When you think of a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup equipped with the desirable V10 Magnum engine, your mind usually jumps to two scenarios: one, it’s just a total workhorse, used for some fairly brutal jobsite activities. Two, it’s pulling a very heavy load all over creation, be it horses or a house trailer. Rarely do you see a Ram used as a camper with the bed converted into a mini home on wheels, not unlike the Chevrolet K5 Blazer Chalet that is still a bit of an item today. This Ram looks like a classic utility truck but it actually seems to be a smartly-built camper. Find it here on craigslist for $13,800.
That’s a fair price, too, for a truck that seems to be in tidy condition overall. The camping / overland / live-out-of-your-car movement is a quiet phenomenon in the U.S., in some cases driven by necessity; in others, it makes for Instagram-worthy photos. It’s hard to say what’s driving the decision to live on the road in a conventional single-cab pickup, but the level of detail suggests there was plenty of intent behind the mobile lifestyle. I suppose if you work on a remote drilling site or perform geological surveys in the far reaches of the big country of ours, a setup like this makes total sense.
The seller notes that there is a custom frame with a slide-in mechanism for the bed. Since there’s just an egg crate in here, one would assume this is meant to disappear on occasion and be used like a truck bed should be used. The interesting thing to me is the bed cap itself, which I wouldn’t assume to be useful as anything other than protection of tools and other valuables that get stowed in the bed; it actually makes a handy shelter, and is likely far, far cheaper than buying one of those camper shells that drops into the bed. Like I said, someone has their wits about them for road tripping without blowing out the budget as so many overlanders seem to do.
And, of course, you still have a reliable engine and transmission to get you to hell and back. The 8.0L engine was good for 300 horsepower and a beefy 450 lb.-ft. of torque, which is still plenty respectable today. The interior appears to have leather upholstery as well, which gives this working rig an upscale touch and makes driving it as pleasant as sleeping in it. The price seems fair for a rust-free V10-equipped Ram, and even more sensible when you consider the many ways this could support a lifestyle involving some travel off the beaten path (what a great hunting and fishing truck this would make!) Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the tip.
“ Truckin’, I’m a goin’ home
Whoa whoa baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin’ on…”
Sometimes the lights all shinin’ on me, other times I can barely see, lately it occurred to me, what a long, strange trip it’s been,,,
Well, I suppose just a matter of time, that the most popular pickup of modern times would show up here. Ford? Chevy? Rivian? Nope, nope, and double nope, the RAM is by far THE most popular truck, in these here parts anyway. I think the V10 is mostly for the “more must be better” thing, and not sure about the reliability of it, but the hemi V8 is a poor motor. I’ve known several that needed replacement, and at $10grand a pop, not the best. I’ve never seen this type of camper setup, if you can call it that, more of a California shaggin’ wagon, they are nice trucks regardless. The 2nd and 3rd gen RAMs are a huge departure from any “DODGE” that preceded them, in fact, I bet most have no idea what Dodge pickups were, or like Jeep, know or care about how important they were to our freedom.
I have to respectfully disagree – I have had more problems with GM. First the castech 706 heads fiasco and then the oil consumption issues in 2011 because I hadn’t learned my lesson the first time. Now I hear from a friend who has one that the 6.2 has issues with the rotating assembly failing. My hemi has been trouble free. I think they all have their problems but it will take some time before I ever consider another GM.
What about air flow in that canopy ?
🥵 🛌 . Cool rig 😎 👍
I don’t believe its worth the $13k possibly $8k but for me I would have to get rid of the camper junk in the back and bring it back to being the tow pig it was built to be.
Would rather have a 318. Makes more sense, especially if it is used for cheap traveling. The ten was an alternative to the Cummings if you had to tow, but was second best for that in my opinion. This is a nice truck, but the price would need to be right to make up for the compromises. Hopefully wont end up with some kid who will raise it, put on oversized wide tires, blacken the windows, and make the noise level unacceptable to the majority of citizens they encounter.
A beauty. Now dilemna. Rip off the camping stuff and use as a nice and gutsy daily driver without battering and abusing it or keep the top and modify the camping stuff to taste. Deeeecisions, deeeecisions.
It’s only 2WD.
My 2001 Dodge ‘commercial’ 11,000 GVWR 3500 V10 w/5 speed has just over 182K on it. I was a babe in the woods when I bought it in ’05 w/132K. Reason for being a ‘babe’ I didn’t know I required a CDL. Thankfully, only busted once by the dreaded Iowa DOT, just off I-80. I DO like driving it though, it pulls my big flatbed bumper hitch and my 8.5×14 enclosed trailer. Those are the reasons I keep the truck. But honestly, the ’89 Chevy half ton 350 w/4 speed outpulled it all day. The Chevy is history, but the Dodge remains and barely gets driven around 500 miles a year. The problem w/the Dodge is the ‘space’, for lack of a better term, between gears is too much when pulling a heavy trailer uphill. And the MPG is awful! I’ll never sell it while I’m still drawing breath. BTW, I never got that CDL.