Thread: New Camper

Well it's taken longer than I planned, but the camper is getting close now.
One of the Queenstown Go Orange buses built back around 2019, that got laid up coz of Covid.
I picked it up in '21 with about 5,000 kms on it, so pretty much new.

Once it's on the road in a month or so, look out all you good bastards in the South Island, I'll be leaning on you for bits of advice, pointing me in the right direction for some nice riverside/beachfront spots etc. And no, I don't mean all your secret spots!
Already eying up Ryan Songhurst's South paddock! ;-)

5000k on the clock,near brand new and bullet proof.Bloody good buy,well done.

Wicked job there Mistral.
Got any more photos

Originally Posted by nevereadyfreddy

Wicked job there Mistral.
Got any more photos

Yep, I'll slap a few of the build ones up if you like?
It's like all these projects, always bigger than you envisage.

Originally Posted by Mistral

Well it's taken longer than I planned, but the camper is getting close now.
One of the Queenstown Go Orange buses built back around 2019, that got laid up coz of Covid.
I picked it up in '21 with about 5,000 kms on it, so pretty much new.

Once it's on the road in a month or so, look out all you good bastards in the South Island, I'll be leaning on you for bits of advice, pointing me in the right direction for some nice riverside/beachfront spots etc. And no, I don't mean all your secret spots!
Already eying up Ryan Songhurst's South paddock! ;-)

Attachment 242496

needs a camo paint job to really set it off yuk yuk damn nice

In Queenstown, at the start of the journey.
"Whatcha think, turn this into a camper?" A quick drive around the place, and hey, can't go past this adventure, the things amazing!

I looked at one of those....They were wanting stupid money for them.

Bloody fantastic cab/chassis for a go anywhere camper.

Having driven these for many years for the Queen, and owned one myself for 8 years all I can suggest is a winch can be a saviour. It may take you a while, but with a power winch and some nouse you can always extract yourself.

Originally Posted by XR500

I looked at one of those....They were wanting stupid money for them.

Bloody fantastic cab/chassis for a go anywhere camper.

Having driven these for many years for the Queen, and owned one myself for 8 years all I can suggest is a winch can be a saviour. It may take you a while, but with a power winch and some nouse you can always extract yourself.

Hey XR, yep they're cool. These ones are a bit different than the 1700's, air con, air seats, cruise control, and you can even listen to music or talk to the passenger! Very similar off-road capability though, full cross locks, super low range etc. Putting winches front & rear, just need 4 patrols or cruisers to anchor to? or a 20 tonne digger?

Originally Posted by Mistral

Hey XR, yep they're cool. These ones are a bit different than the 1700's, air con, air seats, cruise control, and you can even listen to music or talk to the passenger! Very similar off-road capability though, full cross locks, super low range etc. Putting winches front & rear, just need 4 patrols or cruisers to anchor to? or a 20 tonne digger?

Just seeing the electricery on the fuel gauge sender sent a shiver down my spine!!!

The Army's fleet of 1700's is now 40 years old...and still going strong. I would hope that your new version still uses lots of air valves to undertake the major functions of park brake, main brakes, diff locks, high/low gear shift, and pressurising the gear train when in 4WD?? Having stripped the Mog down that far you should have found that the 4 way valve permits the air to be used to inflate the tyres. Dropping the tyres from 85psi down to 30psi gave them a whole new level of traction.

We showed the young guys how to use the Mog's spare tyre to get us out of the shit. Even withstood a snatch block pull. But it did require a bunch of young guys to dig the hole and place the spare in it!!!

And some where I do have a photo of four civvie 4x4's snatching a Mog out of mud.

Water a third of the way up the windscreen is as far as I have taken a Mog wading. But there's no electrons in a U1700L to upset

Originally Posted by XR500

Just seeing the electricery on the fuel gauge sender sent a shiver down my spine!!!

Yep, it's sealed in an ally tube, with a magnet floating up & down on the outside of the tube, but it still seems counterintuitive to put an electric stick in a fuel tank!

The Army's fleet of 1700's is now 40 years old...and still going strong. I would hope that your new version still uses lots of air valves to undertake the major functions of park brake, main brakes, diff locks, high/low gear shift, and pressurising the gear train when in 4WD?? Having stripped the Mog down that far you should have found that the 4 way valve permits the air to be used to inflate the tyres. Dropping the tyres from 85psi down to 30psi gave them a whole new level of traction.

Yes air for all of that, & all the gear shifts. No working group on these, but 4 really low gears, then the next 4 are high. Same in reverse.
I've fitted an ARB compressor as well but yes it comes with an attachment for inflating tyres, plugs are both sides down the back as standard.
And yep, pressurizes all the running gear, diff's, portals, even the tail lights to keep water out.

We showed the young guys how to use the Mog's spare tyre to get us out of the shit. Even withstood a snatch block pull. But it did require a bunch of young guys to dig the hole and place the spare in it!!!

And some where I do have a photo of four civvie 4x4's snatching a Mog out of mud.

Water a third of the way up the windscreen is as far as I have taken a Mog wading. But there's no electrons in a U1700L to upset

And there's the biggest difference, this thing is chocka with electrics. I had a good talk to the service guys at Truck City before I pushed the button on it, coz I was nervous about how precious it might be. They work on a lot of commercial Merc 4x4's, and pretty much laughed at me being able to upset it much.

Quick test of the concept, a few nights in Rotovegas.
Rip the seats out, bed, bike rack, we're good.


Didn't take long for it to sink in that it's gonna get attention.
A few conversations, a few kids in the drivers seat for photos, hmmm, won't be many quick stops I feel?

Let’s just camp on the other side of the river. No sweat mate, watch this.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Let’s just camp on the other side of the river. No sweat mate, watch this.

Yeah factory wading depth 1.2mtrs.

@Mistral

Very jealous, I built a caravan a couple of years ago and it's a never ending project. I'd love to do something like this and it can't be too much different.

Just need to convince the Mrs to let me buy a base vehicle, might need to be a bit bigger to fit the kids too.

I'd love to see the build photos.

Originally Posted by Savage1

@Mistral

Very jealous, I built a caravan a couple of years ago and it's a never ending project. I'd love to do something like this and it can't be too much different.

Just need to convince the Mrs to let me buy a base vehicle, might need to be a bit bigger to fit the kids too.

I'd love to see the build photos.

They can tow 12 tonnes. Just make a kids trailer...and leave you and the Mrs in peace and quiet.