The idea of buying a camper and getting away from it all gets more appealing every day for some of us. Things have gotten so complicated, and the world seems to have gotten a bit less friendly in the last handful of years. One answer could be this 1965 Ford F-250 with a 1966 Avion C-10 camper on the back of it. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Ventura, California, and the seller is asking $12,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for the tip!
Could I live without the internet, a smartphone, and all of the other things that used to be luxuries and conveniences, but are now drop-dead necessities? I like to think I could, I mean, none of us over age 45 had them growing up, and we made out alright. I’m as lazy as the next person, and the $100 ($140, in my case) a month phone in my pocket at all times is a crutch; I use it for almost everything. Most of us do because the world has tied almost everything into those phones.
Give me a 60-year-old camper and pickup, and I’d be happy, or would I? This rig would be one way to find out, and it’s hard to beat an Avion camper for uniqueness and quality construction. Not to mention aerodynamics, which isn’t a small thing when you’re traveling on windy highways getting 8 mpg. Maybe 9 MPG with this Avion compared to a less aerodynamic camper. The seller says this 10′-3″ long camper has been with this F-250 since new, that’s just cool.
The ’65 F-250 is Ford’s fourth-generation version of the F-Series, and they were made from 1961 through 1966. An F-350 may be a better match for a big pickup camper, but the Avion is relatively lightweight at 1,860 pounds due to its riveted aluminum construction. The seller says this truck runs like new, has newer tires, and no rust; just patina-type surface rust. There are no engine photos, sadly, so your guess is as good as mine as far as what engine is here, but it has to be a V8 of some sort, and an automatic transmission is listed. You can see that the seat needs work and the dash is cracked, but it’s wearing some sort of air-conditioning system. Whether it works or not is a mystery.
The photos of the camper interior are pretty disappointing, and you can see that it’s been stripped of all fabrics, cushions, and other niceties. That just means that it’s a clean slate for some updates. The base model should be a C-10, and I believe this is the Deluxe Gaucho Model floor plan, with a long side dinette. There’s a full bathroom with a shower at the right rear corner, a nice feature. This camper would have been $35,000 in 2025 dollars, not cheap, but it was a nice one. It still could be with some work. Have any of you dreamed about getting away from it all?
I like it, brings back many memories from my youth but it’s going to take a lot of work and money to bring this up to usable condition. No thanks.
I selfishly am going to take partial credit for the authors “get away from it all” attitude. Lord knows he hears enough of that from me off camera. I’ve toyed with the idea of an RV, not for long trips, but just back in the hills, and not in a tent either. I’ve found, RVs price depends greatly on the condition. Some that the raccoons have already left, go for a grand, to some pretty nice ones, clearly of moms influence, maybe $3-$5,000. Dad kept it running right, mom did the rest. The biggest hurdle for me is storage, I have none, and repairs, good grief, I shudder to think if the Jeep pukes. And they all leak. Very few are stored indoors, and ruins everything. With a sheet of plywood over $40/sheet, adds up quick. Plumbing, another biggie, electrical, and we haven’t even got to the truck yet. This falls into my category, great for a small trip, pull an ATV( or 2) and go WAY back, and a secure place to sleep. But to go long distance would be a nightmare, trust me. The automatic certainly widens the interest, could use dual rear wheels for stability, and sorry to the seller, a bit optimistic, (in Cal.?) as I see what RVs go for in the rest of the world and it’s not this. The good thing here, a 2 for 1 deal, as the truck alone is pretty cool, and the camper is a great period correct addition.
Now,,,would I be happy as a recluse in a tin can, as the author suggests? Well, again, depends greatly on our worldly situation. In a catastrophic situation, there would be no internet or phones, and yes, I could do it. As much as I gripe about the old man, he did instill basic survival, from his army training, no doubt. But I like my internet, my clean bathroom with hot water at 3 am, IDK, those little showers are not much better than a garden hose, and a tank of poopy riding around below me, doesn’t thrill me either. I think I’ll buy a new recliner and sit back and watch the river flow,,,
Howard, your gettin’ spoilt in your old age.
Gotta agree with ya Howard….if the world took a crap and you needed a backwoods bug-out , leave me alone vehicle, this would be it..
Gotta agree with ya Howard….if the world took a krap and you needed a backwoods bug-out , leave me alone vehicle, this would be it..
I would scrap the camper separate the metal and the other stuff then fix the truck for just a decent rig to have around luckily where I’m at I can haul to the dump for free some of that stuff I can just post on Craigslist or market place and someone will come get it. Current asking price is optimistic but in person cash talks sometimes especially when the wife is in earshot.
Back when I was a young fellow in the early 70’s I bought a 65 Ford 1/2 ton pickup. It had a 352 V8 3 on the tree with overdrive. It was a great truck. I never had a camper on it though it was used mostly for hauling water on my dads farm. It was two tone blue and white.
God Bless America
The seller must have felt that his original asking price of $12,500 was scaring off too many potential buyers. In place of the $12,500, he now has $10.
Ford ’65 F-250, most likely with a 352, 2V engine and a cast iron cruise-o-matic transmission, would be the drive train. 352’s were known to be very thirsty, add a camper, and I’ll bet the millage would be close to single digits. An interior for the camper would be, and I’m using a gestiamate based on replacing the interior of my camper, would be in the $2500- 3000 range. The interior for the truck would also be expensive! Unless you are extremely rich, and just want to throw money away, or have an obsessive love for old trucks, and campers, I’d let this go down the road with a wave farewell!
1965, F-250. It would have 300 cid 6 or a 352 V8.