JRhetts
Adventurer
SOLD … … FUSO FM-260 Expedition Vehicle for Sale in Bend, Oregon
The overarching design goals were to:
• create the functional equivalent of the fabled European expedition vehicles,
• with a US-legal truck,
•at a significantly lower cost than the Euro-manufacturers.
Mission accomplished.
North America has hundreds of campers that their builders call “expedition vehicles,” but rather few have the capability, systems, comfort, storage and living space to actually support a trip of unlimited duration. This offering is an exception, having been designed and built from the ground up by an extraordinary team of engineers and craftsmen to be the best possible balance of self-sufficiency and off-pavement ability. This vehicle has already spent roughly half of its travel time in isolated off-road and off-grid situations.
ENGINEERING
The truck, drivetrain and cabin torsion-mount received hundreds of hours of engineering from Mitsubishi, Marmon-Harrington, and Dana Corporation, spearheaded by the late Darrin Fink. This diversity of input, rather than all in-house ideas and solutions, hatched a genuinely trouble-free expedition vehicle.
At the end of the design phase, the entire assembly was reviewed and approved by Mitsubishi engineering so as to fully retain the truck's 7-year/250,000 warranty, which Mitsubishi also approved commencing in 2010 when the truck was first registered for use.
TRUCK
The truck is a 2007 Class 6 Fuso FM-260. The chassis is fast enough for interstate cruising, but geared with low-range transfer case and locking rear differential so as to have no reasonable limits on off-road terrain. The Mitsubishi engine is the last NAFTA model not to require ultra-low sulfur, so there are no restrictions to international travel.
Unlike the majority of off-road camping trucks, the cabover design creates excellent driver and passenger visibility and comfort while allowing several more feet of cabin space in the modest 24- foot overall vehicle length [virtually the same as a crew cab/extended bed pickup truck].
The 41-inch Bridgestone MZX tires were carefully chosen to best balance pavement travel with the need to perform well on non-maintained tracks.
HOUSE
The cabin box [the house] was built by Martin-Marietta, specifically to fit the torsion mount on the truck.
The cabin is constructed of Transonite® composite panels, fabricated and assembled by Martin-Marietta. These panels are very lightweight, but excel in strength, durability, and insulation properties. This was an expensive choice, but the current excellent condition of the cabin shows it to have been a good choice.
There is an adult-sized passthrough between the house and the cab. There is space at the back of the truck's cab available for pets, storage, or an extra bed.
The House interior and its systems were designed by the owner and built with a team of four experienced professional RV craftsmen.
The cabin is large, light and airy, with outstanding hand-built cabinetry and top-spec appliances and equipment. It was specifically designed to be lived in for months at a time, with maximum easy-to-access internal and external storage.
The cabin has proven very livable, being ideal for a couple, but easily able to accommodate up to four people.
A great deal of internal storage is available throughout the house, in locking drawers and cabinets. The queen-size bed is the comfort equivalent of an upscale residential bed, having a comfortable latex mattress and–unlike some supposed expedition trucks–easy access and plenty of headroom. The toilet room is a fully-enclosed, private space with a shower and a residential-sized composting toilet. There is no blackwater to contend with.
The external storage is massive, in (4) locking compartments, including an enormous, 32 cuft full-width compartment at the rear. The vehicle carries two mounted spares on the rear, and can include a motorcycle rack.
On-board systems include extensive solar and battery bank capacity, water heating, water purification, a generator, large-capacity fuel tanks, and all other equipment necessary for unlimited travel and continuous off-grid living.
This truck was designed from the outset to provide the owner with the highest possible reliability and quality of life regardless of terrain, trip duration or outside conditions. Thus, each decision about construction, layout, equipment and systems was made carefully with the choices being made independent of expense. As a result, this may be one of the very best vehicles ever constructed in North America for going to remote locations, be they in Baja, the Yukon, the Mojave, or global circumnavigation [which was the original intention.]
This vehicle has been fully maintained and is registered with a clear title in Oregon. With the addition of fuel, water, and personal belongings, it could leave tomorrow for a trip of any length.
The asking price for the vehicle and numerous backup parts is $285,000. A complete Operating Manual is included, along with detailed individual manuals for all appliances and equipment.
Delivery from Bend, Oregon is negotiable.
Additional description and photographs can be found on Expedition Portal at: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/fuso-fm260-based-expedition-vehicle.219513/
The owner can supply additional detail and photographs to serious buyers.
Questions are genuinely welcome. Please contact me via the thread above or a private message with questions or proposed arrangements for a phone call in which we can discuss the performance of the vehicle in depth.
The overarching design goals were to:
• create the functional equivalent of the fabled European expedition vehicles,
• with a US-legal truck,
•at a significantly lower cost than the Euro-manufacturers.
Mission accomplished.
North America has hundreds of campers that their builders call “expedition vehicles,” but rather few have the capability, systems, comfort, storage and living space to actually support a trip of unlimited duration. This offering is an exception, having been designed and built from the ground up by an extraordinary team of engineers and craftsmen to be the best possible balance of self-sufficiency and off-pavement ability. This vehicle has already spent roughly half of its travel time in isolated off-road and off-grid situations.
ENGINEERING
The truck, drivetrain and cabin torsion-mount received hundreds of hours of engineering from Mitsubishi, Marmon-Harrington, and Dana Corporation, spearheaded by the late Darrin Fink. This diversity of input, rather than all in-house ideas and solutions, hatched a genuinely trouble-free expedition vehicle.
At the end of the design phase, the entire assembly was reviewed and approved by Mitsubishi engineering so as to fully retain the truck's 7-year/250,000 warranty, which Mitsubishi also approved commencing in 2010 when the truck was first registered for use.
TRUCK
The truck is a 2007 Class 6 Fuso FM-260. The chassis is fast enough for interstate cruising, but geared with low-range transfer case and locking rear differential so as to have no reasonable limits on off-road terrain. The Mitsubishi engine is the last NAFTA model not to require ultra-low sulfur, so there are no restrictions to international travel.
Unlike the majority of off-road camping trucks, the cabover design creates excellent driver and passenger visibility and comfort while allowing several more feet of cabin space in the modest 24- foot overall vehicle length [virtually the same as a crew cab/extended bed pickup truck].
The 41-inch Bridgestone MZX tires were carefully chosen to best balance pavement travel with the need to perform well on non-maintained tracks.
HOUSE
The cabin box [the house] was built by Martin-Marietta, specifically to fit the torsion mount on the truck.
The cabin is constructed of Transonite® composite panels, fabricated and assembled by Martin-Marietta. These panels are very lightweight, but excel in strength, durability, and insulation properties. This was an expensive choice, but the current excellent condition of the cabin shows it to have been a good choice.
There is an adult-sized passthrough between the house and the cab. There is space at the back of the truck's cab available for pets, storage, or an extra bed.
The House interior and its systems were designed by the owner and built with a team of four experienced professional RV craftsmen.
The cabin is large, light and airy, with outstanding hand-built cabinetry and top-spec appliances and equipment. It was specifically designed to be lived in for months at a time, with maximum easy-to-access internal and external storage.
The cabin has proven very livable, being ideal for a couple, but easily able to accommodate up to four people.
A great deal of internal storage is available throughout the house, in locking drawers and cabinets. The queen-size bed is the comfort equivalent of an upscale residential bed, having a comfortable latex mattress and–unlike some supposed expedition trucks–easy access and plenty of headroom. The toilet room is a fully-enclosed, private space with a shower and a residential-sized composting toilet. There is no blackwater to contend with.
The external storage is massive, in (4) locking compartments, including an enormous, 32 cuft full-width compartment at the rear. The vehicle carries two mounted spares on the rear, and can include a motorcycle rack.
On-board systems include extensive solar and battery bank capacity, water heating, water purification, a generator, large-capacity fuel tanks, and all other equipment necessary for unlimited travel and continuous off-grid living.
This truck was designed from the outset to provide the owner with the highest possible reliability and quality of life regardless of terrain, trip duration or outside conditions. Thus, each decision about construction, layout, equipment and systems was made carefully with the choices being made independent of expense. As a result, this may be one of the very best vehicles ever constructed in North America for going to remote locations, be they in Baja, the Yukon, the Mojave, or global circumnavigation [which was the original intention.]
This vehicle has been fully maintained and is registered with a clear title in Oregon. With the addition of fuel, water, and personal belongings, it could leave tomorrow for a trip of any length.
The asking price for the vehicle and numerous backup parts is $285,000. A complete Operating Manual is included, along with detailed individual manuals for all appliances and equipment.
Delivery from Bend, Oregon is negotiable.
Additional description and photographs can be found on Expedition Portal at: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/fuso-fm260-based-expedition-vehicle.219513/
The owner can supply additional detail and photographs to serious buyers.
Questions are genuinely welcome. Please contact me via the thread above or a private message with questions or proposed arrangements for a phone call in which we can discuss the performance of the vehicle in depth.
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