Spaceship-Like Ford F-350 Truck Camper Is a Unique Engineering Feat, It Pops Up and Out

There are many reasons someone would go for a truck camper. They're extremely versatile, easy to store, and affordable, and they allow you to reach locations that might be more difficult to access than other types of campers, to name a few reasons.

There are many truck camper options on the market, from basic, no-frills, affordable rigs to all-out premium beasts like an EarthRoamer. However, if you're skilled in building things like Andy is, you could make one yourself. Don't get me wrong - it's way more difficult than it sounds, but it might be worthwhile, especially regarding costs.

However, instead of large sums of money, you end up investing a lot of time and energy. In Andy's case, it took him a whole year of working full-time on the rig to finish it. That's pretty crazy, but it's such a complicated build, as you'll soon see.

Andy's base vehicle of choice was a 2008 Ford F-350 sporting a 6.4-liter engine. Besides creating it himself, what makes this project even more impressive (and challenging) is that Andy built in Europe, specifically, in Czech Republic, his home country. But what does that mean?

It means that, first of all, it was difficult to source since heavy-duty trucks are really hard to come by in Europe. Moreover, there are more regulations you need to respect when building tiny homes on wheels, and the bureaucracy is crazy compared to the United States. So, if you're from the U.S. and want to create a mobile home, or any custom vehicle for that matter, consider yourself lucky.

Andy bought the truck when its odometer read a mere 16,000 miles (25,750 km). He purchased it for about $33,000 (€30,600) - yes, you read that right. These trucks are way more expensive in Europe. For instance, in Europe, a brand-new 2024 Ford F-350 will set you back about a whopping $91,000 (€84,427).

You might be wondering why Andy chose an F-350 for his camper build. Well, he was planning a North American tour, and the F-350 is right at home in the United States, with many available parts, easy servicing, and more. "Why didn’t he build it in the U.S. in the first place?" Well, that's a question I don't know how to answer.

Andy did end up shipping it to North America, as you can tell in the presentation video at the end of the article. So, let's take a look at what Andy actually built. He removed the truck's original bed and installed an enormous camper box with two large slide-outs.

What makes it quite unique is that the box not only pops out but also up, offering a lot more real estate when extended. What's more, in its current form, this camper tips the scales at slightly more than 13,000 lb. (5,897 kg), which is the truck's maximum payload. Regarding fuel economy, Andy says he gets about 24 L/100 km (9.8 MPG).

One thing Andy didn't mention was the box's construction. I couldn't find any info regarding what the panels are made of, but I'm assuming fiberglass or something similar. Moreover, the box sits on airbags, which absorb the vibrations of normal driving and off-roading while also allowing Andy to level the camper if he parks on a slope.

On the rig's exterior, you'll find various storage compartments holding gear, tools, Maxtrax traction boards, and more. Furthermore, one of them houses the electrical system. Its highlights are 400 Ah batteries and a DC-DC charger that juices them up when driving.

At the rear, you'll notice a long bumper attached to the vehicle's frame. The camper box has an angled rear for increased departure angle, but Andy had to install this bumper because of European regulations. Long story short, in case someone rear-ends him, they don't end up being squished by the angled part of the box. Furthermore, the bumper is mounted on hinges, so it can be raised up to 45 degrees so Andy can have a better departure angle.

Above the bumper, you'll discover the camper's entrance, a hatch that looks straight out of a spaceship. At the time the presentation video was filmed, this project was not complete – for instance, the only way to step inside the camper was to use a step ladder.

Enter, and you'll notice that, unlike many other mobile homes, the interior is more oriented toward practicality than aesthetics. It has a bare-bone finish with a visible steel frame and lacks decorations .

There are four linear motors that lift the roof of the camper at the touch of a button. They're quite quick – it takes 30 seconds to lift the roof fully, and you get an interior height of about 6'2" (188 centimeters).

On your left, you'll find a sizeable two-part workstation designed to fit two people. The opposite side houses the kitchen, which consists of a considerable stainless steel sink, a 95-liter Dometic fridge/freezer box, and various appliances, such as a toaster, a kettle, and a two-burner induction stove.

Andy devised the bathroom next to the kitchen. It features another sink with an extendable faucet that can serve as a shower head, a urine-separating composting toilet, and a shower pan on the floor. By the way, water inside this rig is provided by a 38-gallon (144-liter) freshwater tank.

And finally, in the front part of the camper box, you'll find the bedroom. It comes with a large bed and a bug net, and you can also notice two of the linear motors I mentioned earlier.

Regarding storage, most of the floor panels in the box can be lifted to reveal many storage spaces. Andy said that he planned on adding some windows and other features, but at the time the video was filmed, it was already livable.

You're probably wondering how much this all cost to build. Andy estimates the conversion to have set him back around $150,000 (€239,166), so, including the base vehicle, the total cost is about $180,000 (€167,000).

All in all, this is a one-of-a-kind creation that not many people would be willing to build something similar due to its complexity. It's practical, well-designed, and most importantly, it serves as the perfect mobile home for Andy - that's what matters in the end.