4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso Is a Cleverly-Designed Camper Fit for Off-Road and Off-Grid Adventures

It's reliable, can easily go off-the-beaten-path, and lasts a while. Today, I'm checking out a Fuso overlanding build that serves as a full-time mobile home for a young couple.

Camper vans with 4x4 or AWD are good choices for going off-road. However, depending on the exact model, you might not want to go too deep off the beaten path. If your dream adventure is more of an expedition, a more serious off-roader, such as a 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso, might be a better option. Of course, you can go even further than that and get your hands on a 6x6 camper.

Meet Heather and Dana, a young couple who converted a 2007 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso FG140 into a full-on expedition truck. For the past six months, they've lived full-time in it. With the help of Overlander Global, they spent a year working on this rig until everything came together.

This Mitsubishi Fuso used to be a wildland fire truck, and the couple bought it when it had a bit over 50,000 miles (80,467 km). Even though it had some stock off-roading capabilities, Heather and Dana made some upgrades to ensure it could tackle even harsher environments. They installed 37-inch all-terrain tires, a front bumper integrating lights, a recovery winch, and a custom off-road suspension.

The couple fabricated the camper box from scratch using insulated composite panels and mounted it to the truck with a spring-assisted subframe. That allows the truck to flex without damaging the box. What's more, it measures 15 feet (4.6 meters) in length and 8 feet (2.4 meters) in width.

For storage, Heather and Dana fitted three exterior aluminum boxes, where they store camping gear, recovery gear, and more.

Other notable exterior features are a rear bumper with a hitch, a mini-split outdoor unit, an outdoor shower, an under-mounted spare tire, and a 50-gallon (189-liter) fuel tank. Moreover, one of the reasons they built this camper from scratch was the need for a spacious garage.

This camper's garage is located toward the rear and can be accessed from either side of the vehicle. It features a sizeable slide-out tray that holds the couple's two Specialized Stuntjumper Evo MTBs. What's more, the garage also holds paddleboards, backpacking gear, tools, fishing equipment, a water heater, and an electrical system.

With a vehicle that can go deep into the wilderness, most people want to have proper off-grid capabilities. In this regard, the highlights of this camper's electrical system are a 3.000 W MultiPlus inverter/charger, 600 Ah batteries, a DC/DC charger, and a solar charge controller connected to 1,200 W solar panels on the roof. If you're not familiar with these types of systems, just know that this rig is more than ready to go off-grid, at least when it comes to its power capabilities.

Let's head inside and start the interior tour with the driver's cabin. Heather and Dana made a few modifications to it – they installed heated seats and a CarPlay stereo system and devised a wooden center console with cupholders that also doubles as a dog bed. Moreover, you can flip its top panel to reveal an electronic storage area.

To go inside the camper box, you can either enter via a pass-through in the driver's cabin or through a door on the passenger side of the box. You'll be surrounded by a warm and clean interior with a black-and-white aesthetic. Specifically, the walls and ceiling are white, as the couple kept the original design of the composite panels, while the look is completed by various black touches, such as the sink and wood tones.

The front part of the camper box is occupied by a lounge area, which is very well-lit due to two huge windows complete with black-out shades and bug screens. It consists of two benches that connect to form a U-shaped couch with a custom swivel table in the middle. Above, there are two spacious overhead cabinets.

By the way, the middle part houses a 50-gallon (189-liter) freshwater tank underneath. The other two benches have storage underneath. Moreover, above the pass-through, you'll notice a mini-split, which keeps the space warm or cool as needed.

Just by the front door, the couple fitted a "junk drawer" with three sections – they used it to store dog food, electronics, shoes, and various knick-knacks that don’t belong anywhere else.

Dead ahead of the main entrance, you'll discover the kitchen. It features an enormous stainless steel sink with a built-in drying board and cutting rack, a dual-burner induction stove with a vent hood above, an overhead microwave, two spice racks, a slide-out refrigerator, and various drawers and overhead cabinets for storage.

Next to the microwave, you’ll find this camper’s control center. It consists of a Truma Combi heater controller and a Victron controller that displays info regarding power consumption and water capacity, as well as switches for a WeBoost, StarLink, and water pump. By the way, the Truma Combi heater is connected to the vehicle’s diesel tank and can be adjusted for high altitudes.

Opposite the kitchen, Heather and Dana devised a wet bathroom. It’s decently sized and comes with a shower, a teak mat, a small window, a vent fan, and a portable Trelino composting toilet.

And lastly, we have the bedroom, located at the back of the interior. It has a queen-size mattress, a long shelf, and dimmable reading lights. I like that two large windows let plenty of light shine inside.

Overall, Heather and Dana have created a fantastic camper, packing many creature comforts you’d expect to find in a conventional home. On top of that, it’s equipped with all they need to enjoy off-grid and off-road adventures.

I’m curious how much it cost to build – typically, these types of projects end up costing a pretty penny, reflecting their high quality and serious capabilities. Based on other similar builds, I wouldn’t be surprised if the final cost ended up being around $100,000 (€91,961), perhaps even more.