The COVID-19 pandemic kicked an already growing popularity in camper vans into high gear. After all, if you want to travel yet still exercise social distancing, an RV is among the best options available. Now, Doug Demuro follows this trend by checking out a 1987 Dodge Ram Van with a conversion into a motorhome.
To make this Ram Van something you can live in, the company Roadtrek added what looks to be two to three feet of length to the rear. There's an obvious seam where the extension is. The body has a very 1980s appearance with a beige body and stripes that are burnt orange and brown.
Opening the swing-out doors on the side offers a view of the very, very brown. Demuro makes fun of this, but the color scheme is in line with the style of the time. There's also a whole lot of wood finishes, which create a homey feeling in the cabin. It seems like keeping the shag carpeting clean would be a real challenge, though.
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Despite being fairly compact by camper van standards, there's a full kitchenette that includes a refrigerator, a sink with a 20-gallon freshwater tank, a two-burner stove with a vent fan, and a microwave. That's everything you'd need to make a meal.
There's also a toilet hidden in a closet. Demuro geeks out about the way the doors fold out and lock to create a private space.
There's a rear seating area that converts into a bed. The controls for the air conditioner and heater are back there, too.
On the road, Demuro says that the van feels surprisingly nimble. It doesn't have much straight-line performance though. He says the engine is a V8, meaning this one has either a 5.2-liter with 147 horsepower or a 5.9-liter mill with 155 hp. That's not much power for a vehicle this size.
While it lacks modern style, this Ram Van camper is still very functional as an RV despite being nearly 35 years old.
Source: Doug Demuro via YouTube
