1967 Ford F-350 Chassis mount camper RV

Price: - Item location: Keenesburg, Colorado, United States
Description:

1967 Ford F-100 F-350 Camper Special

This Ford camper began life as a chassis-cab unit, delivered to Denver, Colorado's Lakewood Fordland in early 1967. It was then shipped to Mitchell & Sons, a very reputable local RV builder of the era, for conversion into a chassis-mount camper. (The coach is actually serialized as a 1966 unit). It was sold to it's first owner on June 26th, 1967. I purchased this vintage camper in 1993 from the original owner. It had 63,000 miles on the odometer at that time, which I have no reason to doubt was correct. I have driven it about 3600 miles since then, and it's last real outing was in 1999. Other than small camping trips by myself and it's first owner, it has been stored inside throughout it's entire life. Mechanically, this ford is pretty sound. Since I have owned it, I have always changed the oil and filter at regular intervals. Since It was "retired" from service, I have kept the dual fuel tanks empty, instead "bottle feeding" it with fresh gas when starting and driving it around my property to keep the fluids circulated. I recently had the brake system completely rebuilt (including wheel cylinders and new drums, to the tune of over $750.00). Some departures from originality include the old "widowmaker" split rims: I replaced them with later model (correct) ford one-piece rims. The tires have lots of tread and no dry rotting issues, but they have some years on them. Additionally. I added the fisheye mirrors to the flawless original stainless Ford camper mirrors. I also replaced the fuel pump. It runs, shifts, steers, (Power steering!) and stops fine. But, given that it has not been driven on the highway recently, I would still recommend that it be looked at by a professional mechanic before embarking on a 500 mile drive! I would also consider a new battery. And yes, like all old Fords, it does leak oil after sitting for a few days. The light, turn signals, radio, wipers and heater all operate normally. I did notice that two of the cab clearance lights were out, but I have a sack of replacement lights and other parts, (including a near-NOS 67-72 Ford spotlight that I never installed) that will be included in the sale. From an appearance standpoint, this camper has never been wrecked or abused in any way, and is completely original and unmolested. I would like to stress this fact: It has never been detailed or repainted or had any body repair. This being the case, at 50 years old, there are some scratches in the paint, a few small dents in the hood sides, and some SURFACE ONLY rust around the exterior cab corners. (those familiar with these trucks know that they commonly suffer from rust-thru at the cab corners, and often the cab-chassis mounts rust out and collapse over time. I have thoroughly examined the undercarriage of this truck, and found it to be completely solid beyond superficial surface rust. The body panels are straight and true. The grille is bright and ding-free, and the bumper is virtually flawless. The doors shut and lock the way they are supposed to, the windows glide up and down, and the glass is all original carlite and not scratched or pitted. The saying is tiresome, but Inside the cab there is a feeling of being in a time capsule.The upholstery, headliner, and padded dash have always been protected, and they are excellent. Even the white steering wheel is uncracked and the paint shows little wear. The original grey and black rubber floor covering is also outstanding. The factory seatbelts are clean but rolled up behind the seat since this unit was retired from the highway. The original clear vinyl snap-in rear cab window is present and crystal clear. One little thing that detracts from the interior is the metal passenger side inner door panel insert, which was apparently blue to start with, but resprayed yellow during final assembly at the factory. The passenger seat belt buckle apparently struck it a few times over the years, and the yellow paint chipped off, revealing blue paint. The point I am making is, NOTHING ON THIS TRUCK HAS EVER BEEN DETAILED OR REPAINTED! (In fact, All of the photos taken of the unit were done just after I drove it out of my shop, and prior to washing it and cleaning the outside and interior surfaces, which were kind of dusty and dirty: It really shines when it is cleaned up)! The coach is largely the same story. Again, after 50 years, the aluminum skin has it's share of nicks, dings, scrapes, and one significant dent on the right rear upper corner, and is shown in photo #5 . There is no indication ever of any rodent infestation. The roof, walls, and flooring were constructed of nearly 1" thick birch plywood, and remain solid and dry, with no evidence of any structural deficiency or water damage now, or in the past. The vinyl floor covering and bright orange vinyl seats are original and perfect, and the little bathroom is immaculate and completely functional, (including the original Monolet toilet). The interior ceiling, walls, and counter surfaces are very nice and clean. The original upper bunk mattress is clean, unstained, and completely usable. The orange comforter & pillows are brand new from Bed & Bath, and have never been used. (it is getting hard to find orange linens)! The curtains were done recently, using NOS 1967 era fabric from the original Mitchell patterns. Even the cabinet shelf liners added by the first owner are hilarious 1960's era patterns! I have recently replaced the roof vents with UV stable ones. The refrigerator and stove fan vent covers have also been replaced with new Dometic ones. The interior lights, electrical outlets, water pump, refrigerator, stove, heater all worked fine when I recently checked them. The only caveat I know of is the galvanized fresh water tank. I have never used it, relying instead on 5 gallon water containers on all of my camping forays. I have laminated the Mitchell owners instruction book that was given to the original owner. This, the Ford owners manual, shop manual, equipment manuals, Mitchell history newspaper articles, and two full propane bottles will be included in the sale. This unit is about 23' long, and 9' 5" tall. I can provide the exact dimensions if needed. There you have it. This half-century old relic is not perfect, but you will be hard pressed to find a cleaner, more original example of a 1960's Ford recreational vehicle. I am downsizing my collection, and would like to see someone enjoy this Ford camper, and possibly even take it to the next level. I encourage you or your representative to come look at it, and I will be pleased to answer any of your questions. I can be reached at 303-654-1255 (H), or 303-913-4654(C). Any bidders with low or negative feedback please contact me prior to bidding. No warranties are expressed or implied, and I reserve the right to end this listing at any time for local sale. $700.00 deposit to Paypal will be required within 24 hours of the sale, and the full amount via cash, cashier's check, or wire transfer will be due 7 days after the sale. I cannot release the vehicle until funds have cleared my bank. Good luck, and thanks for looking!