Fuso Crew Cab 4X4 with XPCamper Cube

[DiploStrat]

If you have the $$$

You might take a page from Robinson Fuso and build a fixed cabin with your XPCamper (or other) over. Only instead of a garage for motorcycles, build a passenger cabin.

Before you get too far down the Fuso path, you might want to chat with EarthCruiser to understand all the work they do to make the Fuso usable - new springs, tires, sound treatment. They do a lot of expensive work. Not many folk are that eager to spend that much time in a stock Fuso.

 

[familyvan]

Good luck casejeep, I'm curious to see what you come up with. I would love a fuso as well but I need six seat belts for my family. Like someone mentioned before having seats with seat belts in the camper is probably the best bet.

 

[casejeep]

Quick update.

Marc is helping me design a 16' cube to put on the back of a Fuso 4X4. Placing the kido's in the back and having a small pass though to the front cab. I grew up in a Class-C RV and never sat in the front seat so I dont think it will be a problem.

Ill post up some floor plans and sketches when I finalize them.

 

[awisernig]

As someone who had a deposit on a V1 but recently got his hands on an Earthcruiser, I'm really excited to see this build!

 

[Czechsix]

It'll be interesting to see the progress. Tagged for further developments....

 

[Herbie]

Quick update.

Marc is helping me design a 16' cube to put on the back of a Fuso 4X4. Placing the kido's in the back and having a small pass though to the front cab. I grew up in a Class-C RV and never sat in the front seat so I dont think it will be a problem.

You had a different experience than I did, then. I grew up camping in a couple different small Class-C's, and riding in the back SUUUUUCKED. We were a single-mom + 3 kids, so the daily battle was for which of us would get shotgun for the next leg.

I've since cast a very critical eye on the layouts of a variety of Class B's and C's. I note a very few that have forward-ish dinette seating nearer the cab, but most use the standby "wraparound" dinette seating at the rear.

 

[cordovamiguel]

Hmmm. You could probably come up with a harder, more expensive project, especially within your timeframe, but I doubt it.

It is your time and money, but if you really want to use a Fuso, compare costs with ATW or EarthCruiser. If you will use a US pickup, you can do it all for less, with or without a pass through. There is a reason that commercial products cost what they do and a one of a kind, prototype always takes longer than you expect, and, unless you can invest a lot of sweat equity, more than you expect. (See any number of threads on this forum alone to prove these points.)

In any case, best wishes!

Doesn't Global Expedition Vehicles - GXV also build a model on a Fuso? It's a hard lifting roof that raises up and down I believe.

 

[DiploStrat]

Doesn't Global Expedition Vehicles - GXV also build a model on a Fuso? It's a hard lifting roof that raises up and down I believe.

Don Miguel, yes, they have shown a very nice Fuso based camper: http://globalxvehicles.com/pangea-lt/

The trick is that the original poster wants a crew cab or extra seating upfront and neither Fuso nor Isuzu sell their crew cab/4x4 models in the US. Thus the problem.

Building a pop up camper on a crew cab, US pickup truck is easy and inexpensive. The penalty is that your vehicle, like my Tiger, ends up being about a metre longer than a comparable Fuso.

 

[motrhed]

Or order the new earthcruiser fixed roof fx version that is certified for rear passengers.

Bump, perhaps you missed this post! This is by far the easiest way to go, I think they may even have a bunk bed option for the kids.

 

[Sixinarow]

Wow, I just happened to see this thread and I had exactly the same plans. Only I have one kid, a boy and almost two years old.

 

[UpperCrust]

Plans changed and we ruled the Fuso out. Alittle too unreliable for where we plan on going. With LSDF and the "limp mode" is just too scary. I bought a used Mercedes Cab over truck, going to put a 5meter camper on the rear.

 

[Czechsix]

So it goes..yeah, the ULSD can be a real pain to deal with. Limp modes, however, are in all sorts of vehicles, even dating back to the '90's.

What model COE did you get? OM352A engine? Is that it in your avatar? A TrolF?

 

[Sixinarow]

Plans changed and we ruled the Fuso out. Alittle too unreliable for where we plan on going. With LSDF and the "limp mode" is just too scary. I bought a used Mercedes Cab over truck, going to put a 5meter camper on the rear.

Are you the OP?

 

[UpperCrust]

Are you the OP?

Yes sorry. Im using my "company" account.

 

[Sixinarow]

Yes sorry. Im using my "company" account.

No worries, the way you worded it made you sound like the OP but wasn't sure.