Need Your Help: Seeking a Specific type of 4x4 Class C?

[Northcountrylife]

Hey crew!

Hopefully you can help me, and I truly hope this is the right section for this discussion. I'm looking for a True Off Grid Capable Truck based camper. I know of a few manufacturers/models some no longer made etc and wanted to see i'm missing any or if anyone knows of any for sale.

My Wants:
Preowned
Truck based i.e F550
4x4
Diesel
Cabover Sleeping Only (so most likely a quad cab, seems only the 4 door trucks offer this) want maximum floor space
Dry Bath
Pass Through
Slides
Storage
Ideally a separate Sofa from the dinnete
Would prefer less than 30 ft but am open

Budget Range Max prob 150k


Campers I've found or know about that kind of fit the bill

1. Host 270
2. Host 330 (love the idea of the toy garage layout for hauling gear or another set of wheels etc, but it's awfully long)

The Hosts seem to have stopped being made in 2010? Would prefer newer if possible

3. Fraserway Unbound Freedom/ Overlander My fav layout wise, VERY hard to find in the US. Found one in Canada 6 months ago but was a nightmare trying to talk to them or get the deal done.

Don't really like the Tigers

I plan on lifting and putting LARGE AT's or offroad tires on whatever rig I wind up with unless already done like the Overlander version

If you guys know of any other vehicles that fit the bill, please let me know would greatly appreciate it! And if you know of an Overlander for sale in the states I'd be in debt to ya. Thanks in Advance!

 

[68camaro]

FWIW, 4x4 Chinook Concourses were built on E-450 chasis, these are van not truck chasis but may give you what you want for much lesser money...for even less you can covert 2WD Chinook's built on E-350 chasis to 4wd.

Both options should be in 50k range.

 

[mexjtc]

Xplorers are cool. https://www.xplorermotorhome.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Northcountrylife]

bump any other suggestions please? Nothing else out there?

 

[martinf]

There are not that many options outside the ones you already mentioned.
Maybe you could find a used Earthcruiser EXD or XP camper for slightly above your price point.
There was an older earthroamer on the "for sale" section for 95k.

 

[1000arms]

... any other suggestions please? ...

Many people wind up building their own because of the lack of options for what you want for the price you listed.

US $150,000 would get you a new Ford 4x4 XL F-350/450/550/600 and a new flatbed truck camper.

About $51,000 for a new F-350 XL 4x4 CCLB DRW 7.3L gas with 4.30 limited slip. Another $8,800 if you go diesel.

There are a number of frame lengths available depending on the truck model.

The current 7.3L "Godzilla" gas engine combined with the deepest gears would likely serve you very well, but, you could get the diesel engine if you still want it after checking out the Godzilla 7.3L gas.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2019/08/01/ford-73-liter-V8-best-in-class-gas-power-torque-heavy-duty-pickup.html

Depending on your size, you might be able to simply remove the rear window and create a "crawl through".

Duramag truck bed/body is in Maine, and offers custom work.

Aluminum Flatbed Truck Bodies and Beds - DuraMag Bodies

Flatbed Aluminum Truck Bodies from Duramag

duramagbodies.com

Custom Truck Bodies - Duramag

Custom Truck Bodies from Duramag

duramagbodies.com

You could build your own camper with a Bahn shell. Shell starting at $35,000

Strong, Light-weight Truck Campers | BAHN Camper Works

BAHN Camper Works, located in Hood River, OR, reinvents the truck camper using innovative composites to create a stronger, lighter, seamless camper shell.

www.bahncamperworks.com

Alaskan Camper flatbed models are a $1600 option. Scroll down on:

Alaskan Campers | Telescopic Truck Campers

Discover 60+ years of quality with Alaskan Campers. Explore remote spots in comfort and style with the original telescopic camper. Get a quote today!

alaskancampers.com

TCM EXCLUSIVE: 2018 Alaskan Flatbed Side Entry Camper

Alaskan debuts the Alaskan Flatbed Side Entry, a hard side pop-up with an all-new side entry floor plan.

www.truckcampermagazine.com

Flatbed Truck Camper Tops | Hallmark RV

Custom pop-up camper tops for flatbed trucks at Hallmark RV. Built to last and designed for ultimate comfort.

www.hallmarkrv.com

There are other flatbed camper manufacturers. I just listed the above to give you ideas.

 

[Northcountrylife]

thank you guys I appreciate it. Do you not think there should be more offerings in this space? I think it could be a popular option if people really understood the possibilities etc?

 

[grindmonkey]

Just a word of caution before thinking Bahn is a cost effective source. 35k get a you a shell with no insulation.... not even paint. Literally a raw fiberglass shell. Plan another 30k-50k if you want something you can build in. (Think painted, windows, structural mounting points, somewhat insulated/semi finished interior ready for cabinets and other items).

For the price I would 110% go for Total Composites over Bahn of you are building it out. You know what you are getting with Total Compoaites and it is insulated and ready for build out.

If you want a fiberglass built out camper go for Northern lite or Bigfoot as their fully built and optioned campers are thousands cheaper than even a workable shell from Bahn.

 

[86scotty]

OP, one thing you mentioned that caught my attention is slides. You will hardly, if ever, see that on a truly capable expedition vehicle. Just doesn't work, they are too heavy and hard to seal and generally don't work out that well with a flexing offroad vehicle. I'm sure it's been done but I wouldn't want to own it, expecially after a few years.

EDIT: And just like that, here the world comes to prove me wrong, or at least try. Here is everything you asked for, even barely fits your budget:

2019 Ford F550 4x4 expedition vehicle w/ full integrated camper

2019 F550 4x4 with full Overland integrated camper, it has a pass through to go from the cab, to the living quarters. -6.7l Powerstroke Turbo diesel -4x4 -26,000 KILOMETERS 16,000 miles -Located in BC, Canada -Financing available to Canadians -Onboard genset, with AC -245/70/19.5 off road tires...

expeditionportal.com

 

[zb39]

I ordered new. Ram 5500 and Host Cascade with flat bed. Also had front and rear Kelderman 4 link air ride put on. 3 pre set ride heights and I can level from inside the camper.

 

[jinbtown]

Hey crew!

Hopefully you can help me, and I truly hope this is the right section for this discussion. I'm looking for a True Off Grid Capable Truck based camper. I know of a few manufacturers/models some no longer made etc and wanted to see i'm missing any or if anyone knows of any for sale.

My Wants:
Preowned
Truck based i.e F550
4x4
Diesel
Cabover Sleeping Only (so most likely a quad cab, seems only the 4 door trucks offer this) want maximum floor space
Dry Bath
Pass Through
Slides
Storage
Ideally a separate Sofa from the dinnete
Would prefer less than 30 ft but am open

Budget Range Max prob 150k


Campers I've found or know about that kind of fit the bill

1. Host 270
2. Host 330 (love the idea of the toy garage layout for hauling gear or another set of wheels etc, but it's awfully long)

The Hosts seem to have stopped being made in 2010? Would prefer newer if possible

3. Fraserway Unbound Freedom/ Overlander My fav layout wise, VERY hard to find in the US. Found one in Canada 6 months ago but was a nightmare trying to talk to them or get the deal done.

Don't really like the Tigers

I plan on lifting and putting LARGE AT's or offroad tires on whatever rig I wind up with unless already done like the Overlander version

If you guys know of any other vehicles that fit the bill, please let me know would greatly appreciate it! And if you know of an Overlander for sale in the states I'd be in debt to ya. Thanks in Advance!

You're missing a bunch. I'm not going to cherry pick which ones "exactly" fit all your specs, you can figure out where you need to make concessions, since you are 100% going to be making concessions, but here's a list to get you started:

Xplorer Xcursion, come in a few different lengths and different chassis. They are currently on hiatus as of October '21 because of a lack of hirable skilled help to build them. Owner is pursuing "other ventures" right now. // Xplorer homepage

The Serro Scotty / Serro Scotty Hilander, these were often 12V cummins and 4x4, but not always. I've seen 2wd and gas // Serro Scotty Hilander

The Adventurer Quad 4. These are Canada only, Fraserway can sell you one after they've rented it out. Same manufacturer as Eagle Cap, Adventurer, Overlander, etc. One of these was just for sale a few days ago at Fraserway for ~$90k US, now marked as sold // Adventurer Quad 4

Dynamax Isata. These were made all the way back to the mid 2000's but continue to present. F550 chassis, now Ram 5500. // Dynamax Isata 5

Nexus Rebel 4x4. Usual suspects. Believe these came on F550 at one point. Indiana RV manufacturer, building an RV on a Chevy 4500. // Nexus Rebel

Thor Omni. Woof. // Thor Omni

Thor Majestic. Back in the day, only on F350 chassis, not sure if they ever even made a 2005 version. Only gas. But they're cheap, and you could rebuild the coach, rebuild the chassis, diesel swap, etc, with a minimum of custom work if you were motivated enough. Or had a good builder. Not all came with the front cabover window, but a lot did. They were rental units as well // Thor Majestic 23P