Love to see these monster truck campers in town

RobertRyan wrote:

free radical wrote:
Nice,
However if I had the moola Id get something bit more capable off road,
The old Czech Tatra with independent axles and proven track record in Dakar rally
would be my choice

Or a MAN 8 X8. These trucks have massive payloads. Use them to take powerlines and structures up the sides of steep hills in New Zealand. Payload is 108 Tonnes.(230,000)lbs)

Fuel consumption 8 gallons/mile.

free radical wrote:
Nice,
However if I had the moola Id get something bit more capable off road,
The old Czech Tatra with independent axles and proven track record in Dakar rally
would be my choice

Or a MAN 8 X8. These trucks have massive payloads. Use them to take powerlines and structures up the sides of steep hills. Payload is 108 Tonnes.(230,00olbs)

Sheriffdoug wrote:
You already have one of the best vehicles in the World, apart from Truck Campers, the 2008-2009 Ford E350 diesel Sportsmobile 4x4, go most places those German monsters can not. I am currently having one built in Salt Lake City & Fresno, CA.

Go to www.sportsmobile.com

Sheriffdoug have communicated with Sportsmobile and a lot of these heavy trucks will well and truly outperform the Sportsmobile range. The MAN, IVECO Eurocargo etc are heavy go anywhere Motorhomes on wheels. Sportsmobiles have much lighter GCVWR
And are OK for shorter duration, stays.

You already have one of the best vehicles in the World, apart from Truck Campers, the 2008-2009 Ford E350 diesel Sportsmobile 4x4, go most places those German monsters can not. I am currently having one built in Salt Lake City & Fresno, CA.

Go to www.sportsmobile.com

dokkema1 wrote:

Nice,
However if I had the moola Id get something bit more capable off road,
The old Czech Tatra with independent axles and proven track record in Dakar rally
would be my choice

http://youtu.be/0GGrHhywzsA

http://youtu.be/EaHtccTJQCM

http://youtu.be/3p3eXRKhzQA

Tony Lee have you photos of your IVECO Daily 4x 4? They are using these a lot for newish Expedition vehicles in Australia

sabconsulting wrote:

sundowners wrote:

Hi
The thing is-------most of the people that have these trucks have not done a 'trip' before they build/buy one------and on paper they look like the best compromise vehicle for a two or three year trip into 'remote areas'--------the problems are many, but the biggest one that I see is their bulk----they are very expensive to ship, and, as with our de-mountable they limit by being tall and wide on tracks----------but if, like us you want to be independant and self contained they offer a good compromise IMHO
A VW camper is easier to travel with but not nearly as comfortable.
Nigel

Good point Nigel. I looked recently on a German website selling used ones - they were up to $600,000 - I was actually looking for a cheap Mercedes 814D van, but got distracted by browsing some of these expedition trucks (like those things that were for sale near you at Adventure Overland last year). It made me wonder - for each couple that buys one and does 250,000 miles travelling around Africa, Siberia, Nepal, China, etc. (i.e. what these trucks are designed for), how many other buyers get frightened off after their first trip outside Europe / North America, especially given the vehicle value when a carnet-de-passage is required and insurance may not be available.

In contrast I was really impressed with the guys who camped behind you at Adventure Overland - the ones who took all manor of old, low value rear-wheel-drive RVs along the Silk Route to China.

Steve.

Steve there appears to be several new players in these sort of Vehicles in Australia. As well as Eathcruiser who have been renamed a Host Expedition Vehicle. All Terrain Warriors also unveiled their lightweight Expedition vehicle at the recent Overland Show

dokkema1 wrote:

805gregg wrote:
The little windows look like the owner are a little paranoid, more like a jail cell

They are designed for Global travel...not everywhere is as safe as the USA...

Not personal safety, but the ability to carry a heavy load off road.

A VW camper is easier to travel with but not nearly as comfortable.

Yes, agree with that having just finished 6 months in South America in an Iveco daily 35-10 4 x 4 - which is why it is sitting under a tree and we have bought a F350 with Bigfoot. Far less nimble but ...

As for the big expedition vehicles - they just can NOT go anywhere. In Australia they would be stopped on several of the outback tracks. Canning Stock Route which has miles of track with brush and trees crowding both sides and which gave my 2.1m wide OKA a real hammering. Hay river road would be a real hassle with miles of river bed track winding around and under trees. Even the simpson desert with dune-top blow-outs and such would be difficult. South America - mountain tracks with very narrow sections and rock overhangs would stop them dead. So would some bridges.

But, if you are living in any RV full-time, it is nice to have all the comforts of home even if the size and weight of the house results in some compromises as to where you go. Even if you are riding a dirt bike, you still can't go everywhere you might want to.

Christmas in Ushuaia is the place to see a medley of vehicles - from small dirt bikes to monster 6x6 and they all had one thing in common - all drove a hell of a long way to be there - some from the top of Alaska and even further




These are the smaller ones. Big ones out in the main entry road.

and then there are always the rugged individualists

especially given the vehicle value when a carnet-de-passage is required and insurance may not be available.

Which is why South and central America is popular - fairly cheap RoRo from Hamburg to Montivideo AND no carnet required.

I just saw a MAN expedition vehicle similar to the OP headed east bound Hwy 58 in California this morning just below Tehachapi. Think they are meeting up in Moab? Funny, had never seen one, read this thread yeaterday, and saw one today. Who'd a thunk it.......;)