Poor Man's Tiger Motorhome

[mrvista]

Does anyone know of a business in Elkhart Indiana that could fabricate a poor man's tiger motorhome? I just want to put a 10 foot box on a Chevy one ton 4x4 chassis cab with a pass thru.

[mloganusda]

Check with a local moving company, U-Haul, or commercial van sales as to where they get their trucks from.

MLogan
Smyrna, TN

[booster]

Are you talking about putting it on a pickup truck with the standard box removed?


If so you may want to find an ambulance body from a pickup based unit.

https://www.commercialtrucktrader.co...350-5009716618

[mrvista]

I can order a 4x4 Chevy Box truck from a GM dealership; however, not with a pass thru. The dealership also said 12 box foot is the smallest size. I also found used 4x4 Chevy Box trucks in Texas oil fields with no pass thru. I am going to Elkhart next week to see if someone can build me exactly what I want. I was wondering if someone knew a place there to narrow my search.

[booster]

Originally Posted by mrvista

I can order a 4x4 Chevy Box truck from a GM dealership; however, not with a pass thru. The dealership also said 12 box foot is the smallest size. I also found used 4x4 Chevy Box trucks in Texas oil fields with no pass thru. I am going to Elkhart next week to see if someone can build me exactly what I want. I was wondering if someone knew a place there to narrow my search.

How big a passthrough do you need, just stuff or people also?


The military ambulances have big enough for people.


The Chevy Avalanche had a drop gate to the cab, it think.

[TygerMark]

"....someone knew a place there to narrow my search."


Contact Terry Minix, Embassy RV
2933 Thorne Dr.
Elkhart, IN 46514

574-333-3733

[jrobe]

A few years ago I had my heart set on a Tiger RV and would have gladly paid their price. I thought the combination of a 4x4 truck with a pass thru RV would be the ideal vehicle for me to use in the mountains. I rented one though for 3 days in Colorado and quickly changed my mind. That vehicle was the ultimate rattle trap. I took it up some Forest Service Roads and had to drive at a snails pace to keep my sanity. The coordination between the top heavy RV and the trucks suspension was terrible on that particular vehicle anyway.

Before I bought a pickup / RV combination I would do some extensive test driving. We finally settled on a van based Class B for our back road traveling. Our van experience is like driving a modern luxury SUV compared to driving the Tiger which was like the old Army Jeep I had 40 years ago.

[gregmchugh]

Another option is an Econoline converted to 4wd, maybe a used Sportsmobile or something like the E series box truck converted to 4wd...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OISONcc7YQ

[mrvista]

Thanks. That is almost exactly the rig that I want to build. I am shying away from custom 4x4 parts and only want a GM or Ford factory built 4x4 pickup since I have heard there are no factory built 4x4 vans except Mercedes. I think Quigley builds all Ford 4x4 vans. It is a shame because I love my Roadtrek 210 Chevy van.

[gregmchugh]

That one was converted by UJointOffroad who will do existing vans using mostly Ford parts. Quigley does Ford and Chevy but only new vans.

[booster]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

That one was converted by UJointOffroad who will do existing vans using mostly Ford parts. Quigley does Ford and Chevy but only new vans.

I think it was Hondo that had an aftermarket 4X4 put in his Chevy Roadtrek, and that seemed to work out pretty well. There is a thread on it on the forum if you want to see what was done.

[oilman]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

That one was converted by UJointOffroad who will do existing vans using mostly Ford parts. Quigley does Ford and Chevy but only new vans.

A few months back Quigley started converting used vans again.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by oilman

A few months back Quigley started converting used vans again.

Not surprising, new Econoline vans are gone except for cutaways, Transit is coming out with AWD, current Chevy vans will disappear at some point no doubt. Need to stay in business so converting old ones may be a solution.

[GBail]

Originally Posted by jrobe

A few years ago I had my heart set on a Tiger RV and would have gladly paid their price. I thought the combination of a 4x4 truck with a pass thru RV would be the ideal vehicle for me to use in the mountains.... That vehicle was the ultimate rattle trap. I took it up some Forest Service Roads and had to drive at a snails pace to keep my sanity

I have a Tiger, live in the mountain west, and have not found this to be a problem. You needed to air down your tires a bit to get a better ride on those bumpy, dirt forest roads.

But for what this OP wants to do?
He could check out someone like Composite Campers...they build custom rear boxes. Or check out the Expedition Portal Forums to see what others have done.

The problem is...it sounds like the OP wants to do a budget build. By the time you’ve put a flatbed on your truck and added a custom box, and done all of the custom interior/exterior work, you’ve gonna be very lucky to have less into that rig than having bought something used.

The pass through I understand and agree on but that’s really going to up the price too as it’s a very customized job to put a weatherproof one on a flexing cab to camper build.

There are plenty 4x4 rigs like big camper vans and converted ambos to consider too. And just the other day I saw in SoCal a CL listing for a very nice 4x4 Chinook class b+.

So OP, maybe also take a look at rigs like these:

[GBail]

If OP wants the 4x4 for lots of back road travel, the limitations caused by the height of a full stand up box are also going to an issue.

So, you might consider a 10’ used Alaskan hard sided pop up camper, on a 10’ utility bed, with a flexible boot from the camper to the truck’s cab. That would allow a crawl through but not a climb through.

So, as asked above, which type of a pass through are you hoping for?

[GBail]

Here’s another 4x4 ambulance conversion...diesel, for only $39k
https://www.expeditionportal.com/for...r-sale.213432/

A Sweet Chinook 4x4 https://www.expeditionportal.com/for...65-000.196316/

Another ambo example (sold)
https://www.ironplanet.com/jsp/s/ite...ation&src=mktg

I put up the ambos so you can see what others are using. Some folks have even bought cheap used up ambulances (engine/tranny shot) and swapped the boxes onto their rig.

But, you already have your truck. So to try to better help you, it’d be useful to know more about your intended uses. And what your budget is too.

[mrvista]

I want a pass thru that would enable me to turn around the passenger seat.

[sourdough]

After 5 yrs. and 70K miles of trouble I sold my 2013 Tiger. Ram3500 was not the issue, coach was nice looking but junk.
Much happier with a E250 camper van

[N147JK]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I sold my 2013 Tiger. Ram3500 was not the issue, coach was nice looking but junk.
Much happier with a E250 camper van

Yes they look cool, but I've wondered about the materials and build quality. The interior looks like a lot of papered-over particleboard. I always concluded.. "kind of a neat vehicle, but why not just get a 4WD van"?