SOLD: 2003 Ford F-250 7.3L Diesel 4x4, 2020 Overland Explorer CAMP-HBE Camper

rB5

New member
This 2003 F-250 diesel 4x4 flatbed truck with only 122k miles and Overland Explorer Vehicles 4-season flatbed camper represents many hours of thought, from choosing the truck platform to selecting the best camper unit for the money. Barely used since built, this 4-season go-anywhere expedition rig is ready to take you up to Alaska, down to Tierra del Fuego, or anywhere in between. This rig is ready to start your adventure without any of the long waitlists that new campers have. Alas, life changes have resulted in my decision to sell without fully adventuring with it.

My Goals for this Camper Build:
  1. Reliability and parts/service availability – I wanted a base truck that has proven reliability for the long haul. When traveling in rural areas, if maintenance or repairs are needed, a Ford dealership or independent service shop that knows these trucks well and carries common parts is never too far away.
  2. Remote comfort and capability – All of the comforts of home on a truck that can be maneuvered in cities or forest roads. Additional bonus is towing an additional 10,000+ lbs with the camper mounted.
  3. Value – This package costs less than any brand-new truck or van alternatives with comparable living accommodations. A bonus is that the F-250 with the 7.3L diesel is appreciating in value (because of its reputation and capabilities) as opposed to any newer vehicle that will be depreciating for years to come. When not traveling, unmount the camper (<30min. procedure) and use the truck’s flatbed payload and towing capabilities to haul nearly anything.
The Truck
This first-generation Ford F-250 Super Duty with 7.3L V8 diesel has legendary lifetime performance and reliability. Known to last 500,000 miles or more, this one with 122k miles has many more miles of exploration. I’m only the second owner (not incl. dealer whom I bought it from) and original owner had it until 2020 and kept every single record during his ownership, showing all regular maintenance (see photos). This was the cleanest first-generation Super Duty with 7.3 liter diesel that I found in my long search and represents the last year Ford offered the 7.3 diesel (Ford’s newly-released 6.0 liter was an option later in the 2003 model year, which proved to be problematic). These are widely regarded as the most reliable Ford diesel and will run on nearly any diesel fuel (it doesn’t require low sulfur diesel or DEF fluid that newer diesel trucks need) for exploring areas that may not always have low sulfur diesel, like remote Mexico.
  • 122k original miles
  • One owner until 2020, always a California truck
  • All maintenance and repair records since new
  • Original Monroney window sticker, owner’s manuals and sales brochure
  • Official Ford shop manual set (5 books)
  • Clean title, no accidents
  • No rust anywhere on the truck; all original paint in very good condition with minor rock chips
  • Recent service items:
    • July 2021, 119k miles – Engine oil and filter change; fuel filter replaced; rear differential service; transmission service (fluid and filter)
    • Feb 2021, 117k miles – Remanufactured alternator; new upper radiator hose, upgraded to dual alternator style that doesn’t require removal to change serpentine belt
    • Aug 2020, 112k miles – New shocks; new tires; 2x new Interstate [type] batteries
  • Mechanical details:
    • Toyo Open Country A/T II, LT285/75R-16 installed Aug 2020
    • Ford FX4 Offroad package
    • Sumo Springs front (1,000 lbs. capacity) and rear (3,000 lbs. capacity) – additional support for the camper
    • Factory towing package with aftermarket trailer brake controller – approx. 10,000 lbs. max. towing capacity with fully loaded truck and camper.
    • 46 gallon Transfer Flow fuel tank provides a 600+ mile range per tank full.
    • Mag-Hytec transmission pan and differential cover
    • Aluminum OEV Aluma tray installed as a package with the OEV Camp-HBE (see details on both below)
    • Viair 2on2 dual-compressor with tank – not mounted, in excellent condition.
  • Interior:
    • Excellent condition grey cloth interior (always had seat covers on them), 60/40/60 split front bench seat
    • No odors, never smoked in
    • Rear folding bench seat included (currently removed for additional cargo area)
    • All switches function as they should
    • Dash and trim in excellent condition – no cracks, stains or missing pieces
    • Pioneer AVH-3500NEX folding head unit with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth and rear camera integration
    • Auxiliary gauges: transmission temp., pyrometer (exhaust temp.), turbo boost
The Camper
This specific CAMP-HBE was their first production unit (can be seen in photos on their website) and has a slightly different layout than current 2022 models; I haven't been in a 2022 but can speculate that I would like the floor plan of this first one better due to the combined shower and toilet enclosure rather than the 2022's shower pan in between the dinette seats. I’ve owned several truck-based camper setups, including a Four-Wheel Camper which I completely rebuilt and the build quality and materials that Overland Explorer uses is far superior, providing a comfortable rolling home that’s well-insulated, relatively lightweight and removable when not needed. The included Aluma series aluminum flatbed tray was designed and built by OEV to serve as the perfect platform for the CAMP-HBE.
  • Sleeps 2-4 adults – queen-size cabover bed plus converting dinette
  • 2x 10 lbs propane bottles
  • Truma Combi furnace and water heater runs on propane, electricity or combination of both
  • 35 gallon fresh water tank
  • 15 gallon grey water tank
  • Interior shower enclosure with curtain; exterior hot water/shower port
  • Cassette toilet, flushing
  • 2-burner propane stove and sink with covers
  • 180w solar panel and 100Ah AGM battery
  • Redarc Manager 30 with interior display
  • OEV heavy-duty folding ladder ($750 option) housed in its own lockable, integrated compartment in the tray’s headache rack
  • Rear MOLLE rack with ladder, made specifically for the CAMP series by Overland Expedition Vehicles. Not shown in photos because hasn't been mounted to the camper yet but will be before delivery.
2020 Aluma Tray – 6.75’ bed equivalent
Designed specifically for the OEV Camp-HBE flatbed camper and installed as a package in Dec. 2020. On par with the high quality of the CAMP-HBE, the Aluma tray was designed as the perfect match. Overall, tray is in excellent condition with no dents or marks.
  • Heavy-duty rubber surface for hauling and securing heavy loads
  • “L-track” tie-down rails along the whole length of the tray with movable anchors for securing loads when camper is not mounted
  • 4 lockable storage cabins under the tray
  • Headache rack (lockable) for storing the included folding stairs
  • Large slide-out rear drawer also works great as an exterior table
  • Powder-coated satin black finish throughout
Link to view all photos.
I'd very much prefer selling the entire setup together but may consider splitting.
Huntington Beach, CA USA
SOLD
 

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Last edited:

rB5

New member
Bump.

I was only able to do a few trips (less than 3 nights on each) and this CAMP-HBE is still in like-new condition.
These extras will be included with sale (I updated the original post):
Rear MOLLE rack with ladder, made specifically for the CAMP series by Overland Expedition Vehicles. It hasn't been mounted to the camper yet but will be before delivery.
Viair 2on2 dual-compressor with tank – not mounted, in excellent condition.

Screen Shot 2022-03-17 at 9.13.32 AM.png
 
Last edited:

Recurve

New member
Nice looking setup. What is the factory gvwr for this truck and what is approximate weight of the camper? Was the replacement of the original bed with the flatbed a wash, weight-wise? Height of camper when closed?
 

rB5

New member
@Recurve Ford rated GVWR at 8,800 lbs., GCVWR is 20,000 lbs.
Camp-HBE dry weight is 1,550 lbs. I estimated the whole rig, wet (including full 46g of diesel) and packed is around 8,300 lbs.
It all sits about 8'-8" tall.
 

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