Reader Mark M has decided to list his Kamp King Koach for sale and thought a fellow Barn Finds Reader might appreciate this truly unique camper. He describes it as having wild styling, unusual features, and is exceptionally rare. I can’t comment on how rare it is, but it really is wild and unusual! Seriously, take a closer look at this thing and you’ll start to notice all the cool features it’s equipped with. If you’d love to hit the open road in this cool camper, you can find it in Santa Barbara, California with a $4,995 asking price.
Having spent its entire life in Southern California, this Econoline based camper appears to be very solid throughout. The body is straight and Mark believes the paint is original, with some touch-up work done to the camper portions paint to fix some fading. He’s also confident that it’s never been restored and is equipped with all of its original features.
It’s going to need some work on the inside to make it a comfortable again, but everything seems to be present and in restorable condition. I don’t see too many signs of water intrusion, which is typically a major issue for classic campers. Restoring all that wood paneling and trim is going to take a fair amount of work, but it sure would look great once done. Add some modern RV appliances, AC, and this would be a really fun vehicle to travel in!
One of the more interesting features, besides the exterior design that is, is the rear tip out or the Snap & Nap as Kamp King called it. This kind of feature wouldn’t become commonplace on campers for another couple decades. Between it and the upper sleeping area, you should have plenty of space for the whole family!
Mike states that the 302 V8 runs great, but you will want to give it a tune-up before making any long drives. It hasn’t been used much over the past few years, but he did just have new 12 ply truck tires installed so that it would be safe to drive short distances.
Seller’s Listing: Here on craigslist
- Asking Price: $4,995
- Location: Santa Barbara, CA
- Mileage: 114k
- Title Status: Clean
- VIN: E34GHD70556
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
Don’t know what I’d use it for, but it just
oozes cool! Nice to see companies like
Kamp King dared to be different when it
came to camper design. Yeah, Winnebago may have been the popular
choice in motorhomes, it was units like
this one that put the quirk in camping.
I guess I could park it in the backyard and
use it for a man cave. Great find!
Interesting vehicle. Not much value in old motor homes though. Wish there were some nice interior pics. I don’t think you could gat much more than a grand for it.
God bless America
There are some weird instances with makes such as Airstream/Argosy, Travco, Revcon/GMC where they have a following. Some folks customize them to the Nth degree, never going to see but a fraction of your investment, but others update/upgrade and those brands hold their values fairly well.
In general, you are 100% correct
Not sure which is more unfortunate: Kamp King Koach’s initials, or the way this thing looks like a garbage truck with the bed folded out.
Either way, I don’t care. I like it.
Well then, it would be the perfect vehicle to travel the country and attend large rallies given by a former reality TV host.
But it is pretty ungainly looking…..like driving a trapezoid down the street
I think maybe back then, they named things without worrying about whether someone would be “triggered.”
Good one, Chebby,( like Krustys Komedy Komeback) I swear, if I saw this thing coming at me on a 2 lane, I’d hit the ditch. It’s unusual, I’ll give it that, and the fact they actually sold some, always amazes me, somebody thought it was a good idea and somebody bought it. I’d have to think it’s highly unstable in any kind of wind, and I bet more than one bird got caught above the cab. I like odd campers, however, and the price is ok for a camper, I’d have to think, if Scotty G went camping, be perfect. I’m sure it sucks gas like a top fuel dragster, but at the time gas was .35/gal.
I own the 1968 chevy Kamp King van in the craigslist posting pictures. It drives and handles surprisingly well. When driving it or camping people are drawn to it. I love it and I am sure the new owner will too.
I think it’s pretty cool too. This era Ford mechanicals are just the best. My only concern with these top heavy campers, is they really should have dual wheels in the back. It increases stability considerable. There’s a huge surge for retro campers, somebody will grab this.
looking at the photos, seeing the over hang of the camper unit from the vans fenders, a dully kit could easily be added with some minor body work.
I agree with you , it should be added to this.
I just bought the 1969 Kamp King Koach Van a home just like this today… interior is a little different, she’s a Dream though. And she is white with brown stripes. this is the only other one I could find in the whole USA
She IS dually. And weighs 1.5 tons with a gross of 7600 She also drives like a dream and she’s pretty much all original from what I can tell & in darn near mint condition!
I gave $1500 for her and drove her 275 miles home.
Got ab 15/16 mpg
She’s a beast!
I’m so in love. I feel kinda bad for not telling the guy I bought her from that there were only two I could find in the whole US
I love it. I’m just wondering how wide that rear bed is? Would an antique RV lover who is 6’3″ fit in there?
(The RV lover is antique too)
When the rear bed is tucked in for traveling. The rear access door, does not provide access. Just sayin’
Kind of cool. But not a Windy Wanderer! It’s a Windy Tipper! If the wind is blowing over Semi trailers. Then this thing better be bolted down somewhere.
Wayne, I would assume those triangular wings over the rear bed fold in so that they don’t block the doorway?
Yup!! I lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming for 27 years and I can say without a doubt, this is a sail looking for some wind…and out in the Rocky Mountain area there is plenty of it. This really is too top heavy. It is quite functional, however. Most folks who own Class C motor homes usually pick ones that pop up. I had a pop up, slide in camper in my pick for a few years. It was great! The weight did not add to the “tipability.” (Did I just coin a new word?)
Excellent use of interior space coupled with the worst aero ever!
A Kamp King Koach with Snap & Nap, by Van-A-Home? Classic vintage marketing language!
Patrick M, Standard (standard from the vehicle manufacturer) length, mostly stock lower section vans like this one, are called class “B” .
Class “C” are Cab/Chassis/Cut-A-Way units with only the van nose. (Lazy Daze, etc.)
Here in Nevada this unit would be a sail also. Outriggers would be interesting! Especially to travelers in the other lanes! (lol)
And just to complete the “classification standards” A class “A” starts out as only a chassis (John Deere, Older P series GM, Spartan, Freightliner, etc.) with a complete body installation.
This concludes our daily motor home info.
Looking at the other versions in the Craigslist posting, all I can say is — thankfully we have stricter rules governing the height. Just look at the TWO STORY model on a Chevy Pickup chassis. And that Studebaker Wagonaire is downright ugly even compared to the artwork of Salvador Dali. Looks like some grade schooler was asked by their teacher to draw as many geometric shapes on top of an already angular Studebaker wagon design.
Never have I seen a setup like this!! Cool as hell I have had two of these Econoline vans and purchased a third a short while ago!! There great in my opinion!! This truck is in a league of its own though!!!
rod444, Typically a full size van is 57″ to 59″ wide. (not counting the mirrors) So you would be looking at the length, not the width of bed.
I think that it is cool also. But I bought a new “bumper pull’ camp trailer last year. (I really need something like this with 2 single beds for pulling the race car trailer for race weekends.)
This is still available. Seems like a great price for something this rare and solid. No takers?
It’s all yours Mark! Offer them $3,500 and drive it home.
email me if avail
Dad rented a Kamp King just like that except with red stripes and took my childhood friend and me for a week around Florida State Parks. Had a blast. Started my love of RV’s. Dad surprisingly did say it drove real easy since he was used to driving a ’67 Mustang GTA at the time.