kylethompson
Active member
Hi all. New rig time, so out with the old. (***price drop 05.24.23***) 14k or best offer, located in Ventura, CA.
Great platform for a fancy rig or go tear it up, camp and get dirty as it sits today.
partial build thread here: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...le-into-a-baja-rig.226620/page-2#post-2998697
Craigslist posting here (with more photos): https://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/d/oak-view-full-size-go-anywhere-camper/7611107685.html
Description from CL ad below - written for the CL crowd, so don't let it offend your more refined overland sensitivities
Up for sale is my "go anywhere ultimate dirtbag 4x4 camper". It has 35k original miles, a gear vendors overdrive (!), runs better like new and I am asking 25k. Currently in planned non op status as i'm not driving it currently. I start it at least 2x a week and drive it to keep fluids flowing. Registered as an RV to save on fees!
Lots of people say their rig is unique. This one really is. It started life as an M1031 military repair vehicle. The line of 80s squarebody military vehicles made by Chevreolet were called CUCV (Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle I think...). This one was designed to be a service vehicle for fixing equipment and vehicles in combat. I bought it in the first week of the covid lockdown thinking I would use some downtime to build out my ultimate solo baja rig, and I did! I bought it with 25000 original miles and have driven it another 10k since then. Took it on 4 or 5 baja missions with great success in various stages of completion and now my plans have changed. Luckily, those plans involve my wife and kids joining me on my baja adventures, so your gain isn't necessarily my loss in this case. I just can't fit 4 on the bench seat.
I chose this vehicle as a platform for a camper because it has among the most bulletproof running gear around and a dead simple diesel engine. Adding 37s and the gear vendors completely changed this rig. It's an easy freeway drive now at happy RPMs and gets way better fuel efficiency (15ish mpg, no difference offroad or on). With the added extra 25 gallon fuel tank, 5 gallon jerry can, you can get 700+ miles as long as you keep the RPMS in the happy zone (1800-2200)
I'm going to do my best to write down all the things that I've done to this vehicle, but it likely won't be complete. Depending on what level of dirtbag you are, this is anywhere from turnkey (if you're especially dirty) to "good starting point". With the exception of pooping inside, this has everything you need for weeks off the grid.
As the vehicle came to me:
FYI, it's dirty and I left it open once and water got in, so the wood for the cabover bed got some mold on it. Should be easy to swap out (it's just a rectangle of 3/4 ply) or sand it out. Interior is left to be finished up or used as is. I don't know how you want it to look inside and that's for you to figure out! That's the fun part after all...
Feel free to write with questions. Serious replies will get a phone call and we can go over all the details and arrange to see it. Located in Ventura, CA.
Great platform for a fancy rig or go tear it up, camp and get dirty as it sits today.
partial build thread here: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...le-into-a-baja-rig.226620/page-2#post-2998697
Craigslist posting here (with more photos): https://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/d/oak-view-full-size-go-anywhere-camper/7611107685.html
Description from CL ad below - written for the CL crowd, so don't let it offend your more refined overland sensitivities
Up for sale is my "go anywhere ultimate dirtbag 4x4 camper". It has 35k original miles, a gear vendors overdrive (!), runs better like new and I am asking 25k. Currently in planned non op status as i'm not driving it currently. I start it at least 2x a week and drive it to keep fluids flowing. Registered as an RV to save on fees!
Lots of people say their rig is unique. This one really is. It started life as an M1031 military repair vehicle. The line of 80s squarebody military vehicles made by Chevreolet were called CUCV (Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle I think...). This one was designed to be a service vehicle for fixing equipment and vehicles in combat. I bought it in the first week of the covid lockdown thinking I would use some downtime to build out my ultimate solo baja rig, and I did! I bought it with 25000 original miles and have driven it another 10k since then. Took it on 4 or 5 baja missions with great success in various stages of completion and now my plans have changed. Luckily, those plans involve my wife and kids joining me on my baja adventures, so your gain isn't necessarily my loss in this case. I just can't fit 4 on the bench seat.
I chose this vehicle as a platform for a camper because it has among the most bulletproof running gear around and a dead simple diesel engine. Adding 37s and the gear vendors completely changed this rig. It's an easy freeway drive now at happy RPMs and gets way better fuel efficiency (15ish mpg, no difference offroad or on). With the added extra 25 gallon fuel tank, 5 gallon jerry can, you can get 700+ miles as long as you keep the RPMS in the happy zone (1800-2200)
I'm going to do my best to write down all the things that I've done to this vehicle, but it likely won't be complete. Depending on what level of dirtbag you are, this is anywhere from turnkey (if you're especially dirty) to "good starting point". With the exception of pooping inside, this has everything you need for weeks off the grid.
As the vehicle came to me:
- 1986 M1031 CUCV, or K30 or D30 with a utility body
- Dana 60 front with locking hubs (4.56 gears)
- 14 bolt rear with detroit locker (4.56 gears)
- 6.2L NA Diesel engine
- TH400 transmission
- NP 205 transfer case with PTO
- Utility box with so many amazing storage options for water, food , clothes, tools etc.. it's great
- Gear Vendors overdrive - complete game changer for a 3 speed with offroad gearing.
- Custom oversized welded aluminum wedge camper with cabover, bed, waterproof canvas and windows
- 18k lb WARN industrial winch off an MRAP
- Custom remote and cable for safe winching from a distance
- Hybrid 12v / 24v battery system (currently have 24v only supplied to the winch, but there are both 12 and 24v busses in the engine compartment
- 100AH deep cycle battery
- offroad LED spreader lights (switchable) in front
- 8 foot awning with LEDs
- East/West bed inside in addition to the cabover bed
- 5 foot extension drawer for cooking and storage
- 16 gallon fresh water tank with pump and shower nozzle for camp showers or cooking
- RV door to the back with screen door and lock
- 4" suspension lift
- Upgraded to 37 AT tires with full size spare
- custom 37" tire carrier bolted to frame supports (this has endured hundreds of miles of intense offroading and is solid)
- solar panel that charges either camping battery or starter battery
- all rubber replaced within engine just after purchase by local diesel specialty shop
- brand new starter batteries (x2)
- new carhartt seat cover
- (uninstalled) sound deadening and custom molded floor mat for cab
- fishing rod holder (my personal favorite)
- roof racks
- hi lift jack mount
- added combo locks to all utility boxes for security while travelling
- painted desert tan for lower profile
- added manual glow plug momentary switch. the GP relay is a frequent failure on these and though it wasn't presenting any issues, I didn't want it to have issues 100 miles from nowhere
FYI, it's dirty and I left it open once and water got in, so the wood for the cabover bed got some mold on it. Should be easy to swap out (it's just a rectangle of 3/4 ply) or sand it out. Interior is left to be finished up or used as is. I don't know how you want it to look inside and that's for you to figure out! That's the fun part after all...
Feel free to write with questions. Serious replies will get a phone call and we can go over all the details and arrange to see it. Located in Ventura, CA.
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