Any current/recently made compact body-on-frame SUVs other than Jeep left??

[CamoDeafie]

Been mulling some ideas, of course, I don't have the space, nor the shop equipment to build this..but I can't help but think that there has to be a market for a compact SUV based RV campers...in the vein of the old VW Microbus campers or the Toyota 4x4 Previa campers..... and taking the idea from Land Rover Defender 110 Ambulance bodied models, along with the similar Mercedes Benz G-wagen box van conversions.........

Looking at the 2 door Kia Sportage and the 4 door I have, and since both are body-on-frame models, and can be had with 4x4 drivetrains.. I thought; why not combine the features of a small teardrop RV trailer, with the 4x4 compact SUV systems.......

I know for sure, my 4 door has roughly 5 feet of length from the front seat backs to the hatch opening, and roughly 4 feet space between the wheel wells... But the roof is not even 7 feet long, due to the angles involved, so a pop-up tent roof similar to Ursa Minor's Honda Element top or JK-wrangler is right out of the window.

Surely RV companies should be able to market a line of compact camper/rvs with 4x4 and body-on-frame construction, but the question is...are there any left other than the Jeep JK line?

Land Rover ambulance


Jeep JK camper conversions




Ursa Minor conversions, both JK and Honda Element





And the concept body shape that I would like to see... maybe a little longer, and not as an ambulance?


I have some sketches of what I'd like to see done, doesn't need to be a Kia sportage based vehicle but it's what I have and what I was thinking....

I know the simplest would be to remove the rear seats, build a bed platform, and jerry rig a pop up roof tent, although I don't think that's easily feasible due to the short roof and the angles involved... well, not as easy as just chop the back off a 2 door Sportage body and then weld up supports, then build a boxy rear body with aluminum or steel channel and skin it in either sheet steel, or laminated wood/fiberglass a boxy body would allow one to maximize space for stuff and make things so much easier to measure/cut/engineer around. This could be done with similar vehicles, say the Geo/Chevy Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick/Vitara, or any small 4x4 body on frame vehicles that had both 2 and 4 door lengths.... Not sure a Colorado truck is small enough for this.

Trend seems to be converting Transit Connects into campers, but I doubt they have any real off-road capability. Also noted that most of the compact "SUV"s are now crossovers based on unibody car/van platforms.

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[No_Regerts]

My buddy bought a Tacoma and a CVT metal frame tent thing. It would give you the utility of a small truck with a easily transportable shelter.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Bruh; I think I may be asking the nigh-impossible here then.

The reason...well at last fill up, my 4 door 2wd Kia Sportage 5 speed did 28mpg with a 130hp 4 cyl (and its body on frame...) I was thinking, that is right at the same levels that the Transit Connect does (only without the off-road ability and relative ride height).... So, is it so hard to ask for a compact off road RV/camper conversion that doesn't guzzle gasoline like a drunk at a frat party? I realize that maybe the conversion in mind would probably eat up a lot of gas due to the boxy body and possibly the weight, unless one were able to get the weight to be only 100-200lbs heavier than the stock body...doable with aluminum framing and lightweight stainless steel skin.... What mileage does the Tacoma get with the metal tent thing?
Here is the concept using a Kia Sportage 2 door front cabin and a slightly stretched 4 door chassis...
interior of the box could be as simple as just plain box, or more complicated with furniture/furnishings and similar technology utilized in teardrop trailers.

 

[No_Regerts]

I'm not sure but I'll ask.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Since there obviously seem to be a market for the JK based campers and conversions, as well as the Honda Element micro campers....surely there must be similar demands for conversions on Japanese/Korean mini SUVs but not necessarily the crossovers.... if any exist in the US market for the same size as say the Jeep Liberty.

EDIT: I mean, there's a resurgence of the teardrop camp trailers, for both on-road and off-road markets, but the one thing in common with these is that...they basically eat gas away from the base rig, and not everyone is skillful enough to maneuver trailers (that wonderful driver training classes in high schools don't seem to include trailer driving )

and the appeal to me at least...is being able to go somewhat off road, with a vehicle that can be a camper, but is still small, relative to what it can do...compared to the yuuge 5th wheelers and diesel pick ups with yuuge trailers, and the motorcoaches.

 

[No_Regerts]

 

[CamoDeafie]

If only the DOT/NHSTB would legalize the Japanese Kei trucks for highway usage....those are just plain cool.

here's the small camper based on a Daihatsu model


by the way, they're legal as "farm/off highway vehicles" in Oregon.. 4x4 manual trans, 1000lb cargo capacity and a small cab-over design.... compact diesel or gas engines, and pretty good mileage I think.

 

[Camelfilter]

If only the DOT/NHSTB would legalize the Japanese Kei trucks for highway usage....those are just plain cool.

here's the small camper based on a Daihatsu model
View attachment 509851

by the way, they're legal as "farm/off highway vehicles" in Oregon.. 4x4 manual trans, 1000lb cargo capacity and a small cab-over design.... compact diesel or gas engines, and pretty good mileage I think.

Or if Mitsubishi had ever made their diesel 4x4 Delica Van left hand steering, and cleared it for US import. There would be tons of used ones available these days.

Nifty little vehicles with more room/carrying capacity than above, but...sigh...they never did. Just starting to be legal to import, but the right hand steering & limited number of imports makes them way overpriced for what they are.

Honestly, the easiest for convenience are a pickup truck with a "four wheel" brand pop-up camper, a 4x4 conversion van, or a VW wesfalia 4x4. All markedly overpriced for what they are, with the four wheel camper likely the "easiest" to deal with.

Those Jeep pop ups seem really really nice, but I honestly don't think we would find them that enjoyable. We have the old school pickup truck flip top version which they were kind of based on, "flip pac". Upside is the space provided, downside is that it's still a tent. A heavy duty tent, but a tent none the less.

Flip pac (AFAIK) has ceased production, but adventure trailers (AT) was trying to keep a similar camper going which flipped to the rear. Nice feature, as that flip eliminates the need for a rear awning while retaining the interior room. The price point was the killer. Might as well get a slide in pop up camper from 4 wheel fir a little bit more $.

 

[Mister Bisley]

If you're worried about gas mileage, there's always this...



Not sure where you'll sleep or keep your balls though

 

[Jonnyuma]

Maybe off-topic, but the old Chevy Astro vans were built off of the S10 truck platform: body on frame and rwd (or awd). I know this because when my wife wanted a mini van, it was the only one I would even consider. Some of those got converted into campers back in the day.
I'm not sure if Chevy followed that protocol into the 2000s or not... we never did buy a minivan... I successfully dodged that bullet for over 20 yrs

 

[CamoDeafie]

not entirely off topic; that's actually closer to what I'm asking, are there any 4x4/awd compact RVs on the US market, I don't mean ones based on F/E-250/350 sized chassis or slide-in campers on pick up trucks, I mean something closer to the old 4x4 camp vans or similar from Toyota... (fun fact for @Camelfilter ; the 1980s toyota cabover vans were basically the same as their kei trucks, just has a full van body instead of cab and bed)

Again, I aint even sure if the Colorado is really "compact" when it's bigger and heavier all around than the old S10

sort of annoying when there is a clearly defined market for relatively small nimble legit off road-able RVs but manufacturers are either saying they're gonna cost too much, or people want more "features and cargo size" (for the price)...

Yeah, I'm just thinking.. I like the features of the small teardrop trailers, but not their $8,000-30,000 price tags (for that much, I might as well as buy a full size used 15-20 year old diesel RV!)

Then there's the very high costs of even used Jeep Wranglers (I've an old thread somewhere, where I ranted about how proud Oregonians seem to be of their Subarus, VWs vans, Toyota trucks and Jeep Wrangler TJ//CJ/JK series), plus the equally high costs of getting the camper conversions....

It all boils down to this.....

there seems to be a market for relatively affordable, compact, off-road capable SUV/actual light truck based RVs that also does good mileage.... but no, manufacturers are happy to be making big and heavy RVs that barely can get off road....

I mean, there's loads and loads and loads of DIY stealth camper vans and similar using the Transit Connect and crossovers out there...because people want something small that they can sleep in and does decent on gas.

 

[that guy]

Toyota 4Runner and FJ are on frames, but probably won't work for what you describe.

Check out the Nissan NV. It can be built into a 4x4 camper:



Quigley makes a Nissan NV 4X4 van, let us say hallelujah - The Fast Lane Car

 

[that guy]

Also check out VanLife Northwest in Portland. They specialize in Asian camper vans like the Delica and HiAce:

VanLife Northwest - Sold vehicles

 

[po18guy]

Maybe a Ford Transit conversion? Ford Transit Connect - LWB Wagon Camper Conversion - Campers
I see there are quite a few doing these.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Toyota 4Runner and FJ are on frames, but probably won't work for what you describe.

I've been looking at those two recently myself. Couldn't find an FJ for under 10k, but clean, unmolested 4Runners up to early 2000s can be had under 7k... I also happen to like those better than the FJs.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Why not an Isuzu Cab over box truck? While not 4X4, it would surely save you in fab work as the box is already there! FOr that matter, any of the Small 10 to 16 foot box trucks would make awesome R/V conversions! They are solidly built and proven drive trains that work long and hard! Most of these trucks can be had with various millage for a lot less then you think! Some even have lift gates, think of the possibilities!


Or, just get one of these and call it done!

 

[CamoDeafie]

@Ura-Ki ; because these are still too big for what I really want

the box in the concept drawing is only 7 ft long, 5 ft wide, maximum 6 ft tall... Actually, very similar to many of the smaller enclosed utility trailers out there.

I guess what I really am after is a more affordable version of the JK jeep camper designs..

Or an off road-able RV version of this. (Subaru Sambar kei box truck)

 

[Ura-Ki]

The ONE issue with those little Japanese trucks is parts, where are you going to find parts? The other thing is right hand steering, ever drive a right hand rig in a left hand world? Not very fun I can tell you!
How about a mid 90s and up mid size pickup with 4X4 and convert to what you want? Thinking a Toyota Or Ranger would be about perfect!

 

[CamoDeafie]

The ONE issue with those little Japanese trucks is parts, where are you going to find parts? The other thing is right hand steering, ever drive a right hand rig in a left hand world? Not very fun I can tell you!
How about a mid 90s and up mid size pickup with 4X4 and convert to what you want? Thinking a Toyota Or Ranger would be about perfect!

if they were imported to the US and easily available all over, then they'd be good. As is, I see theres a few of them for sale at a local dealer for $5k each with LH drive, just "off highway use only" as in farm vehicles.

as for the trucks..well. hm.. that's the easyboring way

does anyone make a small enclosed cargo box for compact-midsize pick-ups in the US??? I don't mean like the 10ft+ farm/firefighter crew boxes or the electrical/plumbing utility boxes or just fiberglass caps/toppers on ordinary pickup beds, I mean like a 1 piece solid steel box with cleaner lines and slightly higher profile

Ideally though, I'd like to see a company offer a similar rig to the old 2 door Jeep Cherokee with the long cargo space..... possibly a slightly higher roof also... similar in concept to this older Toyota Land Cruiser ambulance body type



Seems nobody is making a rig like below anymore

 

[Ura-Ki]

Kinda miss my Wagoneer! Sure was a sweet rig, you could fold the rear seat and sleep two people in it!
There are the imported surplus Mercedes Benz Glendawagons now available here, and those are easy to work on and get parts for, and I see they are also importing the Rovers like you posted in your O.P. but you might as well buy a new rig for what those are selling for!