Craigslist Crapshoot

By Robert Emslie Mar 15, 2017


Welcome to Craigslist Crapshoot, our weekly search for the most bizarre, awesome, and/or terrible vehicles that the online classifieds has to offer.
Last week we went looking for special editions of what’s seemingly the most ubiquitous category on U.S. roads today: the pickup truck. We’ll get some special education (is that offensive?) in a sec, but first this week’s quest. 
Uh oh, it’s that time of the year again. The weather is starting to get nice, cabin fever (or maybe it’s West Nile) is almost unbearable and the wanderlust is setting in, and that means we need to start planning to hit the road. What we need to do so is a compact camper, and this week that’s just what we want to find: the most awesome compact campers that ten grand or less will buy. Extra points if your nominee doesn’t look like it requires booster shots to enter.
As always, we want your finds to go down in infamy and not in the site’s spam filter. Since we’ve changed commenting systems, you may need to update your commenter account. Make sure you have a Disqus account – they’re free and easy to get – and then comment away.
Got that? Good, now let’s get fancy!
Pickup trucks were originally intended for work, and I think with regards to last week’s offerings the most appropriate retort would be “that’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works.” Sure, you might be able to get some things done with trucks like the tasty, albeit overpriced ’94 Ford F150 Lightning found by dukeisduke, or the NASCAR Edition offered up by our own Peter Tanshanomi. Probably a little less effective as a work mate, but interesting nonetheless were the retina damaging ’03 Boss 5.4 Ford given to us by GTXcellent, or the Syclone in its creepy garage that ptschett located for us. 
JayP gave us a cool Warlock, while smalleyxb122 didn’t disappoint by finding a Lil’ Red Express.
Of course, mdharrell found his next odd bodkin, while outback_ute gave us an Outback Ute that I think we all could get behind. Dabidoh_Sambone was the first to post a Centurion, but not the last, but those aftermarket modded offerings pale in comparison to the factory job found by Fuhrman16 who takes the cake this week with a six-speed equipped Dodge Ram SRT10. That is definitely a special edition truck that’s working it.
Congrats to Fuhrman16, and thank you all for bringing your A game. Now, let’s get our campers on!

52 thoughts on “Craigslist Crapshoot”
        1. It is possible, you need to modify the trans tunnel to fit the transfer case and swap the front crossmember. I know that wagon – one of the most impressive builds you will find anywhere for doing everything the ‘proper’ way; OEM parts and reprogramming the OEM systems.
          The Outback isn’t a locking diff as per the later RTV, but does ok within the limitations of 2wd.

  1. This 1978 Towlounge has been haunting my thoughts, and threatening my sanity, ever since I found it on craigslist 3 weeks ago. It needs some work, and the accommodations are meager, but look at it! All for $1400 ($1500 in the latest version of the ad)
    https://images.craigslist.org/00k0k_95oS5Sgdiyn_600x450.jpg
    https://centralmich.craigslist.org/rvs/6023561089.html
    It was also featured on barnfinds, where they went so far as to track down a vintage advertisement, showing its accompanying fifth wheel trailer.

    Big Tow: 1978 Elite 188 Towlounge Chevy Van

  2. How compact are we talking? I suppose just under 7k left over would allow you to build some sort of sleeping arrangement on this Aixam chassis. 600cc Kubota twin cylinder diesel, hilly areas may need to be avoided.
    https://donedeal.akamaized.net/ddimg/NjRjNjQ5MzRhNGFmMjc1OTJhYWQzNjUyMGQ1NWI3MmPlzn2ndMtcT5pVWaydsB9iaHR0cDovL3MzLWV1LXdlc3QtMS5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL2RvbmVkZWFsLmllLXBob3Rvcy9waG90b182OTgxMzY4OHx8fDYwMHg2MDB8fHx8fHx8fA==.jpeg
    https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/aixam-mega-multitruck-600-d/14775508

  3. 1976 Alfa Romeo A12. Absolutely adorable in that way where all of its flaws just make me love it more. There is a well known illustrator of children’s books here in Sweden, Jan Lööf, who has a very particular style when it comes to vehicles and machinery. This looks so much like something he could have drawn.
    http://s.sbito.it/images/34/34566259826613.jpg
    http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/kultur/10.94/bilkrock.gif
    http://www.subito.it/caravan-e-camper/camper-alfa-romeo-a12-milano-191120843.htm

    1. Oh, man. My granddad had an F250 Camper special in this very shade, albeit manual transmission with a floor shifter as long as a baseball bat. Logged many happy miles on camping/fishing trips in both the cab and illegally perched in the cabover with my cousin.

      1. As the rust goes with that wind?
        Wait a minute +P161911 – The one picture is a short buss and the other picture is of a full size one.

        1. According to the ad: “Also have a longer bus with a bath room and beds still in it also will need towed make offer.”
          You can star you own even lower class RV park!

          1. If they were cleaned up it probably isn’t the silliest idea – more characterful than a generic cabin. Throw in some old train carriages, an airliner fuselage or two, the possibilities are endless.

          2. I think the short one would qualify as a Tiny House, those seem to be really trendy right now.

    1. Mopar based, yes, but designed by Larry Shinoda for the company he and Knudsen formed after exiting Ford, and assembled at a factory previously occupied by Kar Kraft.
      It’s practically a Boss 429!

        1. HA!
          – But the White Motor Company was spared a huge loss courtesy of a stroke of Divine intervention when in March 1974 a lightning bolt hit the Brighton, Michigan, factory, burning it to the ground, and the beleaguered company was able to collect on the insurance. –

    1. You know, just about the time you’re finally satisfied that the universe is ruled by mathematical principles and physics God throws a platypus or a Fiat 850 camper in your face.

  4. Awesome, no. Less than 10 grand, yes. Potential? maybe.
    Translation of post:
    1989 GMC Rally Van
    250k km (155343mi)
    5.7 L gas V8
    automatic
    good tires
    full equip: sink, fridge, stove, table
    bench folds into bed
    super good condition (direct translation)
    colour: Bordeaux
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/69acf845b227cfdb6e17aae946d95cedaad09863c9bbbb77a53af6810e99836e.jpg
    http://www.kijiji.ca/v-autos-camions/laval-rive-nord/1989-gmc-rally-van-camper-fourgonnette-fourgon/1246052085?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

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