This 1987 Dodge Camper Van Is an Amazing 1980s RV Relic 

Truly an excellent assortment of brown.

fun factor of 1? this is literally some of the most fun you can have with a vehicle! you cant poop in a Carrera GT... well I mean you can but

The level of detail in retro anything is always absolutely amazing. Also, we need to bring back browns. I'm incredibly exhausted by the amount of gray's and whites that have taken over literally everything since the early 2000's

1/10 for styling!!! You're crazy, it's a 10/10 for me. This is the pinnacle of 80's styling and the nostalgia factor is 11/10, it's gorgeous. Loved this video Doug, one of the best, what an incredible vehicle 😊

"It's a brown explosion in here" That's what happens when you have a toilet in your van.

“Practicality is okay, I took a dump in the toilet and clogged it horribly so it gets a 3 out of 10”

This is friggin Awesome!! I wish I owned this Van. Truly!!! Brings back SO many memories for me as I am an 80's child/teenager!!!! This absolutely IS all about fun!! That's where it takes you!

6:23 "I wish my vehicle had a table when I was a kid growing up." Happy Mother's Day 2022, Doug!

"Not exactly made for fun." Not with that attitude Doug

Jesse, we need to find the quirks and features

Jesse, we should let Doug DeMuro review the RV

Spotless inside! Time capsule that brings back lots of memories. Kudos to the owner. Doug, your enthusiasm is awesome.

"You can wash...food, and it has a stove you can...boil water." Does Doug even know what to do in a kitchen?

Wow finally. Saw this on Instagram feels like six months ago. Shows you just how many videos this guy has in the tank

I truly love vehicles from the 80s, because there was such a dramatic change in what was possible - So you get to see all the little creative ideas auto-makers had.

36 years later this thing is still so cool.

Wait. This vehicle got a low score in the fun category because “it wasn’t exactly made for fun”? What was it made for then? It’s a recreational vehicle. It was literally made for fun and nothing else. Lol

Speaking of "brown explosion" here is the toilet... missed opportunity, Doug.

We had a 1979 Dodge van (a commuter van in its former life). We took out the two middle rows, put in a mattress, drove it from CA up the coast, across Canada into New England and back across the US. It rode like a Grey Hound bus. So comfortable. When we got home, I would have done laundry, cleaned it up, and started off again. What a great van.:I miss it.

I miss those old 80s camper vans and the living room vans - my best friend's parents had one of those. It was luxurious back in the 80s. How does a camper van get that low of a score on FUN? That should be a 10 out of 10

"This van was not made for fun" This van was TOTALLY made for fun!

The most impressive part of this is how immaculate that vehicles shape is.

Like the way the RV is built and the toilet solution is really great with having the options to get some space and still be secluded. Not a bad way to handle that, the kitchen is small but you got all utility you need. This RV seems really great to have then you are exploring the country side and it still holds up well for modern camping.

Born in 1982 and I find this AMAZING! such a find and save.

“If thiiiiissss van’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’!” 😜

"What are you doing back there, are you pooping or cooking?" "Yes, I'm baking brownies."

As a gen Xer I truly appreciate this nostalgic machine! The gladiator packages were nice as well as the mini wini's. Love my 70s 80s 90s nostalgic rv & enduro & 3 wheelers!!!

One of my favorite vids so far. Thank you

I felt so old when he started talking about the little windows in the front.

Finally, a car that Doug’s clothes feel at home in.

I remember as a kid who's dad owned a junkyard back in the 90s I got to play in thesr all the time they was my favorite

I want it. Man, I miss when Doug explained his Doug Scores.

Love how Doug talks about the most mundane things about this RV like they are rare oddities. You would think he just discovered the existence of RV's for the first time ever. The excitement from him about the fact it has windows or that it has a light over the seat cracks me up.

I guess the phrase, “don’t shit where you eat” doesn’t apply here 😂

Oh man...I love the colors on it, although it feels more 70's then 87 :) The beige base color, the brown and organe stripes....beautiful :) You forgot to mention the cool roof lining.

This is one of the most beautiful vans i’ve ever seen, wish they made them like they used to.

You know Doug is going to relly enjoy himself when he says "And there are many" about the quirks. :-D

"A brown explosion!" Me: At least the water is purple.

My college buddies and I used to take one of these on winter road trips through the Rockies every year. Weed and Psychedelics definitely hit different back then. Especially on clear nights where you could see the bright winter moon through the skylights without the snow piling up and blocking the view. Times really were simpler back then.

I owned a Camper van conversion based on a Mid-70's Ford Econoline for a few years. What I like about these vans, (known as "Class B" RV's), is that since they are based on a regular cargo van, the bodywork is all steel: there is no wood framing to rot if the roof starts to leak, like you get in Class "A" and "C" RV's. If they have a bubble-top (mine did), that's fiberglass, and again, there's no wood to rot out in the bubble top. The floor is steel, whereas most travel trailers have plywood floors, which can rot if rainwater is getting into the walls. Ultimately though, Class B's are very limited in the creature-comforts arena, and I sold mine when gas passed $1.50/gallon and the fuel costs to make a trip in it were so high that I went back to tent camping in a small car.

"a brown explosion" A part of me thinks that Less Doug Demuro is going to have a field day with this.

Honestly this van is extremely cool, would totally take that on a roadtrip.

Finally, you brought the Doug score breakdown back.

I had an 86 Ford Econoline with a pop up tent similar to a Westfalia, with dual captain chairs, sink, and a bed below that folded up with storage. Such a neat fun van.

imagine being in the 80's growing up and your parents have this. You go on a road trip camping to one of the major national parks. You have some of the best moments of your life, and remember them forever. This is not just a old van, it's an assortment of memories.

Fun factor is low?! Isn’t the whole point of this thing to go out and have fun?

The big vans of the 80s were so awesome. I have clear fond memories of riding in them as a small child. For a child they seemed like a party on wheels. I would love to see them come back.

The way Doug says, "or whatever" sounds like something clean out of the 90s

Man, the weekend/fun score of "1" couldnt be more wrong. Unless a weekend at the lake with an enclosed place to live doesnt qualify as fun. This baby's specialty is "weekend fun"!

You gave it a 4 in Features for having a kitchen/bathroom but since it's not "fun" in the traditional car sense, you rated it a 1 on the Fun Factor? Come on, Doug....this thing deserves better than that!

I have the same. Bought her new in 79. Been everywhere with her. Van clubs in us and Canada are awesome

I love the aesthetics of the van. So 80's and cozy!

Doug under a bridge in LA at tent city: “Be sure to check out CARS and BIDS”

Doug: "Right above the toilet there is another..." My brain: "Toilet!" Doug: "...light." My brain: "Or that."

What a lovely vehicle! I’d love to own something as charming as this someday.

Would love to own a vehicle, just like that one, for camping. The windows on the top and side are awesome!

Hey guys! Love seeing my van in a Doug Demuro video! I wanted to address a few questions I've seen in the comments. - The water in the sink is pink because of the antifreeze I put in the tank. It's special antifreeze used for winterizing tanks in cold climates- mainly so pipes don't get damaged. It's not recommended, but it's actually safe to drink as it's non-toxic! - The extended back was actually a factory option from Dodge. Roadtrek (a Canada based company) was the company that converted it into an awesome camper. They're iconic for their well laid-out interior design, quality, and aerodynamic roofing. The three little windows on top are a classic Roadtrek design! - The front two seats actually turn a full 180 degrees, and two more beds can be made out of the driver and passenger side of the van. Although luggage can be a little tightly packed, I can comfortably sleep four! - I purchased my van from a very nice couple in a small town in South Dakota. They kept it garaged for just about all its life, hence the lack of rust and cleanliness of the interior/exterior. - If you look closely, there's an identical van in the background of some shots. That van is actually my dads. I purchased my van summer of last year, and my dad found a similar one a few months later (also from a small South Dakota town!) There's a shot of the bed set up in the back- that shot was taken from my dads van. - Everything actually works! The power, AC, microwave, water systems, stove, furnace. It's awesome! - Engine runs like a champ at 94k miles. It's the small block Mopar 318. Driving home from South Dakota, I was getting about 16-17 MPG. - Some cool places/camping its been: Rapid City SD, Casper WY, Yellowstone WY, Grand Teton WY, Zion Nat. Park UT, Grand Canyon AZ, Reno NV. Frequent camping spots now include Palomar Mountain, Ocotillo Wells, Joshua Tree.

For years my girlfriend has wanted to buy one of these to tour the US and surrounding countries in!

I'm obsessed with tiny nomadic living, and for being from the 80s this thing is built really well, I would copy the floor plan into a Sprinter van or find a 13 passenger van

I’m just thinking how fantastic this would be to own even today. The quality really was top notch, and it looks rather comfortable!

my dad owned a gmc 20 and i grew up with that van we literally drove from sweden to denmark with it to visit lego land slept in it and everything

14:44 that's called a thermostat, Doug, not a "household-style-heater-control"

they’re so awesome…i have the 96 pleasure way rv version of the dodge van…for solo or couple living they’re great…all the comfort of the big ones in a more manageable size

Your enthusiasm is unmatched

WOW! Thanks Doug, I'm 18 again. I built these things fresh out of high-school in 1987. A few things to note: The vans of that era from the big 3 were built with modification in mind. They came to us stripped! And when I say stripped I mean it. The only seat was on the driver's side and in most cases was made from a multilayered thick cardboard. Absolutely not made to go down the road. The extention off the back was factory. If you look at pictures of vans of that era they all had a seem behind the rear wheels so they could add length but not have to change the wheel base. If my memory serves Dodge had 3 different back panels, that one being the longest know as the "sportsman". What it didn't come with was the raised roof. That was a fiberglass roof that was added on at the vehicle modifiers. I cut a lot of metal roofs off of brand new vans. That fabric was used by everyone! It came in 8 colors which I can, 35 years later, rattle off of the top of my head (I'm not going to). I'm very impressed with the condition of that van. Especially around the roof windows. They were notoriously prone to leaking and damaging the headliner. The "barn door" option was unique to Dodge and I'm sure that gained them a few sales around then. It was also a pretty rare option. I know no one is going to read this whole thing but thanks for appreciating the hard work and effort that myself and my fellow van modifiers put in back then. P.S. Fun fact, the guy that ran the cabinet shop in the place I worked was none other that the bassist and founding member of a little know rock group Skid Row. You guys know him as Rachel Bolan but for me he will always be Jimmy Southworth. Thanks again Doug.

I owned one! I owned one! I owned one! Harvey the RV! Absolutely identical to this one aside from the box on the roof. Amazing! Super-stoked! I thought it was mine for a minute, but I changed the floor in the kitchen. Fun Fact! I sold it to Tom Cruise's production company to be used in the movie "American Made".

I actually love the color and texture on the upholstery on the seats.

This brown wood interior ambience, looks pretty cozy to have a few drinks in!

Note: pink stuff coming out of sink is rv antifreeze.

Doug, you missed that Roadtrek vans were cutting edge in the day for their roofline being much more sleek and aerodynamic than the competition. They did this by cutting out the original floor in the middle of the van and lowering it so you have enough room to stand up. That’s part of the pad over the door, because you have to step up from the “living area” when you exit the side door. I own a 1994 Chevy version and it’s freaking awesome!

I grew up in a camper like that. So much warm vibes. Ours had a green stripe on the side

I had a remote control van when I was a kid in the late 70s/early 80s that looked exactly like your van. Good times!

This is the content I like. Old forgotten gems.

"A household style heater control" otherwise known as a thermostat...

The other unique feature was the sink liner they provided as there was no separate bathroom sink: There was a washbasin with drain that you set inside the kitchen sink for bathroom activities. I found it creative at the time.

"And water comes out!" Shows a neon pink fluid that I can only assume is Mr. Bubble's piss.

I give this van a 90 out of 100. Simply because it's authentic. Nothing today could ever be like it. It's a time machine that takes you back to when your were young.

I just picked up an 09 Roadtrek and its super rad!

If you are in a state where you do not have to smog this van, you should be able to take care of the situation with the engine power pretty easily being a Dodge V8, even if its just a 318. I think another 75-100hp and upgrades to the cooling system (larger radiator/fans) would serve the van well especially if you are carrying a family into the mountains to go camping. I would love to pick one of these up, and make some tasteful upgrades and enjoy the great outdoors!

This very brown van: exists James May: gets "the fizz"

"How much you wanna bet I can throw a football over them mountains?"

The interior is just beautiful.

These were real popular with retirees. I remember them and I remember seeing campers on the road everywhere.

A top gear reference: “Brown, brown, brown, brown. You’ve bought a brown car James.”

Why do I feel like this is Dougs first time ever seeing an RV?

I like it! Grew up with this camper van... My friend's parents owned one.

"It is sort of a brown explosion when you open these doors." It's a brown explosion in the bathroom too - OHHH!!!! I'm so funny.

Actually the rear “extension” is factory from the 10 passenger van.

This is actually a pretty solid looking vehicle. I'd buy one.

i felt that at any moment Doug is going to burst into an uncontrollable laughter. i must say it was a good comedy show.

I like how you showed What Not to do when reviewing a class B motorhome you did a really good job !

“Never shit where you eat” Chrysler: WHOOPS!

It's actually looks comfy AF. Adorable. I would've drive that even now.

Wow great video, love the old dodges and awesome to see an RV. Great work!

I hit PLAY because it is a Doug DeMuro video. 20 mins into the video and now I want to buy this van and I dont need a van like this!. Thanks Doug. Lol

The front curtains look like they’d cover the windshield too I get it! It does! My point was that Doug made it seem like it was only for the side windows.

The tail extension was factory Dodge. It was called the MAXI Van, and it was mostly used for 15 passenger transport vans. They did this until its demise in 2003. Ford did the same with with the E Series. Only Chevy actually lengthened the wheelbase as well as the body, and didn't "tack on" a bulbous ass like Dodge and Ford did.

This is a museum of brown and beige. Fascinating.

FYI, pretty sure the owner didn’t add the wood cup holders. Those were pretty standard in custom vans of the day. We had a custom dodge. Not a camper but did have a fridge and sink along with the couch/bed. Was great on family vacations!

It’s got pink lemonade as water. Wonderful quirk