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

{   }      Definitive Additional Materials

{ x }      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:

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   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):

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   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:

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                              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

                             P R E S S   R E L E A S E
                             -------------------------

Date:  April 17, 2000
Contact:  Wade F.B. Thompson or Peter B. Orthwein

           THOR PROPOSES TO ACQUIRE COACHMEN FOR $18 PER SHARE IN CASH
           -----------------------------------------------------------
            AND STOCK VALUED AT $289.6 MILLION; OFFER IS 41.9% ABOVE
            --------------------------------------------------------
             COACHMEN'S PRICE; TRANSACTION EXPECTED TO BE ACCRETIVE
             ------------------------------------------------------

Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE:THO) announced today that it delivered the following
letter to Ms. Claire C. Skinner,  Chairman and CEO of Coachmen Industries,  Inc.
(NYSE:COA). April 17, 2000

Ms. Claire C. Skinner, Chairman,  Coachmen Industries,  Inc., 2831 Dexter Drive,
Elkhart, IN 46515

Dear Claire:

As I have  discussed with you on a number of occasions over the last few months,
we believe that a merger of Coachmen and Thor would be in the best  interests of
our two companies.  We fail to understand  why,  despite our repeated  requests,
your Board will not negotiate with Thor concerning the transaction.

Thor is prepared to acquire all of the  outstanding  Coachmen  common  stock for
$18.00 per share, for an aggregate of $289.6 million based on outstanding shares
and  estimated  in-the-money  options at that  price.  The  consideration  would
consist of 60% in cash and 40% in Thor stock based on Friday's close of $24 7/16
(0.7366 Thor shares per Coachmen  share).  The $18 offering  price  represents a
41.9%  premium  over  Coachmen's  closing  common  stock price of $12 11/16 last
Friday.  This  transaction  would not only give your  shareholders a substantial
premium,  but also permit  them the  opportunity  to  continue  in the  combined
enterprise. Our offer is not subject to financing contingencies.

Our  $18.00  per  share  price   represents  a  compelling  value  for  Coachmen
shareholders.  Nevertheless, if you can show us additional value through the due
diligence process, which we have not previously  considered,  we would entertain
increasing our offer in the context of negotiating a definitive agreement.

Advantages of a combination with Thor

The advantages of a merger of Coachmen and Thor are significant:

o    The combined  company  would be easily the second  largest RV builder,  the
     largest  mid-size  bus  manufacturer,   and  the  largest  modular  housing
     producer.

o    We believe the  transaction  would be immediately  accretive on a pro-forma
     earnings per share basis and create  additional near term  opportunities to
     increase shareholder value as a result of:

o    significant  cost  savings  from  increased  purchasing  leverage in the RV
     industry,  an $8 billion industry with over 100  manufacturers.  We believe
     the industry will consolidate, with first-mover advantages to be gained.


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o    major  synergies due to the fit in products and  geography  between the two
     companies.  Thor's strength in towable recreation  vehicles will complement
     Coachmen's motorhome strength.

THOR'S PERFORMANCE IS EXCELLENT
- - -------------------------------

Thor has achieved an excellent  record of  profitable  growth in the  recreation
vehicle and bus industries since our founding 20 years ago.

o    We have never had a year in which we lost money.  Our diluted  earnings per
     share  have  grown from  $1.12 in fiscal  1996 to $2.52 in fiscal  1999,  a
     compound annual growth rate of 31.0%, while Coachmen's diluted earnings per
     share  have  declined  from $1.84 in fiscal  1996 to $1.80 in fiscal  1999.
     These  earnings  results were  achieved  while both  companies  had similar
     revenue growth rates during the same periods.

o    In the six months ended  January 31, 2000,  our sales were a record  $414.7
     million,  up 17% from  last  year  and our net  income  was a record  $16.4
     million,  up 32% from last year. Notably, RV income was up 37% and RV sales
     increased 18% in the latest six months.

o    Our stock should be very attractive to Coachmen shareholders,  as the ratio
     of Coachmen to Thor closing  stock prices has declined  during the last two
     years.  Specifically,  on  February  4, 1998  this  ratio was 1.26x and has
     fallen to .52x on April 14, 2000.  Thor's closing stock price has increased
     8.0%  from  $22 5/8 on  March  31,  1999 to $24  7/16 on  April  14,  2000.
     Coachmen's  closing stock price has dropped 38.1% from $20 1/2 on March 31,
     1999 to $12 11/16 on April 14, 2000.

o    We have grown through a combination of internal growth and acquisitions. We
     have skillfully integrated our acquisitions into existing operations and we
     would do the same with Coachmen.

As you know,  we are already a leading  employer in northern  Indiana with about
1,200 employees located in the Elkhart, Goshen,  Middlebury, and Syracuse areas.
We are  strongly  committed  to these  communities  as  evidenced  by the  major
investments in state-of-the-art  facilities recently completed at Four Winds and
Dutchmen.

While our  proposal is subject to  execution  of  definitive  documentation  and
confirmatory  due  diligence,  we believe  that we can move  quickly to complete
these items and  consummate  the  transaction.  We and our  financial  and legal
advisors,  BMO Nesbitt Burns Corp. and Akin, Gump, Strauss,  Hauer and Feld, are
ready to meet with you at any time and place at your earliest convenience.

As I have  stated  several  times  to  you,  we  wish  to  complete  a  friendly
transaction.  In that  spirit,  should  you or any member of your Board have any
questions about our offer,  please feel free to give me a call.  Because we feel
strongly that this is a transaction  we must pursue,  we have concluded that the
stockholders  of both  Coachmen  and Thor should be  informed of this  proposal.
Therefore, we will release the text of this letter to the business wires.

Sincerely,

Wade F. B. Thompson
Chairman

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                                      * * *

         This  release  includes  "forward  looking   statements"  that  involve
uncertainties and risks.  There can be no assurance that actual results will not
differ from Thor's expectations.  Factors which could cause materially different
results include,  among others,  the success of new product  introductions,  the
pace of acquisitions  and cost structure  improvements,  competitive and general
economic  conditions,  and the other risks set forth in Thor's  filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

         This press  release  and  certain  other  communications  made by or on
behalf of Thor may constitute a solicitation. Thor intends to make a preliminary
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of proxy materials.  Thor has
not yet  filed  such  materials.  Shareholders  are  advised  to read the  proxy
statement and other  documents  related to any proxy  solicitation  by Thor when
they become  available  because they will contain  important  information.  When
completed,  a definitive  proxy  statement and related proxy  materials  will be
mailed to  shareholders  of Coachmen  and will be  available at no charge on the
Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov.

         Thor  and  certain  other  persons  named  below  may be  deemed  to be
"participants"  (as such term is defined in Schedule 14A  promulgated  under the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended)  in  any  solicitation.   The
participants in this solicitation may include the following  executive  officers
of Thor: Wade Thompson and Peter Orthwein. As of the date of this communication,
Thor and Peter  Orthwein may be deemed the  beneficial  owner of 466,300 and 300
shares of common  stock of  Coachmen,  respectively,  and Mr.  Thompson  and Mr.
Orthwein may be deemed to beneficially own  approximately  4,536,930 and 639,100
shares of Thor common stock, respectively.

         In  addition  to  any  solicitations  that  may be  made  by any of the
above-referenced  persons,  Thor has  retained  D.F.  King & Co.,  Inc.  and BMO
Nesbitt  Burns Corp.  ("BMO Nesbitt  Burns") to act as advisors.  D.F. King is a
proxy  solicitor that may provide  solicitation  services with respect to banks,
brokers,  institutional  investors and individual shareholders for which it will
receive  customary  compensation.  Employees  of D.F.  King may  communicate  in
person, by telephone or otherwise with persons who are shareholders of Coachmen.
BMO  Nesbitt  Burns is an  investment  banking  firm  that  provides  a range of
financial services for institutional and individual  clients. In connection with
BMO Nesbitt Burns'  engagement as financial  advisor to Thor,  Thor  anticipates
that with  respect to any  solicitation  the  following  employee of BMO Nesbitt
Burns may communicate in person, by telephone or otherwise with a limited number
of  institutions,  brokers or other persons who are shareholders for the purpose
of assisting in such proposed solicitation: Steven Knoop. BMO Nesbitt Burns does
not believe that it or any of its directors,  officers,  employees or affiliates
is a "participant"  as defined in Schedule 14A or that Schedule 14A requires the
disclosure of participant  information  regarding BMO Nesbitt Burns. BMO Nesbitt
Burns will not receive any fee for, or in  connection  with,  such  solicitation
activities,  apart from the fees to which they are otherwise  entitled under the
terms of their  engagement.  Thor has agreed to pay BMO Nesbitt Burns  customary
compensation for acting as financial advisor to Thor in this transaction and has
agreed to provide BMO Nesbitt Burns and certain  persons  related to BMO Nesbitt
Burns with customary  indemnification  against  certain  liabilities,  including
certain  liabilities  under the  federal  securities  laws,  arising out of this
engagement.  An  affiliate  of BMO Nesbitt  Burns  provides  commercial  lending
services to Thor. In the ordinary course of its business,  BMO Nesbitt Burns may
trade securities of Coachmen or Thor for its own account and the accounts of its
customers,  and  accordingly,  may at any time hold a long or short  position in
such  securities.  BMO  Nesbitt  Burns has  informed  Thor that,  as of the date
hereof,  it does  not hold any  shares  of  Coachmen  common  stock  for its own
account.  BMO Nesbitt Burns and/or certain of its affiliates may have voting and
dispositive  power with respect to certain shares of Coachmen  common stock held
in asset management, brokerage and other accounts. BMO Nesbitt Burns and each of
its affiliates disclaim beneficial ownership of such shares.


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