Towing isn't fun-we can all relate to that fact. It's mostly a necessity, and even with the nicest 1-ton diesel tow rig, the stress of driving with a trailer in tow takes all the fun out of the open road.
But what if your race car, show truck, or rockcrawler could just drive onto the bed of your vehicle so you didn't have to worry about trailer weight distribution and driving in the slow lane? What if that same vehicle could double as a motorhome once you got back from the show, race, or trail? What if that vehicle could also take you where no ordinary motorhome could go? Peter and Daniel of Dunkel Industries wondered all of those "what ifs" and decided to build it.
Peter did the engineering work and Daniel and his crew of technicians were the builders. Together, the Dunkels started with a Ford F-650. The entire cab was split in three sections, widened 22 inches, and lengthened 104 inches. Custom body sides were built, and the cab behind the front seats got extra headroom, with a sleeper loft built over the front passengers. Top-notch cabinetry in the kitchen and bedroom along with hidden lighting prove that no expense was spared.
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Want to go wheelin'? Check out this new Jeep four-door climbing the ramps of this ultimate RV.
All the comforts of home were included, from a shower and bathroom to dual refrigerators, two-burner stove, microwave, and 18,000-BTU heater/air conditioner all powered by an onboard 3,200-watt Cummins/Onan generator. Thanks to the widened cab, the front passenger seat is practically a bench, and the seatback can rotate to double as a tabletop or lower to serve as a bed. To ensure that occupants are treated to a smooth ride, the entire cab is mounted on two 15,000-pound airbags to isolate the passengers from the suspension.
The F-650 was lengthened to match the cab, and a Fabco 4WD conversion with 3-inch King shocks keeps the rig crawling up the trail while other motorhomes are stuck in a campground. It takes torque to move such a big beast, but the 7.2L Caterpillar diesel engine makes 800 lb-ft of torque, and a six-speed Allison transmission and 5.29 gears in the axles work together to get it up to speed. If the need arises, the truck is equipped with a 16,500-pound Warn winch.
The vehicle is equipped with an Omnex wireless remote that does just about everything but drive the truck, so the user can deploy and retract an awning, level the truck with hydraulic rams, and tilt the bed. Once the bed is fully lifted, the forward bulkhead hinges down to allow for the loading of up to two quads or a handful of motorcycles. If you're not toting anything up top, the "upper deck" can be raised to allow for more headroom in the rear bedroom area of the cab. The tilt function also allows for the loading and unloading of a short-wheelbase Jeep or a car into the diamond-plate flat-load floor of the custom bed.
We can't imagine any other vehicle that combines all of the attributes of the Dunkel Industries truck. It's a far cry from anything we've ever seen. With luxury amenities inside, all of your toys on the outside, and the world at your doorstep, what more could anyone ask for?
Big 22.5-inch Michelin tires...
Big 22.5-inch Michelin tires get a real-world workout.
Plenty of room to sleep with...
Plenty of room to sleep with an incredible view!
The Dunkels left nothing to...
The Dunkels left nothing to chance and even turned a seat into a small dining table.
It even has a state-of-the-art...
It even has a state-of-the-art kitchen.
When you're expecting company,...
When you're expecting company, the rear seating folds out into a comfortable queen.
Beautiful wood cabinets offer...
Beautiful wood cabinets offer plenty of storage.
How many street trucks do...
How many street trucks do you know of that have a bathroom and shower?
The storage pods are coated...
The storage pods are coated in Line-X inside and out and also double as benches when opened. The awning is controlled by remote.