1954 Dodge Army Truck Will get New Life As Rustic, Heavy-Responsibility Camper

This 1954 Dodge M152 as soon as served as a command truck for the Canadian Armed Forces. Wealthy discovered it derelict in Ontario, paying $6,000 for the truck and one other $3,000 to move it residence, turning it into his new camper.

It took Wealthy a few yr and a half to get the truck operating and one other yr earlier than he may reside in it, however he’s been dwelling in it full-time for the final 4 years. The Dodge doesn’t have quite a lot of bells and whistles, however Wealthy designed it with simplicity in thoughts. Which means the truck doesn’t have a bathroom. Nonetheless, it does have an out of doors handheld bathe/faucet.

Inside, there’s a big, snug mattress with storage beneath, however the dwelling area is small, measuring simply 48 sq. ft. Between the mattress and cab are a small bench and a countertop with drawers. These function the pantry and storage, with a small kettle and different gear for cooking indoors. The camper additionally has the smallest Dometic fridge.

Wealthy didn’t set up any hanging cupboards due to the command automobile’s copious quantity of home windows, giving the army males inside a 360-degree view of their environment. As an alternative, he found he may use magnets to hold issues like a towel rack from the truck’s ceiling. He even discovered ingesting glasses with magnets within the backside that hang around of the way in which. The vertical partitions and home windows make it really feel larger than it’s.

This lack of storage means Wealthy retains his garments beneath his mattress, retaining his possessions minimal. A fuller kitchen is on the market by way of the truck’s again hatch, the place fold-down tables function a prep station. There’s storage for his cooking utensils, spices, and extra.

Powering the 9,000-pound (4,082-kilogram) rig is a Chevrolet small-block carbureted engine. Wealthy wished to maintain it easy so it’d be straightforward to restore out on the street. He had a fabricator make customized wheels to run fashionable tires, enhancing the journey high quality a bit. He’s invested $30,000 into it, and it’s nice to see the previous Dodge nonetheless chugging alongside.