1987 Mercedes Unimog Camper Is Our Bring a Trailer Pick of the Day

This Mercedes Unimog camper conversion is the work of two professional engineers. The custom rig even underwent a five-month shakedown test in the Arctic.Bidding closes on Monday, May 8.

Engineered as a farming tool to help rebuild Germany after World War II, the Unimog has spent more than 75 years crawling inexorably across the most punishing terrain on the planet. The Unimog is neither quick nor light on its feet, but in terms of off-road capability, this big rig makes the G-class seem like an S-class. But what does a Unimog driver do when they finally traverse the toughest terrain? Well, if you’re in this 1987 Mercedes-Benz U1300L that’s up for auction on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is a part of the Hearst Autos group), you simply relax since you already have the comforts of home with you.

Credit a state-of-the-art camping setup that’s as pleasing to look at as it is well-designed. Those looking to avoid the grid will appreciate this truck’s solar panels, water-filtration system, and plentiful interior storage space.

Beyond the appeal of its Tonka-truck-like looks, this Unimog stands out for its quality craftsmanship. A pair of married aerospace engineers built this rig as a personal vehicle, adding thoughtful touches to the living area, as well as giving the Unimog’s mechanicals comprehensive sorting. The couple even drove this truck through the Arctic for five months in 2019, so it’s been thoroughly vetted.

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Part of what makes Unimogs so capable is the excellent clearance afforded by their portal axles. The chunky Continental MPT 81s on this ’87 give it sufficient height to go wading through swampy muskeg, or pretty much any other obstacle. This Unimog features higher-speed gearing and upgrades to the front portal axles to reduce oil consumption and make the highway drive to the trailhead less of a slog. It’ll reportedly cruise happily at 60 mph.

The cabin features extra sound-deadening material and suspension seats to make long drives more bearable. A stovetop, refrigerator, sink, composting toilet, 30 gallons of freshwater storage (plus nearly the same again in jerry cans), 600 watts worth of solar panels, and a 48-inch by 75-inch memory-foam mattress round things out. Throw a dart at a map, fire up the 6.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-six, and this Unimog will take you on any planned or unplanned adventure you want.

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You could hardly do worse than taking this rig on a thorough tour of the Oregon (where this Unimog is currently located) backcountry, then stopping off at the annual NorthWest MogFest, which is exactly what it sounds like. The event is usually held in August and features all manner of off-road activities and a backhoe operating contest.

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Contributing Editor

Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.