A very nice built FWC on Ford super duty.

[kcowyo]

Purely guessing here as I don't know the truck or the owner's motivations but I think you answered the question of why a big truck & small FWC - the weight of the utility bed.

Regarding the crew cab, I would venture a guess that it's for additional storage, not additional passengers (but maybe the 4 legged kind...?). Sounds like he likes to bring everything with him and with a small camper, where interior storage is minimal at best, he created additional storage with the back seats and utility bed.

I can't imagine anywhere out west where a full sized truck won't go that a smaller truck would....? Theoretically, a diesel with a big fuel tank will go "further" off-road, due to increased range. So I think it's about range, not technical trail capability, when he says "way off-road".

Then again, I could be completely wrong in his motivations. But for storage space, range and off-road ability, this truck makes sense in an over-the-top kinda way.

.

 

[ScottBailey]

My answers....

You know, as much as I like the look of that setup, I’m not sure I understand the reasoning.

My setup is similar--no utility bed--F350 short bed 4dr and ATC Panther. I'll take a shot at why a guy might do something like this.

1. Why put such a small camper on such a large truck? I mean, that cab will easily accommodate four large adults, but I can’t imagine the camper accommodating them. Even with two adults and two small kids, that camper would get awfully small awfully fast, wouldn’t it?

Small camper is easier to manage on and off road. Plus, It's all I need. My truck accommodates--and I put--6 in the cab. Adults and baby sleep in the camper, the older children have a tent.

Also, looks sometimes deceive. Our ATC has a comfortable 81"x83" bed.

On the other hand, I have a buddy who loved his 4 door, even though it's just him and his wife. Likes the room, I guess? Granted, he tows a BIG 5th.

2. Or, looking at it from the other end of the spectrum, why do you need such a big truck to haul such a small camper? Maybe he has it set up for towing a big honkin’ boat or something, but somehow I doubt it. Or maybe the ‘weight of a utility bed’ questions above have something to do with it…

Could be the utility bed, but let me assure you having more truck than you need is far better than needing more truck than you have. And don't forget that even small campers weigh plenty when loaded. A small FWC/ATC, gear, and passengers can quickly overwhelm the payload of a 1/2 or /14 ton truck.
Buying a 3/4 ton truck NOW assures you can pretty much due whatever you might want to do later...

I love my truck/camper in the mountains: the big diesel has PLENTY of power and the camper detracts very little from drive-ability.

I can imagine work-related reasons why you might want a lot of seating capacity without the requirement for a large living capacity, (Like a business man that needed to haul clients or workers around during the day) but:

I can’t imagine why you would want a ‘purely pleasure’ vehicle to accommodate more people in the cab than in the living space.

Why not?

Given the size of the camper, it seems like a smaller truck would get it farther off road? I mean, we’ve seen innumerable short-wheelbased vehicles with as much or more living space.

I'm not much for taking my camper hard-core off-road, but for any trail you'd want a camper on, I think truck size matters less than predictable handling. I'm thinking--but I'm not sure--an overloaded truck would be less predictable...?

If the weather is nice, you don't need much in-camper space. If it's not, you might as well head somewhere else. I'm not aware of many SWBs that have as much space, comfort, drive-ability, and durability in the same price range... Which isn't to say they don't exist...

Help me reason this out.

My truck/camper suits me: the truck is big enough for my family, the camper's furnace keeps the baby warm and the stove simplifies cooking in inclement weather (we prefer outdoor cooking).

Later, I might get a bigger camper, or maybe a 5th. If I do, I've got a truck to haul it. If not, the ATC suits me fine.

But, this setup isn't for everyone.

 

[Lynn]

Thanks, gentlemen, for broadening my horizons.

Wouldn't be my preference, but I knew that it was somebody's.

BTW, the truck in the original post is an F450, right?

 

[brut4s]

Any updates or pics of the superduty?

 

[DiploStrat]

"Expedition" vs. "Camper"

If I might chime in.

-- An "Expedition" or Overland vehicle has special requirements that don't apply to an in-country, weekend camper. Drive a US pickup in Africa and you will be carrying spare shocks, belts, ICM's and all manner of stuff. Possibly recovery tools, etc. Going further, if you loathe Jerry cans as much as I do and still need 1,000km of range in low range, then you will want big fuel and water tanks - bigger than will fit in a normal camper.

-- The result is that the ratio of truck to camper changes dramatically - you want a lot more truck. (One reason that so many start with monsters like the Unimog.) Most campers start life at the outer limits of load/suspension/tires. Take that overseas and you will understand why Algeria used to be littered with broken down and abandoned campers. What worked in US/Europe failed a few hundred kilometers down the piste.

-- Given all of this, a utility body on a US one ton pickup is a VERY slick combo as the truck may be able to carry the weight and the utility body can carry the junk. See my previous thread on this subject: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18192

A long way of saying that I find the truck in question really appealing as a two person, overland vehicle. As always - YMMV.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Any updates or pics of the superduty?

x2 bump.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

here are some more pictures ...



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[brut4s]

Thanks for more pics!

 

[Overland Hadley]

here are some more pictures ...

Thanks for the additional photos.

 

[panzer]

:drool:

 

[Carlyle]

That is a nice looking set up!

 

[hojhauler]

I just love this set-up, possibly since I own the same truck, but I had one question for you guys that have pop up campers or fwc's on your truck. With the top down and a pass through window is the back of the vehicle usable at all while actually driving? I am really looking for a solution/ options to let the three girls move around or sleep a little while driving (not much and has to be safe) on long trips...maybe I should post that question by itself in another thread

 

[kcowyo]

It's physically possible, but not safe and probably not legal in most states to ride that way.

I wouldn't let my two young children crawl back through to nap or play in the camper while I was driving. I wouldn't let an adult nap back there while driving either. But depending on the camper configuration, one could sleep in the camper, while stopped for a night, with the top down if need be.

.

 

[Northern Explorer]

It's phsically possible, but not safe and probably not legal in most states to ride that way.

I wouldn't let my two young children crawl back through to nap or play in the camper while I was driving. I wouldn't let an adult nap back there while driving either. But depending on the camper configuration, one could sleep in the camper, while stopped for a night, with the top down if need be.

.

I agree. There is a sticker in mine saying something to the effect of "do not occupy while vehicle is in motion."

 

[hojhauler]

that is what I thought and like I said before I am looking for something safe to simply lay down and stretch out while traveling. I know in Texas it is legal to ride in the back of a covered truck and there are some d.o.t. stipulations about it being legal if there are seatbelts. Class C RV's are nothing but fiberglass shells and I really would not think they would be too safe to move around in either but people do it all the time.

I am looking to this group of mobile travelers what seems to be the safest and most effective way to solve this problem since I know I am not the first one to have this situation. Is there a good option for a ambulance type box or hard shell or something other than fiberglass that I could look at?? thanks for any help or suggestions. I think I really need to start this in a new thread....moderators???