Flatbed Truck Campers

[steamjam1]

If your going to go through all that with a flat bed with buying a flat bed camper for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, you might as well just go buy an old LMTV off a government auction.. Do alittle handy-man work to the box... and VIOLA! go anywhere camper! There ain't no stealth to it.. But who cares when your 30 miles into the woods?

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Wow, I love that! ^

Just googled one to see what the inside was like. Now I like them even more!

Any idea what they get for MPG? 5 to 6 is my guess

http://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/T.../803952?h=5000,c|3467&rr=1&hitprm=&pnLink=yes

 

[ArtW]

Go anywhere.com/ you betcha, down the road, across deserts, through swamps, over the tops of other vehicles.....

 

[LowTech]

Go anywhere.com/ you betcha, down the road, across deserts, through swamps, over the tops of other vehicles.....

Until they breakdown and you're too far from the motor pool, or wrecker (that always travel w/ the convoy).
I haven't heard people bragging about their reliability, or ease of finding parts.

An old M109, or maybe the M934 (?) would be a better/cheaper pick. IMO.

www.DirtTrackTravelers.com

 

[eDJ_]

Just looked through that myself.  If I were going to boondock for months at a time,  I'd consider one without a doubt.   If I had two of them and a small Van I could snow bird leaving one in the north and one in the south, and drive the small Van (like in my first website below) back and forth to them.  LOL

If I were purchasing them,  I'd look into hiring a Semi with a "lo-boy" trailer to ship them home.  That would have to be cheaper than trying to drive them very far. 

I can't imagine touring in one.  The Drivers seat just doesn't look that comfortable. (of course that could be replaced...probably with an air suspension seat from a Semi)

But if a guy could get lucky and pick one of those up for less than $8000 he could have two places to live for the  year around.  When done in the boondocks,  I'd drive the LMTV to a storage lot for RV's and park it there
till ready for it again.

In this way most of my traveling and touring could be done in the Van when traveling between destinations.

 

[speedhighway46]

A disenting opinion:

My friend has one of these; an M1083. Less than 10,000. Paid $14000 for it from a private party who purchased it through government auction. It's been very problematic; mostly oil leaks and electrical problems. If you are a good mechanic familiar with Diesel engines then you would have some fun with this vehicle. If you are not; or have limited funds, then STAY AWAY!

He has already put another $5000 or so into it, and more $$ to come.

It is a totally awesome vehicle and will climb right up a wall if you want it to. But top speed is only 50 mph; so don't plan on any highways or interstates. The tires can be out-of-round making for a bouncy ride; and the suspension is tough for a rough ride. This vehicle was designed and manufactured for war; it is significantly beyond the capability of most people.

Take my advice and don't buy one of these unless you want to continuously throw money at it.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

An M1010 Ambulance looks like a good option if you want a military vehicle. It's a 4x4 chevy pickup with a box on the back.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

A disenting opinion:

My friend has one of these; an M1083. Less than 10,000. Paid $14000 for it from a private party who purchased it through government auction. It's been very problematic; mostly oil leaks and electrical problems. If you are a good mechanic familiar with Diesel engines then you would have some fun with this vehicle. If you are not; or have limited funds, then STAY AWAY!

He has already put another $5000 or so into it, and more $$ to come.

It is a totally awesome vehicle and will climb right up a wall if you want it to. But top speed is only 50 mph; so don't plan on any highways or interstates. The tires can be out-of-round making for a bouncy ride; and the suspension is tough for a rough ride. This vehicle was designed and manufactured for war; it is significantly beyond the capability of most people.

Take my advice and don't buy one of these unless you want to continuously throw money at it.

  I think that's great advice.  I'd never actually take this past the "drooling" stage.  As cool and capable as they are, they were built for a purpose, and don't think it was van dwelling!  A Peterbuilt, now that's never out of the question.

 

[LowTech]

An M1010 Ambulance looks like a good option if you want a military vehicle. It's a 4x4 chevy pickup with a box on the back.

I pulled one of those out of the mud once. :-D

www.DirtTrackTravelers.com