SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)
                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant {   }

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant {x}

Check the appropriate box:

{   }      Preliminary Proxy Statement

{   }      Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as Permitted by Rule
           14a-6(e)(2))

{   }      Definitive Proxy Statement

{ x }      Definitive Additional Materials

{   }      Soliciting Material Under Rule 14a-12


                            COACHMEN INDUSTRIES, INC
                (NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

                              THOR INDUSTRIES, INC.
                   (NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING PROXY STATEMENT,
                            IF OTHER THAN REGISTRANT)

               Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

{ x }      No Fee required.

{   }      Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
           0-11:

   1)      Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 ............................................................................

   2)      Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

 .............................................................................

   3)      Per unit  price or other  underlying  transaction  computed  pursuant
           to Exchange  Act Rule 0- 11 (set  forth  the  amount  on which  the
           filing  fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

 .............................................................................

   4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:



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     Total fee paid:

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{  }       Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

{  }       Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided  by  Exchange
           Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify  the filing for which the offsetting
           fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
           statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.


  1)       Amount Previously Paid:

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  2)       Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

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  3)       Filing Party:

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  4)       Date Filed:

 .............................................................................








                            [THOR INDUSTRIES, INC. ]
      419 West Pike Street o P.O. Box 629 o Jackson Center, Ohio 45334-0629
                     Phone: 937-596-6849 o Fax: 937-596-6539


                                                                  April 28, 2000

Dear Fellow Shareholder of Coachmen Industries, Inc.:


         On April 17, 2000, Thor made a proposal to Coachmen Industries, Inc. to
acquire all of the  outstanding  Coachmen  common  stock for $18 per share.  The
proposed  consideration  would consist of 60% cash and 40% Thor stock based upon
Thor's  closing  price of $24 7/16 on April 14, 2000  (resulting  in an exchange
ratio of 0.7366 Thor shares for each Coachmen share exchanged  entirely for Thor
stock).

         Our offer is not subject to financing  contingencies.  The $18 offering
price  represents a 41.9%  premium over  Coachmen's  closing  stock price of $12
11/16 on April 14, 2000. We believe that our offer is of compelling  interest to
shareholders of Coachmen,  but as of today,  the Coachmen Board has rejected our
offer.

            YOUR BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  DOES NOT WANT TO DISCUSS OUR $18 PER SHARE
OFFER.


         We believe that the  executives  of Coachmen are not acting in the best
interests  of the  Coachmen  shareholders  by failing to  explore  this  merger.
You-the  stockholders of Coachmen-are the true owners of Coachmen and it is your
preference  that  matters.  You  can  send a  strong  message  to  the  Coachmen
executives  that you want them to  negotiate  a merger  with Thor by taking  the
following  action at the annual meeting of Coachmen to be held on May 4, 2000 at
Christiana  Creek Country Club,  116 West Bristol  Street,  Elkhart,  Indiana at
10:00 a.m.:

           WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ALL NAMED DIRECTOR NOMINEES.

             VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF COACHMEN'S 2000 OMNIBUS STOCK
                               INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

         Enclosed  is our Proxy  Statement  for the  Annual  Meeting  containing
information concerning our proposal, which we urge you to review carefully. Also
enclosed is a BLUE proxy card which you can use to vote TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to
vote for the director  nominees and AGAINST  approval of the 2000 Omnibus  Stock
Incentive Plan.

         Because of the short  period of time  between the date on which Thor is
first  distributing  this Proxy  Statement and the scheduled date for the Annual
Meeting,  it is possible  that  shareholders  of Coachmen  will not receive this
Proxy Statement and the  accompanying  BLUE proxy card in time to have the proxy
card returned prior to the Annual Meeting.  As a result, Thor urges shareholders
to VOTE TO WITHHOLD  AUTHORITY for the election of the director  nominees at the
annual  meeting and AGAINST the 2000 Omnibus Stock  Incentive  Plan BY USING THE
PROXY CARD THAT WAS SENT BY  COACHMEN  along  with  Coachmen's  proxy  statement
regarding the annual meeting.




         If you have any  questions  or require any  additional  information  in
connection  with this Proxy  Statement or need assistance in voting your shares,
please  contact D.F.  King & Co. at the address and  telephone  number set forth
below.  If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage  firm or bank nominee
or other  institution,  only  they can vote  your  shares.  Accordingly,  please
contact the person  responsible for your account and give  instructions for your
shares to be voted.

                              D.F. King & Co., Inc.
                                 77 Water Street
                                   20th Floor
                            New York, New York 10005
                            Toll Free: 1-888-242-8149
                 Banks and Brokers call collect: (212) 269-5550


   Thank you for your support.

                                               Sincerely,
                                               THOR INDUSTRIES, INC.


                                               Wade F. B. Thompson