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EXHIBIT 5

                            Dykema Gossett Letterhead


                                 April 23, 2001



Champion Enterprises, Inc.
2701 Cambridge Ct., Suite 300
Auburn Hills, Michigan  48326


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have served as counsel to Champion Enterprises, Inc. (the "Company")
in connection with the preparation of Amendment No. 3 to the Registration
Statement (Form S-3) to be filed by the Company on March 23, 2001, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
representing the issuance in the manner described in the Registration Statement
of 1,000,000 options (the "Options") to purchase shares of the Company's Common
Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock") and 1,000,000 shares of
the Company's Common Stock, pursuant to the Salesperson Retention Plan.

         We have examined and relied upon the originals, or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such corporate records, documents,
certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or
appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below.


         Based upon such examination and our participation in the preparation of
the Registration Statement, it is our opinion that (1) the Company is duly
incorporated and validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of Michigan, (2) the Common Stock, when issued in the manner described in
the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, and (3) the Options constitute legally binding obligations of the
Company.


         We consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement.

                                Very truly yours,

                                DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC

                                /s/ D. RICHARD MCDONALD

                                D. Richard McDonald