Scoop Up This Impenetrable and Amphibious Fortress With Wheels for $16K: Better Act Fast

Ladies, gents, and lovers of all things wild. Before you sits nothing more than a 2021 Fat Truck 2.8C from Zeal Motors, and while it's nothing new, what is fresh and worthy of your attention is the fact that this bugger is currently up for grabs through Bring a Trailer for no more than $16,000 (€15,000 at the time of writing). Since these babies often sell for up to $200K as new, I felt it might be a good idea to bring it to your attention, especially since once it's gone, well, it's gone for good.

But, before we get this sweet deal, let's explore a bit about this style of vehicle and the minds and hands behind the magic, none other than Fat Truck or Zeal Motor Inc., a Canadian crew that's currently supplying the world over with this amazingly capable utilitarian vehicles, and just last year they unveiled their newest generation of Fats. While the one in question today is a bit older and possibly a tad beat up, it's still worth the attention.

First and foremost, this puppy has been used, with 509 hours on the operational clock, so it's been out there quite a bit. Oh, it's also put up for sale by a user dubbed kenmyers and is currently selling out of Choudrant, Louisiana, so you'll have to travel for pickup.

From the outside, we can clearly see that this beast is made for some serious exploring. Not only do the wheels and tires give this impression - they're built like this to provide buoyancy and propulsion through water - but working our way up the body, we begin to see a Roll cage bolted right into the chassis. Parts of that roll cage also continue through the interior, so be sure to check out this impenetrable fortress with wheels.

The exterior is then completed with aluminum panels, front and rear hitches, a rooftop hatch, and a central tire inflation system, not to mention LED lighting. Then there's that underside, which, to be frank, is just sheets of steel designed to keep this beast's belly from ripping open while you're out god knows where. Now for the things hiding underneath.

Starting with the powerhouse underneath this machine, it's a 2.2-liter turbodiesel inline-four from Caterpillar capable of producing 67 hp with a hydrostatic transmission and belted AWD. Throw in a 20.7-inch ground clearance, and you're able to climb or descend a 35-degree hill with a top land speed of 25 mph (40 kph); it's one of those slow and steady kinds of machines.

From the engine bay, we head up into the cockpit, where two seats await for either one or two drivers; a central joystick console allows for steering and operation from either seat, and a digital display ensures you keep track of essential systems. There's a backup camera in there, along with buttons for wipers, horns, hazard lights, and an artificial horizon.

The reinforcement of that large encasing belongs to nothing more than the passenger or cargo bay. I used "or" to denote the fact that this space can satisfy both functions, so whether you're carrying tools or cargo around the local landscape or running a tour of the bayou, both can be achieved here.

In all, six drop-down seats are integrated directly into the body with only a headrest to lean up against; it could definitely use some backrests, as banging your spine into that metal trim is bound to be a tad painful. All this leads me to my last and final point regarding this deal of a lifetime.

By the looks of things, some parts of this 2.8C could use a bit of attention. I'd definitely look into knocking some of that rust off the motor and tidying up the interior just a tad; Those backrests are a must.

When all that is said and done, you will have surely dropped a few thousand more on this deal of the decade, but just think about what you will have achieved. Not only are these puppies indispensable through a variety of terrains, but you should be able to actually turn something like this into a side gig to scoop up some extra cash on the weekend.

If things go well enough, maybe you grab a whole fleet of 2.8Cs and transform your countryside into a scene out of some post-apocalyptic movie, with herds of these things roaming about. Better act fast, though; in five days (from the time of writing), this deal will be gone.