supporting this new concept and market segment, something interesting happened once the Trek's started selling. Though designed for short term weekend use with its novel bed and small footprint, a surprising number of people started using the Trek full-time and for extended time periods. Trek ownership continued to grow and soon Trek clubs started to form. Owners were proud of the quality construction and the fact that they had a 24 or 28 foot model that felt more like a 30 or 35 foot coach. The Electro-Majic Bed had become so popular among consumers that it was also added to Safari's Kalahari line of motorhomes in 1993.
Model Years
The 1991 Safari Trek was the first year of production which used the Isuzu NPR truck chassis. This was a 3.9 Liter turbocharged four cylinder diesel engine (4BD1T) with 126HP output mated to a four speed automatic Jatco transmission with overdrive. The Isuzu NPR provided 14mpg to 16mpg which was unheard of at the time for a Class A motorhome, though most owners realized more like 13 to 14 mpg. The Trek with the NPR chassis had a GVWR of 13,200 lbs with a 2,200 lbs payload. This model year came in both a 24-foot model (2400) and a 28-foot model (2830/2810) with all of the amenities known in a Class A such as shower, refrigerator, stove, microwave, sink, water heater. It had an onboard propane tank as well as generator. The electrical system was a 12 volt system with a 70 amp alternator and 1000 watt inverter.