Able to handle dirt roads other than a Sportsmobile.

I have an 06/07 airstream 158" interstate. The only thing lower than the sewar hose storage is a upside down T shaped skid that I some how managed to shear off driving off road in the Sierras a couple of weeks ago. A Sprinter based B may not be the best for off roading. I don't recall ever bottoming out my Ford and being younger I used to take it on some pretty rough roads. I like the cab to cabin convenience of a B but if I was going to do any serious driving off road I would opt for a truck and camper. Maybe the new 4x4 Sprinters will have more adequate clearances.

Since you mentioned 'small', you might also look at the Tiger GT or XL. It looks like a C, but is by definition a B, since GM never made a cutaway Astro van. IIRC, the GT is the pop-up version, the XL the hardtop. They are scarce, and I think the last ones were made in '05 by Provan, which became Tiger Vehicles.

Most were 2WD. Some were GM OEM AWD. A few were converted to full-on 4x4 by a 3rd party.

Here's a pic of one such:

Jim, "Corect speling is for pedents."

THANKS --- more information to study and think about. We also like to travel off season, so I imagine that some are better suited for cold weather?

We really enjoyed our Casita Fiberglass trailer, but the pipes were very quick to freeze.

Off to study some of the links you kindly provided.

We have gone to a lot of places including Alaska and back, the gravel On Top of the World Highway to Dawson City, Yukon and many national forests on gravel roads. There is not a lot of need for 4x4. If you desire that rugged I think you would rattle and tear apart a typical B interior. A B is a big investment to abuse.

However, I came very close to ordering a Mercedes Benz Sprinter 4x4 which will be shipping the 1st quarter of 2015 but it was a tad too late for my needs. Advanced RV, I believe, already has customers and will be converting for them.

There are a lot of primitive out of the way campgrounds you can get to only with a Class B (or a truck camper you don't desire) mainly because of 24 ft. restrictions. But I haven't found the roads onerous to traverse other than maybe the width which could give truck campers and small Cs the willies.

I drove my stock '01/'02 Chevy Roadtrek 190 on quite a few Forest Service dirt roads during the roughly two years I had it. A lot of such roads around here are quite steep, and a few were pretty badly rutted. Being a gear head, I knew quite well where the lowest point under it was (generator exhaust) to avoid dragging it. I only did it in dry weather. Keep in mind that the early Chevy Express Roadtrek has very little ground clearance, even compared to other B's.

In looking for a better mobility in a similar size, I found the Tiger CX. It's a B-sized C. It's much the same size as a small truck camper, at 19' on a standard cab, but has the B/C virtue of cab-to-coach access. More ground clearance & larger tanks than most B's, OEM four wheel drive, and choice of engines, chassis brand, and cab trim level. Definitely short on stealth, tho'. www.tigervehicles.com

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"

We've carefully taken our B down many dirt/rough roads in Newfoundland and the American Southwest - around Moab...Cajon (outlying ruins grouped with Hovenweep National Monument)...Chaco Canyon. Some of those roads will shake the fillings out of your teeth, but the van emerged unscathed.

Of course, conversions have stuff hanging beneath you don't want to damage. Our ground clearance is 8.5" at the lowest point (sewer pipe) and 12" at the back.

If I were planning to do extensive rough road travel, I'd look at a Tiger. Pricier than many of the Bs, though.

Buy anything you want, then take it here.

4x4. Conversion

Last summer we drove our PW Excel up to Yukon and NWT and went thru BC on the way. Travelled on many miles of gravel road with no problems, just have good tires and be prepared for windshield chips from passing motorists. We were lucky and had no damage except the small trailer we were pulling suffered a bent coupler. We just took our time and fortunately the roads were reasonably well maintained and we didn't have to back up to find a turnout or widespot when meeting some other vehicle on a narrow roadway. And the roads were not too dusty so we didn't suffer that way. Saw some beautiful country that the guys in big Class A's never could because of their RV size. Just take it easy and make sure your outfit is in good shape.