What is your ultimate full time overland rig, not a weekend warrior or road tripper, the Ultimate long term full time rig?
A converted International or Frieghtliner Ambulance.
Full time I'd not be on the Rubicon or Hells Revenge so 4WD would not be a requirement but I'd want to stick with rear duals.
Starting with an ambulance means way more electrical than I'd ever need.
A solid commercial body with lots of exterior storage.
Air and heat already installed in the box.
Plus plenty of payload and power.
Chassis wise, raise it a bit, maybe more rubber, a regear and locker, and modify the rear overhang, but compared to the other choices those are pretty minor mods.
Full time I'd not be on the Rubicon or Hells Revenge so 4WD would not be a requirement but I'd want to stick with rear duals.
Starting with an ambulance means way more electrical than I'd ever need.
A solid commercial body with lots of exterior storage.
Air and heat already installed in the box.
Plus plenty of payload and power.
Chassis wise, raise it a bit, maybe more rubber, a regear and locker, and modify the rear overhang, but compared to the other choices those are pretty minor mods.
Last edited:
I am truck and pop-top guy, on a 3/4 or 1 ton, 4x4 with lockers and a 8 foot bed. Easy and comfortable. Everything is a compromise.
Last edited:
I agree on the full size domestic trucks. A 3/4 or 1 ton truck (although I’d stick with the 6-1/2’ box for better maneuverability).
Assuming most of the driving is on this continent
- Parts are easy to come by and relatively cheap
- If equipped with a diesel engine you’ll never worry about shortage of power or fuel economy
- If equipped with a solid front axle the suspension can handle most anything and is dead nuts simple
- Very comfortable to drive and a spacious seating area
- Reasonably large fuel tank (which can be easily upgraded for even more capacity)
And they’re big enough to haul anything most overlanders need.
This is a question we've been throwing around at our home for the past year or so, with a goal of moving from our the present Tundra and Foyr Wheel Camper to something that can be used for both camping trip and longer multi-month excursions and travels around North America. Any way I slice it I keep coming back to a good capable truck and equally capable standard hard side camper. We want to be in a position to camp during all 4 seasons, follow logging roads to those great forestry and recreation campsites we have here in BC, be fairly capable off-road on the sort of roads we know we will be travleing, and have the ability to remove our living quarters from our truck if we are camping in one place for longer periods of time. I have abosultely no interest in a pull behind trailer, our Four Wheel Camper has been (and continues to be) amazing, but it is lacking in the added space and more amenities that we want as we move into something that fits all our future requirements. Having the ability to both choose our drive train and camper seperatley (and be able to change one or the other down the road without having to change a single unit), along with the ability to drop our living space at a campsite (or at home when not needed) is huge. While we have not finalized specifics, and are in the initial thought process right now, I am leaning towards either a Northern Lite of Bigfoot camper (both true 4-season capable, and both manufactured "locally" within 1 to 2 hours of my home). Depending on camper size we decide, right now I'm eyeballing F-450's for a larger camper, and F-350' srw shortbox for smaller campers. That's where we are right now anyways.
Everything is a compromise. The 8’ just that more living space. I am going to do the southern part of the Pan American in a slide in or a flatbed. Trying to figure it out now.
Member III
Advocate I
I think it depends on what you want out of it, in particular where you want to drive. I like the idea of an ambulance also, but I would opt for an old Land Rover one. It can go many places that the Earth Roamer or Unimog will never get, manly due to size not capability. Would I take it on Hell's Revenge? I think not(however it can go to Moab). However it can go on 6 continents of the World, traversing most dirt roads and trails. Sportmobile's were a good option until they put such huge engines in them.
North America, any full size pickup even in 2wd will go most places. If you want to get into the deep, 4x4 is a must.
North America, any full size pickup even in 2wd will go most places. If you want to get into the deep, 4x4 is a must.
Imagine a flatbed and a Bundutec tray camper, instead of the fire dept stuff.
Slower roads? Then this:
The maxtraks must be a joke. Good to see, that ya'll still have a sense of humor.
The maxtraks must be a joke. Good to see, that ya'll still have a sense of humor.
My uncle a retired fire fighter; has one of these F550 4x4 he is slowly building a camper box for.
Imagine a flatbed and a Bundutec tray camper, instead of the fire dept stuff.
Enthusiast III
- 646
- First Name
- Izzy
- Last Name
- H
- Member #
-
9176
i don't do it full time but i chose my F350 and built it the way i did because of the versatility that i can daily drive it and boondock anywhere and nobody can tell I'm sleeping in it. i equipped it with everything i need and on an average night i can just jump out of bed and into the drivers seat and go. it carries 20gals of water, 2500w of AC power, a porta potty with a 5gal solar shower/tent, TV, coffee maker, 2 burner stove, a grill, a 12v fridge, sleeps 2 adults very comfortably and plenty of storage in 3 footlockers i carry on the roofrack. the only thing i don't have YET is a source for air-conditioning, i do have 12v fans and a home made 12v air cooler but it requires ice and that is not available when you're out in the boonies, but it has a diesel heater and i carry a propane heater for backup. plus 2 jerry cans of spare diesel. i built the bed up myself as i built my roofrack to be the size i needed. the only downfall I've had is the long wheel base and weight on rough trails. my next thing is to build some rock sliders. other than that I've spent spent 3 weeks traveling in it with no issues with comfort. i even built my light rack because i couldn't find one that would fit my old KC 6x9. But as the name says it it's every bit of Goliath that it could be...
Attachments
Noted, I wonder how people could live full time without being able to stand up or move around is beyound my understanding. I grew up all school breaks in a PopTop Ford Econoline and we were only in the van to cook, eat, and sleep. To confined for a family of 4 to be in full time van was only 21' long. Eventually us kids got our own 4 man tent. You got my respect doing any more than a single night in a bed topper :).
Enthusiast III
- 646
- First Name
- Izzy
- Last Name
- H
- Member #
-
9176
i only go inside to sleep or watch TV on a rainy day but normally i do alot of driving around and go places hiking etc... i am going to add a canopy of some sort for hot or rainy days but i can't bring myself to pay so much for a batwing awning. it is not ideal for full time living though but for several weeks even a month at a time it really is quite comfortable and easy to work with how i have it set up...
Noted! Yes I think awnings are way overpriced; as a kid I camped all over the pacific NW when had a awning that had ropes poles and took and army to setup but we only used it for food prep area. I think i remember grandpa saying he paid $20.00 at Military surplus for that awning.
look into a carli suspension system for it... they are amazing on heavy diesel powered trucks. I put one on my 2018 f250.. and we did 900 miles up the continental divide trail WITHOUT AN ISSUE. (short wheel base crew cab)
Advocate I
full time for me means able to drive anywhere in the world, safely and comfortably, and know that my vehicle has service infrastructure. It means being able to fit in a standard shipping container, park in a standard parking space, and be able to navigate urban and wilderness environments with relative ease. Having owned one previously, I don’t think there is a mode capable vehicle than a Toyota troop carrier; and this guy does a killer job of outfitting them.
www.4xoverland.com
Hero Troopy 2017-2019 | 4xoverland
www.4xoverland.com
Attachments
Last edited:
Member III
Heh. I followed that build on YouTube to give me ideas on my next build. After all that work Andrew does he takes it on a few shakedown runs...and then decides to sell it to go back to a Troopie build.View attachment 187979Aussie Dream Tourer 2021 | 4xoverland
Advocate I
yeah - I literally just edited the post to the troopy - it’s my preferred platform :-)
