MAN 6x6 camper

haven

Expedition Leader
Thanks to forum member "liveaboard" for finding this cool camper

Picture1.jpg


The owner is group member EGN, who describes the vehicle as follows:

Truck: MAN KAT1 6x6 7t mil gl, Deutz 8 cyl, 12.8 l, 320 hp, air-cooled, GVWR 42,300 lb

Cabin: FRP, 2 1/6" PU, 20x8.2x8.1 ft, elec. cook. (no LPG), 2x6000 W inverter, 900 Ah/24 V, chrg 2x25 A/24 V, diesel heat, 164 gal tw, 93 gal gr/bl, vacuum toilet

See more photos here

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20933867.cfm

Chip Haven
 

Doin_It

Adventurer
Farther on down on the posts have a look what was said:

"www.expeditioncampers.com

This web site still comes up but they no longer have their forum.
But they reference www.expeditionportal.com on their first page and this has a forum similar to what there was on Expedition Campers.

Also do a web search on expedition campers or expedition motorhomes and on the sites listed look for links to other sites. There are other people out there with similar rigs."
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
Thanks for posting that link. If I read the truck brochure correctly, that engine is air cooled. Anyone here have experience with air cooled diesels? I believe some European truck mfg's used a lot of them but I've never seen one. What do people think of the 90kph top speed? Can anyone translate the 40 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers into mpg? 5 or 6 mpg?
 
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lowenbrau

Explorer
kerry said:
Thanks for posting that link. If I read the truck brochure correctly, that engine is air cooled. Anyone here have experience with air cooled diesels? I believe some European truck mfg's used a lot of them but I've never seen one. What do people think of the 90kph top speed? Can anyone translate the 40 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers into mpg?

5.8 MP(US)G or 7 MP(imp)G
 

Lynn

Expedition Leader
kerry said:
Thanks for posting that link. If I read the truck brochure correctly, that engine is air cooled. Anyone here have experience with air cooled diesels? I believe some European truck mfg's used a lot of them but I've never seen one. What do people think of the 90kph top speed? Can anyone translate the 40 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers into mpg? 5 or 6 mpg?

There is a member here (if he made it over from ExpoCampers) that has a Marguis Deutz truck that (I believe) has the air-cooled Deutz diesel.

There was also a link here to a rig for sale in.... Australia, maybe? that was a very experienced Marguis Deutz with the air-cooled diesel.

I've also seen references to Deutz diesels used in stationary applications in the US (like large compressors), and as marine diesels in megayachts. Not sure if they are all air-cooled or what, though.

Seems like the air-coooled engine would be a bad choice in hot climates, but it seems to work for some. Sorry, don't know more. I'm curious about them myself.
 

Doin_It

Adventurer
You've got the Deutz engine, German. They've got to be a 150 year old company that makes air cooled engines. They are big into mining and agriculture. From what I know from the ag. side, they are a good engine that just keep plugging along.
 

Lynn

Expedition Leader
I so desperately want to take one of these:

mankat4520-vbg1-310x211.jpg



And turn it into one of these;


page15-1008-full.jpg





Unfortunately, my wife just doesn't get it...
 

Lynn

Expedition Leader
So, has anyone invited Emil to participate in this thread?

I was going to do it, but didn't want him to get bombarded, so thought I'd ask first.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm gonna invite him.
 
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kerry

Expedition Leader
Not me, but he's added a lot of info on the original RV.net thread. He really belongs over here. Ask him.
 

egn

Adventurer
I am here now. :wings:

Thanks very much for this invitation. I am happy to answer any questions you have.

Here some comments to the previous comments in this thread:

Yes, this engine is air-cooled. With normal use there is no problem with overheating, even when it is really hot. The engine has a really big temperatur controlled cooling turbine driven by the engine oil. Of course, this makes the engine loud under load. Some then say that the engine is noise-cooled. :oops:

A lot of people are driving rallys through deserts with this kind of trucks without any problems. The advantage there is no complicated water cooling. If the the seal of one cyl fails than nothing bad happens. No cooling water leaks into the burning room and cause damage. You just loose power and you can fix the problem later.

Newer versions of the MAN KAT Series 1A1 use a MAN water-cooled engine because they wanted more power and lower emissions. This newer trucks have a hydro-pneumatic suspension to support heavy load and to allow leveling for the mounted army equipment. But this has considerably more electronics on-board. This trucks are also much more expensive and only a few are available, mostly prototypes from MAN. I have decided against this not only because of the budget, but also because of electronic problems I hear from time to time.

Lynn, you cannot transform the standard 8x8 KAT1 into the Desert Challenger. The standard 8x8 is only something less 100" wide. But the dessert challenger is based on a 118" wide chassis. This was used for missile transport and is used for airport fire brigades.

z8stg.jpg


cms_media.php


The base truck is much to wide for normal roads. The Desert Challenger is allowed to drive only with special permit on european roads. It is really designed for the desert.

You find more information about the desert challenger in the following document:
http://www.actionmobil.at/page17/page17_assets/DESERT CHALLENGER ENG.pdf

Images in a slide show you find here:
http://www.actionmobil.at/page18/page18.html

I was already in the desert challager once when it was at service at http://www.aignertrucks.com . It is really a luxury home on wheels comparable to your Class A. But this would be nothing for me because it is to large and to heavy. You cannot go really off-road. And don't ask for the costs ... :(

Magirus Deutz uses an older version of the engine from the same series with 6 cyl. You can get Magirus Deutz trucks also sometimes very cheap from the fire brigades in Germany. A lot of people have build their own motorhome with it.

There is a special german forum dedicated to MAN KAT trucks:

More questions? ;)
 
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Lynn

Expedition Leader
egn said:
I am here now. :wings:
Thanks very much for this invitation. I am happy to answer any questions you have.

Glad to have you!

egn said:
Lynn, you cannot transform the standard 8x8 KAT1 into the Desert Challenger. The standard 8x8 is only something less 100" wide. But the dessert challenger is based on a 118" wide chassis. This was used for missile transport and is used for airport fire brigades.


Wow, I wouldn't have guessed it was that wide from the photos. I guess my dream truck is, well, more like yours!

Actually, I think something more like this is what I need. Just not what I want. ;)

Be sure and let us know when your travels are going to bring you to the US. There are lots of folks on this board that would like to meet you as you travel through.
 

Carlyle

Explorer
Check out this beast that was on the Vermont Unimog:
CIMG1227_Medium_-600x450.jpg

Cruise speed of 135 km and recent overhaul. What a camper it would make if only the wife saw my vision as clearly as I do...
 

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