Every camper and overland truck is a must-see at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show

The Los Angeles Auto Show is usually the place where you find new cars like the Lucid Gravity SUV or the Toyota Camry making their big debuts. But point yourself beyond the floodlights, and it turns out that this year’s show also features a wealth of modern and classic camping vehicles that will take you beyond the pavement and allow you to live in relative comfort. Here are some of the best campers and overland vehicles we found at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, all of which were as shiny and attractive as those new big cars and SUVs they reveal:

Our first stop was to the Ford booth, where we found the automaker’s 2024 Ford Transit converted into a camper van. It does feature some minor off-road improvements — mostly tires and wheel selection — but it’s meant to be a camper first before taking on any road trips.

Behind the front seats is a movable workbench as well as some storage space for various needs while away from the city or suburbs.

In the back, the bed is positioned above the floor to allow some extra space for storing equipment, such as a camper stove and slide-out shelves.

However, opposite the driver’s side wall is a full inverter setup for 110-volt AC outlets that are powered by a separate battery. It also contains a switchgear for the interior and exterior lights.

The all-new F-150 Tremor features a bed-mounted, fold-down camping tent and other elements that allow for a quick weekend getaway. It also features Ford’s new Pro Access tailgate and Pro Power Onboard system.

In case you get stuck, the 2024 F-150 Tremor also features a standard bumper with a mounted winch plate. A Warn Zeon winch is mounted on that panel to undo your truck (or a friend’s truck).

As electric trucks continue to gain popularity, we’re starting to see many electric pickup trucks getting the overland treatment like the Rivian R1T. The pre-production trucks we crossed America with a couple of years ago on the Trans-America Trail were similarly equipped, but this truck goes even further by adding a new set of Black Rhino Alston wheels with a set of BFGoodrich tires. There was also an extendable awning, useful for providing shade and a protected space for outdoor lounging.

While many yearn for a vehicle as unique as the upgraded Jeep Forward Control (FC), Real Truck has taken a 1962 Jeep FC-170 and truly transformed it into a badass Jeep. The first thing that probably stands out is the roof-mounted HIT tent over the custom cargo box and aluminum bed. Of course, the massive Falken Wildpeak R/T tires and Raceline Beadlocks make this front handling system feel ready for the toughest trails you can throw at it.

You’ll also find a complete spare setup mounted on the cargo bed with the N-Fab Truck Bed Tire Mount. Do you need to change one of those tires? You can also jack up your Jeep with the off-road jack installed using the Rugged Ridge Off-Road Jack and repair most anything with the tools stored in your Rampage Trail tool box.

What started as a damaged FZJ80 Land Cruiser has been transformed into a new Toyota classic, the one-of-a-kind overland vehicle you see here. RPM Off-Road’s Steve Lamm is behind the project, having acquired a later 2009 HZJ79 pickup from the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Utah. The original FZJ80 frame was then lengthened by 18 inches and new body mounts were fabricated to fit the pickup cab. Of course that extra length is revealed thanks to a set of 17×9.0 -40 HDR forged wheels shod with massive 37×13.50 R17 Toyo Open Country M/T tires.

Up front, the Baja Designs LP9 Pro headlights are a perfect match for the HZJ79 headlights. These are matched with a set of Baja Designs side lighting mounted on the Dissent Offroad front bumper. These lights, the additional S8 ceiling light bar, rock lighting and rear chasing lighting are controlled by the Switch Pro SP9100 lighting controller.

The Ironman 4×4 rooftop tent is attached to the brand’s 270 degree awning and shower room with powered water tank. Keeping everything else safe is a set of Pelican storage boxes mounted on Front Runner Outfitters racks on the bed and cab.

The JL Wrangler 392 is a great off-road Jeep, but American Adventure Lab has made some improvements to make this vehicle even more capable. This starts with a set of Raceline Wheels 953BZ Krank wheels wrapped in Nitto Tire Trail Grappler tires up to 37 inches in diameter.

It is attached to an ATK Adventure trailer with a matching Gladiator bed and two motorcycle racks. It also has the same wheel and tire combination as the 392.

The tailgate also features a full-size spare tire on the American Adventure Lab MASS spare tire platform with Maxtrax/Rotopax mounting brackets, MASS Cargo Shelf, and VersaTable tailgate table.

John Pangilinan, known to many as “John P,” has converted his 2022 Ford Transit 350 XLT into a potential home away from home and is calling it the “Digital Nomad.” Up front, the bumper has been modified to accommodate a winch bumper with a Warn winch installed for recovery.

In the back, a slide-out table is equipped with a Camp Chef stove and a Dometic portable water tank with a sink mounted directly below it. This shelf mounts under the bed making it comfortable for most people to sleep on.

If that’s not enough, you can also camp on the roof with the GFC roof-mounted tent on the Front Runner Outfitters SlimPro truck roof rack. A Pelican BX90 charging case is mounted directly in front of the tent.

Imported from Australia by its previous owner, this 1981 Toyota Land Cruiser was once a diesel emergency response vehicle. It was later found by its current husband and wife owners, who decided to take on this build themselves.

What motivated them? Receive an interesting quote on paint restoration only. What they’ve created is a unique, old-school Land Cruiser. The right panels open to reveal a rack for a Camp Chef camping stove and a 12-volt Dometic CFX cooler. Panels on the left side reveal a pair of drawers and a functional sink, all using brass fittings.

Between the headboards is a bed that sleeps two comfortably and allows for an outdoor experience.

Back during the 2023 Jeep Easter Safari, Jeep debuted its idea of ​​what the 2023 Grand Wagoneer Overland might look like: this sinister family truck. It’s powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane 510 I-6, but the standout feature of the concept is the custom RedTail Overland Skyloft mounted on the roof. With the push of a button, the entire rooftop tent will be folded in about 10 seconds without any physical effort. The Luxury setup requires the removal of the second and third row seats for full integration, making it a rare two-seat full-size SUV. Losing the rear seats means passengers can access Skyloft from inside the SUV, and you can use the Grand Wagoneer’s climate control system to keep the interior of this rooftop tent comfortable all year round.

The lower front bumper was modified to fit a Warn winch and features a quad Baja Designs Laser Lighting kit to maximize front illumination while retaining much of the Grand Wagoneer look.

A set of 18-inch Fuel Off-Road Shok wheels with 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A tires. Each wheel features a custom “Wagoneer” center cap to finish off the unique and distinctive look of these aftermarket wheels. This combination requires a 1.5-inch lift, opening the wheel wells, and using a set of custom fender flares to clean up those great-looking wheels and tires.

Imagine not needing a trailer to carry your motorcycle, ATV, or other off-road toys, and still having room to sleep, all in the space of one vehicle. We covered the Toro Bravo 4×4 Silver Spear when it was launched earlier this year, but now we can see it in person and it’s easily a very impressive camper/van combination for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.

First, loading into your off-road toy is made easier by allowing the ramp to reach the ground while adding small stands for support at the end of the door. The process is done by hand, but is simple enough for one person to lower the ramp for loading, if necessary.

Inside, the Toro Bravo 4×4 uses the space created above the roof for the main bed, but there’s additional sleeping space on a pair of cribs mounted on the wall of the camper bed, provided your bikes or UTV are outside.

You also still get a sink, stand-up shower and toilet while the kitchen cart with camp stove is mounted on a roll-off container. This rolling kitchen locks to the floor when you move everything.

Power for all your equipment comes from a 1,600-watt Renogy battery system with a 3,000-watt inverter. The main battery allows for 600 amp hours of use but is recharged using the solar roof and can be charged using a standard Ford Super Duty alternator. There’s also a diesel generator that’s fed by the truck’s fuel tank, meaning you only have one tank to worry about filling.

Finally, there’s an interesting feature of the camper box, one that surprises us that there are more conversions like this. The box is mounted independently of the F-350 frame using a torsion-free subframe. This means the box can move independently from the rest of the truck to provide a more stable driving experience and helps reduce wear on the camper box compared to a box mounted directly to the truck frame. If you really want a completely refined ride, you can opt for a set of Bilstein dampers to help keep the Super Duty’s suspension under control, even on the roughest roads.