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Ramagon? Dodge-Volkswagen Combo!

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Recently here at Barn Finds, we’ve featured older Dodge diesel pickups here and here, and Volkswagen vans and buses here and here, but I’ll bet you didn’t think we could feature both in a single vehicle! With my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, I present the spectacular one-off 1991 Dodge Ram 250 Cummins Turbo VW Van 4×4! It’s located in Emeryville, California and is up for sale here on craigslist for $5,500.

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In the seller’s own words, “this is a very rare one of a kind vehicle.” That’s for sure! They have combined a 1991 Dodge Ram 250 Cummins Turbo diesel 4×4 with a Volkswagen Westfalia camper van, which was “welded and mounted professionally to the back of the truck.” I’d have to call it the Ramagon if it were mine!

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I’m going to let you draw your own conclusions on how professional the welding was from this photo.

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From this angle, with the top retracted, this almost starts to make sense. Almost. The base truck has about 210,000 miles and is said to run very well. The seller says it would drive across the country as-is.

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The interior is completely unfinished as of yet; the seller talks about wanting to do it in wood. I’m actually surprised how closely the parts meet with each other.

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All jesting aside, there are plenty of people who love these Cummins inline 6 engines, and I’m one of them. They are known for tons of power, decent mileage and extremely long lives, therefore I’m sure at least the heart of this unusual vehicle will keep going for a long time to come. So I ask you: pretend this was given to you — what would you do with it? Would you continue the merger efforts and finish this one of a kind truck, or would you start stripping it for parts on day one? I’m genuinely curious as to what you think, and I hope you enjoyed this lighthearted post! Let us know in the comments!

Comments

  1. Avatar JW454

    I got to say, it doesn’t look that bad. It’s better looking than some of the amalgams I seen here and other places. It would take considerable work to make it into anything desirable but it’s a start.

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  2. Avatar David C

    I’m also surprised at how well it fits and looks. I would finish it out. I could see this as a great weekender/short camping trip type vehicle but I do a lot of camping year around so that’s just me. I’ve also gutted and redone an old Argosy camper so this would be easy.

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  3. Avatar Christian Swanon

    This nightmare looks like a crime scene on wheels.

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  4. Avatar Bob's your uncle

    That’s a cool vehicle.

    FWIW, a half hour with a grinder and you’d never know those welds were there – if they’re good welds to begin with. With that photo all you can say for sure is that the weld is ugly, there’s no way to say anything else about it from that.

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  5. Avatar George

    I would definitely finish this out. I think it has some usability and would be great for a weekend trip with the spouse/sig other or the dogs. It’s a solid enough truck to pull your camper into the wilds for a base camp, and head out exploring in the truck from there.

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  6. Avatar JW

    It is different and would make for a nice guys weekend away camper when finished too bad he didn’t finish it as it would sell much higher and quicker.

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  7. Avatar redwagon

    if it was given to me: clean it up, make the welds pretty, disinfect the cargo area, touch up paint and drive it. well camp in it too.

    i like the idea of true ‘car camping’ but having done it once or twice in the lake states you have to keep the windows up to avoid mosquitoes and other biting insects which makes the car really stuffy. the pop top from the vw would go along way to fixing that issue.

    a go anywhere vehicle for camping, hunting, fishing, an extra, private ‘room’ when visiting friends at the cabin. it does look amazingly good for fit and proportions. much better than i would have expected.

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    • Avatar George

      The jalousy windows, at least from the factory, have screens that snap in from the back. Those windows let in a lot of air both when sitting still and moving. I would have preferred the California style of poptop that goes straight up as it leaves room for a full size bed up top.

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      • Avatar skloon

        But they always come loose and rattle, then you twist the knob tighter and strip it out

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  8. Avatar AMC STEVE

    I’m amazed what a hit of acid and a yard full of vehicles does to ones mind

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  9. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    I think this thing is great! . Doesn’t look at all bad especially if you consider the functionality.

    I’d love something like this…in fact if the Canadian dollar wasn’t in the basement, I’m pretty sure I’d sell my pickup and my Blazer and replace them with this. Great to tow my car to the track too.

    Man I need this.

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  10. Avatar hans grafftenberg

    Super cool idea however i would worry about the longevity of the bodywork where the bed meets the cab. Have you ever seen how much a cab and bed move independently of each other? Seems like it would crack and or crease. I do love this attempt at a dodge/Vw camper anyways.

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    • Avatar Mike

      The frames on those Ram 250’s are solid enough to prevent flex “if” the bodies are correctly mounted. The fit between the two bodies surprises me. I wouldn’t have thought it to be seamless. Bit of a climb to get up in there though. It would have to be at least a foot higher off the ground than your stock VW bus.
      Pretty innovative idea.

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  11. Avatar Donnie

    The mattress is kind of scary looking.

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    • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

      No doubt, I’ve seen nicer mattresses in crack houses LOL. I DEFINITELY would have yanked that out for the photos!

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      • Avatar Tim

        That’s where the seller lives, and presumably where his guests cease to live.

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  12. Avatar Jim Capp

    I would finish it. Try to find another VW camper & start from there transforming this into a DVW Camper. My old job we had a 91 Dodge with the same engine, they are work horses!!

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  13. Avatar Rod Davis

    Well, I like it. Had I found this add ten years ago, I might have taken this project in hand…However, caveat emptor…The 6bt has an intercooler mounted so, is it a modified ’91 or a later model engine? Welding does not look particularly professional, at least from the photos. Interesting project that ten thousand dollars and a few hundred hours would make a real jewel. Assuming that it is as advertised. Keeping in mind that these early 12 valve trucks in excellent condition are bringing big bucks at the auctions. One recently sold for $17,000. This one would not come anywhere close to that number, even in a finished condition.

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  14. Avatar Rod Davis

    I just noticed the ’93 here on this page, below right. $30,000…Are you ready for that? I suppose you can ‘ask’ anything.

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  15. Avatar Patrick McC.

    Ramagon or Volksdogen?

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    • Avatar PilotMike

      Cumfalia?

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  16. Avatar Jubjub

    Wow,

    Reminds me of a mid/late sixties Rambler American I saw with similar treatment in, I believe, Port Costa Ca. many years ago. Cool thing was the VW donor was a deluxe and had the corner glass. Wonder what happened to it. I really miss the Bay Area’s showcase of funky vehicles stock or otherwise that were everywhere not too long ago. Now just a bunch of Camrys, Priuses and other unlovable, reliable appliances.

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    • Avatar Chebby Member

      I really miss the Bay Area’s showcase of funky people that were everywhere not too long ago. The Camrys, Priuses and other unlovable, reliable appliances are driven by the new invasive species of boring folks who spend all their time looking at their phones and talking about stocks, apps, VC capital….money, money, money. One of things I loved about SF were the old daily-driver cars found in almost every neighborhood. Not so much anymore.

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  17. Avatar Bill

    Ramagedon. Yup, I’d drive the heck outta that monster.a little upholstery, a little wood.. I’d roll in it. It’s a sort of “Road Warrior Winnebago”

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  18. Avatar Walter Joy

    So it’s a first gen Ram connected with a VW bus and has various 2nd gen Ram parts on it. Weird but I’d drive it

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  19. Avatar Rod Davis

    Assuming the engine is not a total transplant from another truck…and…this truck started life with a Cummins engine in the first place. Just sayin’…caveat emptor.
    Definitely need a personal inspection with someone familiar with Dodge trucks.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Chebby Member

    This is really interesting idea, and while I love Mad Max engineering, this leaves a lot to be desired.

    Why would you start with a grimy work truck, then add a filthy pop-top. At least degrease the truck and paint it before you weld. Secondly, that’s the early bunk-style pop top, I don’t think it even has a full upper bed to it. Third, the pop-top does not add enough height to stand in the vehicle, so I’m not sure what you really gain at the end of the day, it’s still a camper you have to crawl around in. Lastly, unless you’re a Ted Kascynski type, your vehicle should strive to be female-friendly, and I’m pretty sure all but the crustiest, hairy-legged survival babes would run screaming from this.

    This truck would be 1000% better with a quickie paint job, a bedliner, and one of these: http://www.flippac.com/#page_1/

    Like 0

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