An Off-Road RV You Can Actually Afford | Outside
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- One of our favorite off-road vehicles this year at Overland Expo West was a converted military transport truck, the owner of which purchased for only $10,000 and then built out himself.
Outside contributor Jakob Schiller and RV owner Tom Strada give us a tour of this burly, drool-inspiring rig on display at the 2017 Overland Expo West. Weighing approximately 30,000lbs (each wheel alone around 450lbs), the converted RV holds a Cummins ISC 8.3L (6CT) turbo diesel engine with a 5-speed Allison transmission. “I wanted to build an RV that had guts,” says Strada, who was inspired to build out the vehicle after seeing a similar one at another convention. The interior features a full shower, sink, and cooktop, plus solar panels and even a putting green on the rooftop.
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"You never know when you need to drill something" i love the atitude
Master driller
Haha!
@@JustHappy2bHere Bet he drilled the host
@@JustHappy2bHere oh wow I just read the comment about who this guy was. LOL NO KIDDING!!!
hahahah
I gotta say, I'm glad to see Tommy moved on to another chapter in his life. Keep up the good work, I'm proud of ya, man!!!!
I love this vehicle!!! I can see light bars in its future. I want to see more of it, a total walk around this vehicle to really show off the attention to detail. the drill the vise on the front bumper this guy is prepared to handle any situation from what I can see in this very short video. Well done sir, well done and thank you!
BIG MOMMA!!! Such an incredible project that my friend Tommy has spent hours and hours and hours on! So much love and passion put into this rig! Proud of you brother!
James LaRusso thanks so much James , I truly appreciate it.
That is pure brilliant. I have searched for years to find one like that. Top job.
Tom, Good to see you here. Admired your rig at Burning Man 2 years ago. I can see that there have been continued enhancements since then! You remain an inspiration!
Yo @outside Get that guy his own show. So much natural Charisma
I do heavy haul and picked up a unit simular to this in El Paso, Texas. Took it to a dentist in Washington state. I didn't want to deliver it. Kept thinking it would make a great ground squirrel hunting rig. Was set up pretty much like yours but had a c-12 cat engine. Also had a way to deflate and reinflate tires on the go.
I must say I really admire your fabricating skills. Good job....
There is a guy in Canada who bought a similar sized but newer ex-Canadian Army truck. He put a shipping container on the back, modified it to live in. It looks great.
Comes with a huge Cummins turbo-diesel. So does the truck.
Thanks to this thing, the bang bus now has inadequacy issues.
This comment wins.
Does not come with a Cummings and Automatic; That's aftermarket and done by many companies.
IVAO04ify actually, it can come stock with a six-cylinder Cummings turbo diesel with an automatic transmission
It can also be equipped with a eight-cylinder with a 5-speed transmission
This man’s passion and abilities are truly amazing. My hat is off to YOU sir.
I love this dude!!! 100% American spirit and creativity in this build. Great job my friend.
Looks nice. Kudos for buying an M939-series truck instead of an M35 like most guys would...you can still get parts for an M939.
So sick!! Tommy, you are an inspiration!
The truck part or the porno part?
Both! He is a personal friend and a very kind person❤️
@@Wonderhussy a woman of culture I see lol
@@istach1 I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or serious, but all I can say is, I met him at Burning Man several years ago...and he really is a cool person.
@@Wonderhussy I'm being niether. Just fucking around. No hate or nun
He' takes his camping seriously. Jeesh!!!
Army Vet, I want this now!
Thanx for your service Joey. visit me here.
th-cam.com/channels/n4Q-lVlHbVD9fPAD0XVaUg.html
I've been watching vids on campers all night and this is hands-down my favorite one so far.
I know Tom. He is good people.Down to earth, nice. Great job on the truck Tom
the guy and the Truck looks good together.
That guy is legit
cheers
Evan Gossell he looks familiar
@@johnraymma imagine a film in this truck
Not even gay would HELLA watch
Cool rig! Funny guy, seems look on on the positive side life, makes him a cool dude in my book!
Lucas Brown porn stars can be positive to , you know!
First i'd like to take the time out to thank the fellas "JAKOB SCHILLER" and his cameraman along with "OUTSIDE ONLINE" for featuring my Rv in an Expose . I really enjoyed having them and spending the time talking with them during the Expo.
Id also like to thank the folks who left nice comments about the RV and my work, I truly appreciate them.
Bet you didn't know my trip to the Overland Expo was during my 50th b-day and my Father who is 75 flew all the way from Tampa to LA to drive to the Expo with me in the truck he only saw in pictures to celebrate with me. Ill cherish those memories forever.
As for the rest , I guess you can't satisfy everyone , seems people who are struggling with their own shortcomings , insecurities and boring lives feel the need to find a platform to put out their negative energies by throwing stones and using sarcasm in order to feel better about themselves. I STILL LOVE YOU.
In any case I also appreciate them for their humorous opinions , I definitely got a chuckle out of them, as i'm sure a few of you all did as well. Tragically the concept of being a "HATER" lies within some of us and it's a shame when it manages to rear its ugly head.
Needless to say i won't fire back with some silly sarcasm of my own in defense of myself, "eh , maybe a little". but rather end with this, I ABSOLUTELY love my life and the beautiful people i get the pleasure of meeting in my journey's and adventures. we're only here for a brief moment so why don't we learn to support one another and give props where deserved and encourage one another to be the best they can be, Be the "LIGHT IN SOMEONE'S LIFE" not the darkness that so many of us harbor.
sincerely Tommy
Come and say hi at: facebook.com/tommy.gunn.7106
facebook.com/BigMommaTrucks/
Truly excellent work, Tommy. I'm really impressed. In researching my options before creating my tiny house project, I was very tempted to do exactly what you have done. Based upon my research, I theorized it was possible to convert an old military 6x6 into a wicked overland RV for a very economical price, but I have never seen anyone _actually do it_... until now. Super cool project, man. Very inspiring.
Yup, don't feed the trolls. Awesome work man. That truck is a beast.
Well said Tommy! Hope your dad had a great time at the expo with you. It is a truly amazing build and should bring a lot of joy to your life with where you can go, who you can meet and what you do that may not have been possible any other way. Amazing work, can't say it enough, the work you did is as good and probably a lot stronger for off-road than the models shown going for well over a hundred grand. Congratulations on a truly cool rig!
That's a dope ass rig you got, Tommy. One of these years I'll probably do something similar, for the fun of it.
You are so right Tommy. Haters gonna hate. Sad for them. They don't realize what they are missing when they pour all of that energy into hating. They should try loving themselves and others, in life. Hating takes up too much energy, and loving is always so much needed. Keep on going Tommy. I love your movies, and I really am impressed with your Ride.
Beauty and genius are all around us. God bless you and your exceptional rig
If I survive building out my Transit, a vehicle like that will be next!
That RV is bangin’.
I'll be doing the m934a2 type to this one, hopefully with slide outs. This guy had the right idea, well done
Tom, I met you at Rowher Flat a week ago. Pulled up next you and threw it in reverse to talk before getting on the highway.
One of my favorite Military trucks to work on, the M932 series 5Tons. Absolute favorite is the HEMTT series. This build is Genius!! Better than the military pop-out shelter/office that's mounted on this chassis 🤣🤪
Way cool vehicle......what a character I can tell....
The video doesn't do the size justice. Big momma is massive in person. Love that truck! Can't wait to see all the improvements you've made since last year on the playa.
Elliott Poston thanks Elliot, looking forward to seeing you soon
He used to live in my area , he let me take a tour when he was first building it that's pretty badass
Interesting truck. With a little adjustment here and there it will be edging awesome. Though if anyone thinks of putting solar on their roof make sure there is airflow under them as well. The flexible panels, like he has, can overheat and burn. Correct instillation will keep issues from arriving.
Dude's prizes are sunglasses instead of panties!! how cool is that? My hat off to you Tommy!
damn thats what they were? ahahahah what a legend
Awesome rig. This guy has some talent👍👍👍👍👍
Awesome Tommy, congrats..... Nice!
Yeah, it's Tommy Gunn. It's good to see that you have other interests than what you did or do. I like the truck. Cool. It looks like he has fun. Seems like a cool guy too. Easy going and down to earth.
I recognized who this dude was the minute I saw him.............not sure if that is something I should proud of or shamed of?
who is he?
who is he?
eeshunique who is he
well, okay then.
I know who he is, and I am not ashamed of that knowledge. If I were, then I shouldn't be watching porn. LOL
Fantastic built!
THAT BABY WILL GO PLACES NO OTHERS WILL
That's rad! Totally inspired to build my own now!
That was my everyday driver in the Marines. If you can't truck it....f**k it. Semper Fi!!!!! Well done sir.
Thanx so much Isidro , and thanks for your service . please find me on youtube and facebook .th-cam.com/video/39csG2dra8w/w-d-xo.html
Wow 😵 I Love your rig!!!! awesome job!! Keep it up and may you enjoy it for many years!
Yeeessss this is the most intelligent choice to make, because military trucks are strong vehicles 💪💪
Dude you can go every those 1/2 mill motor homs can only dream about going.
Awesome rig!
Damn, I ran into this guy last year in the Southwest. Can't remember which state, thinking it was Utah, but might have been Arizona or California.
I had just been telling my GF I wanted an RV with 4WD, and we saw this thing lol. I was like "see, we need one of those!" :)
That guy looks familiar...
He knows exactly who he was interviewing, you could see it in his posture. He just didn't want to say anything...
He looks kinda like Tim Kennedy
I think he's a professional pipe layer
LOOKS LIKE MOVIE ACTOR ...William Smith FROM THE 80'S AND 90'S LOOK HIM UP
I am pretty sure it's John McAfee.
Hell yes. Sweet build. My gf told me not yet on building one. Lol...i like this one better than most of the mega builds.
I love his passion for bathe rig and he is very talented to do this on his own , thanks for sharing 👍
Wow man, amazing work done!
Yep he'd make it through a world ending event good going dude
The owner is very creative in this build.
There's a comment about being a Meth -Head.
I saw him differently. I have what he possibly has, Anxiety. There is a difference.
A Meth-Head can't afford to build this and cannot keep focused enough to complete the project.
This truck is bitchen. Every place he goes to, it will be a head turner.
Dirty Vet now there's an accurate assessment, thanks pal , I truly appreciate it. All the haters are just jealous . Respect to you my friend. Cheers
Your absolutely right, everywhere I go people are just so excited to see it and ask me so many questions I love their smiling faces.
It's an inspiring build...it is a Zombpocalypse Tank on the outside, and secure warm home on the inside. Ultimate BOV.
Know lots of guys that have a single minded obsession. They are more focused than most thats all.
And a panty dropper, call it show stopper panty dropper
the truth about meth-heads is that you don't really know who is and isn't one. you only know about the ones who can't keep it together. the ones who can keep it together go under the radar. that's how it has become an epidemic. if everybody who did it crashed and burned, then there would be no meth economy.
This is a great way yo go if you have the talent. My plans are to do this with the "camper" removable. With the camper off, this thing can be an incredible off road recovery vehicle. Either way, it's a true off road capable camping vehicle. & you can tow any toy hauler imaginable.......
I like this dude ...in a no homo way .
Seriously he seems cool as hell .
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this comes with just one locking diff, and the "4x4" on the rear axles is always locked, but you can spin 1 wheen on each axle (you always have traction from 3 wheels). So, just by adding a front locker, you would always have 4 wheels putting power down. Seems like an ideal setup, as long as you remember to open the front diff to turn.
I like this guy. He's a character, lol.
This guy is a freaking genius.
I follow Tom on Twitter and watched as he built this. He put in allot of work
This is a thing of friggen beauty.
I like putting on subtitles for these videos
I saw him and the rig in the Vasquez Rocks area earlier this year.
Those complaining about the price. The title says Off-Road RV (AKA expedition vehicle), and not your typical recreational ABC class RV. Replacing those tires will cost more than 10K.
Thatbtruck is still used... it's not a "troop carrier" it started life as a cargo truck and had the benefit of ALSO being a troop carrier... that particular variant was an all purpose truck... everything from a command station, to a radio station, to an armorer's workshop. We still use them... but with the newer LMTV/FMTV truck variant instead of this "5-Ton" older base variant.
Definitely an intriguing rig. Nice job.
Nice!! I've seen people do this with M109A3 Shop Van, a variant of the 2-1/2 Ton (Deuce-n-a-Half) Truck.
Great thing about these trucks is their "Multi-Fuel" engines that will run on ALL diesel fuel, including Bio-Diesel, JP4, JP5, JP8 jet fuel; you can even run them on reclaimed motor oil mixed w/gasoline or kerosene, which one might have to do during the coming Apocalypse.
I've been looking for an M934 Extra-Long Expansible Shop Van. It's similar to this but has a fully enclosed 17 foot (not a 14 ft) cargo box with expandable side walls that open up to 14' wide x 17' Long interior space; and even has A/C built it and it's pre-wired as a communications van.
For JP8 and other "hot" fuels you have to change part of the fuel system. All the aviation units had them modified so they could burn the same fuel as their birds. If you swap the jets out you lose the ability to burn the heavier stuff easily.
Rofl love the distrikt sticker on the inside of the sink/burner lid...speaking of burners...
Nice layout. $10,000 for truck. $40,000 for remodeling. $50,000 total is incredibly affordable! You can't buy a new Class C for that cheap. That is awesome. The 7mpg gas mileage is kind of brutal, but everything else is pretty great.
Yeah, 7 MPG, however that thing can practically scale mountains, forge rivers, drive over cars in a traffic jam, and do things that just aren't possible even for a huge amount of vehicles on the road. Lower MPG is a small price to pay for the huge amount of utility that vehicle adds. Not many places, with the exception of parking garages, you can't go with it.
Too bad in the not so fun states(California) they require us to a class a to drive it plus the 20k in permits to get it on the public road.
@kierin burbank:
Technically, you would only need a Class B. The Class A is for towing a trailer.
I have a Class A and registering the vehicle as a motorhome will waive the need for a CDL.
If the vehicle was registered as commercial, yes, it would mean you need at least a Class B to drive it.
However...
On average, a commercial registration for a vehicle will be around $500 extra. For a truck this size, it might be a few hundred dollars more, since the fees are partially based on weight, but it won't be thousands of dollars.
my standard run of the mill diesel pusher gets 8 to 9 mpg so its not bad.
I've got a military 4x4 radio van, ~1500$ for the base with 27 000km and it's doing 10-12L/100 (20~25mpg)
I'm now in the process of making the interior cozy, it'll probably cost me an additional 1k for solar panels and misc stuff like shower heater. Now that's affordable. Though, If I had the money, I'd rather have the 50k vehicle.
The owner gives me Matthew McConaughey vibes haha this is an awesome build!! Love the platform chosen. Safe travels!
Wow that's a nice RV I wouldn't mind having one.
Love it, especially the grass on top!
It is a tough looking beast. Dreamy.
Allison trans with Cummins lol good luck on getting that to break down if maintained properly
This dude is 69 all day and his truck is awesome! That's was up.
Yeah!!!, awesome!!!!, that's Rambo's Motorhome!!!!, I'Love that truck!!!!
Looks like something you'd see on Motorstorm. How creative, amazing.
Awesome job.
This guy be living the American wet dream
That is hilarious that the interviewed that guy.
Sweet, a true man of ingenuity
sweet, awesome truck and home on the road & bush..
"you never know, sometimes you just got'a drill somethin'"
Could afford it, could not afford to drive it very far. :D
Awesome rig!
drill.. something goes wrong you need to drill something hahaha omg thats awesome. idk this guy is so cool...!
seriously. I had no idea who this guy was, but that comment was gold.
Budumtsss
Yeah that unit is awsome!
Tommy Gunn , i love.
I would live in this.
Plan B does these builds. Really like what he did.
Last time I saw Tommy Gunn’s “Big Momma” on Twitter he had mounted his AVN award on the hood! 👍
Bad ass dude! Bad ass rig!
Tommy Gunn is the man!
You were awesome in Wolf of Wall Street! Great job on your build!
beautiful!!! just wow...I love it....I'd love to own that....I would live in it
I have meet this guy and been in this truck and it is awesome
That is one cool RV.
Good ass truck. Beautiful.
Love this truck. I want one!
CONGRATS to the owner / builder, who REALLY has a TRUE off-road RV ! All the Winnebagos & their competitors are just "KOA" campers, nothing more than Holiday Inn rooms on wheels - NOT capable of going into the wilderness !
Of course, that might be all many people need. But if this guy's got enough money to keep this thing going he could take it anywhere. Imagine the cool sights you could see
$55,000 nnniceeee, Go where others can't , PRICELESS!
You could spend this on a pontoon boat with ease, nice work brotha. Just needs a big white star on the hood...
Nicely done. That's a lot of capability for $50k
wonderful from back to front, top to bottom. just ignore the haters, they are just jealous and or childish.