1978 Dodge B300 Xplorer Camper. Big Block 6.6 litres

[mbheather]

Edit, this 1971 campervan has been replaced with a later one as shown on page 3.


Hi all. Have been lurking for a while. Thought some of you would like to see my motorhome which I imported from the states last year. This just a brief introduction and a test post if you like. I will add more detail as I go.

Here it is parked above Whitesands bay in Cornwall last year,



And a brief video of it coming out of hibernation last weekend.





Cheers
Matt

[Anglia68]

Well, that's pretty curse word cool.

[jpsmit]

love love love those vns

[mbheather]

So a bit of history. I used to have a VW camper which was used mainly for festivals.


Did quite a bit to it, but felt the need for something with more on board facilities as it were.
Having had a couple of other of classics also, Land Rover V8, '69 Daimler V8, thought i would consolidate the fleet and have a V8 classic camper!
At a couple of VW shows i saw on of these,



....and the seed was set.

Doing a bit of research revealed it to be an Xplorer 21 based on a Dodge A100 van. However i also discovered that they didnt make many, so were hard to come by.
However when Dodge launched the B series van, a very similar conversion was offered on this. Called an Xplorer 224 (being 224 inches in length)
Here is a copy of a sales leaflet that i got with mine,





There are a number of features with this van that appealed.
The van body is largely steel, however the roof and rear extended section is double skinned fibreglass with foam core, making it well insulated. (also less to rust!)
There is a fixed double bed to rear and a dinette that converts to a small double.
It has a compact molded fibreglass bathroom with electric flush toilet and shower with hot cold water.
The really clever bit is that although its not much taller than the standard Dodge van, you can actually stand up in it, making it feel spacious inside. This was achieved by the converter's actually chopping through the chassis and putting a dropped floor section in. Bonkers!
As an important thing for me was the need to park it under cover in my car port this seemed like the perfect conversion. Just had to find one.


It fits, just.

The hunt was on.

[ton246]

MORE PLEASE

[a100terry]

Hi Matt
Welcome to Xplorerworld! That's a really nice van you've got there - am looking forward to seeing it at runs this summer. Being a 71 model it's got disc brakes on the front, that must mean that it actually stops when you put your foot on the brake pedal (mine struggles. . . ). It would have been my van that you saw at the VW runs - it's a 68 model. It will be interesting to compare the two interiors.
Have fun

[mbheather]

Feb 22, 2013 12:54:44 GMT a100terry said:

Hi Matt
Welcome to Xplorerworld! That's a really nice van you've got there - am looking forward to seeing it at runs this summer. Being a 71 model it's got disc brakes on the front, that must mean that it actually stops when you put your foot on the brake pedal (mine struggles. . . ). It would have been my van that you saw at the VW runs - it's a 68 model. It will be interesting to compare the two interiors.
Have fun

Hi Terry, yes it was your van i saw at the shows. I even got some pictures of it, but didn't want to put them up here without permission. So used someone elses off the web!

I'm afraid that being a very early B300 means that in fact, like yours, it is drum brakes all round. I was surprised when i saw.

Here's a photo to prove


I find them 'ok', in that they do stop the van. I have a feeling that prolonged downhill braking or the need for an emergency stop may change my view of them. ;D

If i next see you at a show will give you a shout.
Matt

[mbheather]

So, back to the story. The search for a Dodge Xplorer 224. All in all took about 18 months of internet scouring, till i found something i liked. The main criteria was it had to be pre 79 as i prefer the round headlights, before they went all square.
I got outbid,on ebay, on this one in North Carolina. My brother who lives in Florida could have picked it up.

It went for quite a bit nearly $6000 and the big air conditioner on the roof would have had to come off.
The trail went quiet until an advert appeared on Craigslist in Washington State.
It read
'1971 Dodge Xplorer 224 motor home, very good condition 318 L Motor, AT. Fully self contained toilet/shower. Rear bedroom. Dinette/bed Very easy to drive $3000.00 OBO

The pictures were



I phoned Bruce, the owner, who was a man a few words! I asked amongst other things if there was any rust. His reply was "there is no rust". At that point i had to have it, and agreed to pay the full asking price.

In a state of excitement after putting the phone down, i realised that i had now bought a vehicle on the strength of a couple of pictures and the description by a not very talkative man.
It was also as far away in the mainland States as you could possibly get being North West.

Right, best look into shipping then.

[mbheather]

So, after a couple of internet quotes i settled on a firm called Schumacher Cargo Logistics. Had never heard of them, but seemed to have a very big web presence.
The camper was to be shipped from Los Angeles but to get it there from Pasco, Washington State, was an overland trip of around 900 miles. The overall shipping costs doubled the price of the camper.
However the sale price of the VW covered all the purchase and shipping costs so all good in my head.
Bruce also emailed me some more pictures.






Still thought it looked good, so monies were paid and it was to start its journey back to the UK.

[deacs]

Love this! Bet it guzzles some fuel!!

[mbheather]

Mar 3, 2013 18:22:44 GMT deacs said:

Love this! Bet it guzzles some fuel!!

I find it best not to think about it. Ignorance is bliss!

Matt

[mbheather]

So the camper was finally shipped over, took a while, think the shipping company waited until they could find something to share its container. However it arrived in January 2012 and I had to collect it from Chatham Docks.
As the camper was still road legal in the states I decided to drive it home after getting it insured on the chassis number.
The warehouse contained a weird and wonderful selection of vehicles and goods.

So I climbed into the camper and it started straight up and I drove it outside with a big grin on my face.
Before setting off it was a quick fluids check and check of the tyre pressures.

So off we set for a couple of hundred yards , when someone walked out in front of me. I slammed the brakes on and the engine died.
Trying to re start flattened the battery, I think the engine had flooded, and I had forgotten the jump leads.
I sent my accomplices of to try and buy a new battery. They could only find one from a Ford dealer that was very expensive and not the right fitting.
However it got the Dodge started and we were off to the petrol station.
The rest of the journey home was uneventful and the more it drove the better it ran. Even the cruise control worked!
When I got home in the dark I discovered that the the number plate surrounds were lit up blue neon. Groovy! ;D

[recarouk]

awesome!!! loving this, keep the updates coming please

[orangecords]

ive never wanted a camper................................UNTIL NOW!!!

[Brat-Man]

That's one cool camper van with a very simular story to how i bought my camper special on the faith of a few photos from San Diego!
Here's what i brought back,a 1 owner 1974 Chevy C20 camper Special

[bigalan]

This is epic:-) love it:-)

[leigh]

That is a damn cool camper, well done!

[rld14]

For the brakes...

See if you can find a place that will feline the stock shoes with Kevlar linings. I've had it done and it makes a world of difference. Generally you want to find a place that caters to heavy duty trucks.

[iamfist]

omfg it is such an awesome rv!!
love the fact that u can stand in it without a raised roof

[mdh]

Feb 22, 2013 12:54:44 GMT a100terry said:

Hi Matt
Welcome to Xplorerworld! That's a really nice van you've got there - am looking forward to seeing it at runs this summer. Being a 71 model it's got disc brakes on the front, that must mean that it actually stops when you put your foot on the brake pedal (mine struggles. . . ). It would have been my van that you saw at the VW runs - it's a 68 model. It will be interesting to compare the two interiors.
Have fun

Oofff! Ooof! And more oofff!

Thats lovely