4x4 Camper Van (page 4 of 5)

Hi there, I've just discovered a vehicle that's almost ideal—basically a 4x4 with a cab and flatbed of interesting dimensions, dual rear wheels, rear-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, good ground clearance, lots of options, and apparently it's as comfortable as a car when loaded with a camper unit. I think the service network for roadside assistance is international. It's the Nissan Cabstar. The issue is that the current model will be updated for a new version available in about 6 months. I hope this new one will have roughly the same essential features as the current model, of course less fuel-hungry and compliant with the new pollution laws... Check out the websites that talk about it, and this one in particular. http://www.best4vans.co.uk/van-364.html Its price seems interesting to me compared to other competing models... Plus, an Austrian company transforms it into a real 4x4. All this information about the 4x4 option and the rest can be provided by the Nissan Truck network. As for the camper unit, I'm planning to build it myself for eating, sleeping, and traveling with 5 people within a year. I've already built one on a Peugeot 504 twenty years ago. The camper unit, roughly 3.8 meters long, without a pop-up roof, will include a closed bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink, a 190x140 cm bed available all the time, 2 seats for eating and traveling that can convert into a 190x120 cm bed, a kitchen, a folding hammock bed 60x185 cm, and plenty of storage spaces). I hope to have my plans ready in 6 months, when the new vehicle arrives... I've already built one on a Peugeot 504 twenty years ago. The camper unit, roughly 3.8 meters long, without a pop-up roof, will include a closed bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink, a 190x140 cm bed available all the time, 2 seats for eating and traveling that can convert into a 190x120 cm bed, a kitchen, a folding hammock bed 60x185 cm, and plenty of storage spaces). I hope to have my plans ready in 6 months, when the new vehicle arrives... I've already built one on a Peugeot 504 twenty years ago. The camper unit, roughly 3.8 meters long, without a pop-up roof, will include a closed bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink, a 190x140 cm bed available all the time, 2 seats for eating and traveling that can convert into a 190x120 cm bed, a kitchen, a folding hammock bed 60x185 cm, and plenty of storage spaces). I hope to have my plans ready in 6 months, when the new vehicle arrives... I've already built one on a Peugeot 504 twenty years ago. The camper unit, roughly 3.8 meters long, without a pop-up roof, will include a closed bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink, a 190x140 cm bed available all the time, 2 seats for eating and traveling that can convert into a 190x120 cm bed, a kitchen, a folding hammock bed 60x185 cm, and plenty of storage spaces). I hope to have my plans ready in 6 months, when the new vehicle arrives... J'PC

Hello, A near-ideal vehicle is the UMM2.5TD. Robust and reliable, spare parts are available everywhere. Plus, ours is equipped with a 4-seat mobile home unit with all the comforts. And we're selling it reluctantly. Don't hesitate to contact us. Regards, JP forp@hotmail.fr 04 50 92 65 36

Hello everyone,

I'm following up on those messages. I personally went to the Düsseldorf show to see what's being made in terms of 4x4 campers. Unfortunately there was only one 4x4 camper there—a Dangel conversion on a Citroën—but there were also Hanomag flatbeds at prohibitive prices.

Now the president of the Silk Road and World Association is currently selling his VW Syncro. It's small and goes anywhere, plus you don't need a heavy vehicle license. Here's his email just in case: ccrsm@club-internet.fr

On the other hand, for military surplus there's the Pinzgauer—sheet-metal, made by Steyr-Puch in 4x4 and 6x6. It's Swiss Army surplus with an air-cooled engine. But this gear, which is indestructible, is 30 years old.

With that you can go anywhere and climb mountains at 45° and also ford through 80 cm of water. The downside: the engine runs on gasoline and fuel consumption is 16/18 liters per 100 km. You can possibly get one from a specialist in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Now be careful—Dangels are 4x4 all-terrain conversions, so especially don't confuse them with true off-roaders. As for camper bodies mounted on 4x4s, they're generally quite heavy and don't perform very well on rough tracks.

In my opinion, the best thing would be to find an Iveco 4x4 (made for the Italian Army) that you can convert into a real camper. A friend of mine has one and it's the best in terms of space. But they're very rare in France—maybe in Italy?

Now I'm going to make a suggestion that the coachbuilder Gruau had thought of producing as a series, which allowed me to do even the tracks of Afghanistan up to Bamian (the Buddhas) and the lakes of Banda-mir and go all the way to Nepal. It was a simple caravan body mounted on a HiAce Toyota chassis.

So I advise buying one of the Iveco flatbeds mentioned above and putting a used caravan on it.

Now there's still the brand Weinberg which still makes 4x4 campers, which I suppose is like Dangel but still all-terrain vehicles.

personal email: daniel.longeron@wanadoo.fr

Hello,

Our project is moving forward – we've sold our Bürstner T620 campervan and are in the process of buying a Navara King-Cab pickup and an Artica Camper unit! But we're still concerned about insuring such a vehicle (base truck alone + camper unit for holidays only...) ??? How did you solve this problem???

Given the cost of the equipment involved => pickup 29,000 and camper unit 34,000, we prefer to insure it properly...

Looking forward to your response and thank you in advance, kind regards Daniel.

Hi, I just got back from a circuit through Eastern Europe today, so here's a quick reply before I head south again mid-June.

Check with your insurance about covering the base vehicle as a standalone vehicle with a caravan extension for the unit—make sure to clearly specify that the unit is "carried" and not "towed." The extension can be taken out for just a specific period... but be careful—it's better to insure the unit year-round (theft and liability issues).

Some insurers are starting to offer specific contracts for pickup trucks and removable units... that's the case with mine (mutual insurance).

So first step: contact your insurer and depending on what they offer, we can discuss it further on this forum.

Warmly, Jean-Marie

personal email: daniel.longeron@wanadoo.fr

Hi,

Our project is progressing—we've sold our Bürstner T620 motorhome and are in the process of buying a Navara King-Cab pickup and an Artica Camper unit!

But our concern is still insuring such a vehicle (base vehicle alone + unit for vacations only...)???

How did you solve the problem???

Given the cost of the equipment => pickup €29,000 and unit €34,000, we'd prefer to insure it properly...

Awaiting your response and thanking you in advance, warm regards Daniel.

I just read the December 2004 message - I'm interested in the name of the removable camper unit manufacturer for an L200. Could you let me know? Cheers, SENEGAULI

Check this out:

http://felixqui.coolbb.net

You should find the answers to your questions 😉

Hi there, I just got back from vacation, which explains why I didn't reply sooner... Here are some addresses of camper cell builders, but the choice for an L200 depends on what you want to do with it and the type of L200 (single or double cabin)... www.nomadevasion.com http://www.langerundbock.com/ http://www.elchcamper.com/ http://www.trayon.com/index.htm http://www.camperbouw.nl/ http://www.stemamobil.de/ http://www.arkdesign.it/articoli.php?ID_Categoria_A_1=4 http://www.ten-mobil.de/index.html http://www.innovation-campers.de www.geocar.com http://www.modulidea.it/eng/ http://www.roboafzetunits.nl/roboadventure/index.htm Clemenson: http://www.clemensonamenagement.com./ Tisher: http://www.tischer.ch/ Robo: http://www.roboafzetunits.nl/index.htm Articacamper: http://www.articacamper.com/ Bilmobil: http://www.bimobil.de/ http://www.bimobil.com/ Polycomposit: http://www.polycomposit.9map.com/ or http://www.polycomposit.zoomici.com/ Diashow: http://www.dustdevil.de/toyo_dia.html or http://www.dustdevil.de/startseite.html Lancecampers: http://www.lancecampers.com/homepage.htm Pine Mountain: http://www.starcraftrv.com/..._mountain/index.html Sun Valley Inc: http://www.sunvalleyinc.com/index.htm Four wheel campers: http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/ Outfitters: http://www.outfittermfg.com/home.htm Lyndi: http://www.lyndi.at/ or http://www.lyndi.at/seiten/expedi_c.htm Innovation campers: http://www.innovation-campers.de/d_main.html Extrem: http://www.extrem-mobil.de/ Batari: http://www.batari.de/ b-g-f: http://www.b-g-f.de/indexalt.html Nordstar: http://www.nordstar.de/ AZALAÏ in Martigues (13) doesn't have a website but a phone number 04 42 43 10 78

@micalement Jean-Marie

I just read the December 2004 message and I'm interested in the name of the removable camper cell manufacturer for an L200. Thanks for letting me know! Talk soon, regards, SENEGAULI

🙁You'll need a 4x4 during the rainy season, otherwise you're guaranteed to lose your vehicle crossing those rivers. The tracks are really muddy, and a winch is absolutely essential in my opinion to get yourself out of a tight spot;

To respond to this post's topic, I had the opportunity to travel in a C25 Dangel, WW synchro, Iveco daily, and then a Renault B110, all in 4x4, and from this experience I really recommend to anyone who wants to travel in a 4x4 camper van to outfit a B110 (or B90 for those who want a shorter chassis) however you like, because it's really a beast for off-roading and sand; its suspension with 3 coil springs is really key! It's a really nice vehicle just below heavy trucks. You can load it well since, let's remember, it's a 4.5-tonne in the military downrated to 3.5 tonnes in civilian use so it's accessible with a standard driving license. Really a truck with great comfort, easy to repair, and its parts are easily found at RVI at a reasonable price. The Iveco Daily is really good in the same class but with an engine that maybe heats up a bit faster (e.g., Libya in August) and is less reliable. But there I'm just nitpicking... The WW synchro isn't a true 4x4 because it doesn't have a differential but rather engages the other 2 wheels via a viscous coupler. Its advantage: smaller and therefore more discreet. Then there are plenty of other things: the TP3 (ancestor of the B110) with an incomparable look, great volume, cheaper but without power steering! Steyrpush in 6x6 are real beasts! But harder to maintain and maybe less discreet ;-) Bremach has a good reputation too but I don't know it well enough to comment;

Anyway, if you have the budget and are looking for a 4x4 camper van to outfit, then don't hesitate: Renault B90 or 110! (while saving up for a Xerax...)

Cheers. Batz.

Hello Batz,

Can you tell us if you know what happened to the B110 4x4 you drove? Do you have any photos? We're collecting photos of 4x4s like this on our site. The difference between the B90 and B110 isn't in wheelbase or chassis size—it's only the engine power.

Best regards, Bernard.

Hello,

I'm selling a GAMA GOAT M561 amphibious vehicle, registered as a truck (registration certificate), downgradeable to a light commercial vehicle (light vehicle = less than 3.5t GVW for class B license).

Incredible off-road performance. Detroit Diesel diesel engine. Articulated 6-wheel drive Independent wheel suspension. 4-wheel steering Bilge pump Locking differentials on all three axles. 100% sealed (pressurized) brakes. Tires 11.00 R18 (Agricultural tire option: Michelin XM27 index G "high speed" 90 km/h) The entire chassis is aluminum. At the rear, an aluminum shelter (model identical to the HUMMER), insulated, lightweight, 100% aluminum. 3-point locking, with 4m² convertible to camper living quarters.

Curb weight (with full tanks) without shelter = 3.3t GVW = 4.6t (Class C license required)

For knowledgeable enthusiasts only. This is an extreme vehicle...

Best regards,

Michel Martel

Hey Michel, could I stop by and see your beast sometime in Paris? One evening during the week would work—I'm coming to Paris by car this month anyway.

Sébastien

http://bernard.debucquoi.com

4x4 camper van There are some for sale. You don't have to follow the glowing reviews from 4x4 magazines where they only cover the €80,000–€100,000 models. I'm selling a Nissan 4x4 pickup for €6,000, and we can still negotiate! There are other fairly affordable options in that price range. See you soon! Best regards, Arcanoé

Hi Bernard. We still have the B110, which keeps on traveling. But no digital photos. Otherwise I'd have to go take some.

Regards.

Batz.

Hello! And why not! Do you have any info about the legislation?

Hey Marco! How's that heap of junk coming along!.....I want to ask you for some advice—contact me.

Hi,

If anyone's interested, we're selling our Iveco 4x4. It's in excellent condition. Ready to be converted—that's what we were planning to do before heading to Asia, but our family's growing soon and the van would be too small to fit all four of us. It has 230,000 km on it, really well maintained (it was originally an EDF utility van and we've done all the mechanical checks). Still needs the conversion work... We're selling it for €11,000. Check the forum classifieds for more info.

Safe travels, everyone.

P.S.: Just so you know, we're not giving up on our travel plans—we're just investing in a larger format instead. 😉

The Renault Mascott is finally being produced in a 4x4 version.

Article and website links here:

The Renault Mascott is finally being produced in a 4x4 version.

Article and links to the website here:

Thanks for the info 😉

Just to clarify, is "peremaimi" like Dangel for the PSA truck, where they modify existing base vehicles?

As for the Mascott, what about the origin of the axles, the transfer case, and reliability? 🙂

EDIT: What about homologation if we want to import it to France?