The Overland RV was originally built as an off-road fire rescue vehicle.

It’s also currently available for purchase on eBay.

If you asked me what the ideal motorhome is, I would say the Chinook Concourse. It dates back to the early ’90s. The best combination of utility and size is this small RV, built on a sturdy Ford E-Series chassis. It has a fiberglass shell with just enough space for two. They are still very affordable at over $50,000 for a nice example that was built late in the model cycle. However, Chinook the manufacturer went bankrupt in 2008, and we didn’t get to see how the Concourse would have developed.

Thanks to the custom “Chinook” that we found on eBay, we now have a good idea. Although it looks a lot like a Concourse, and even bears a striking resemblance with the rare 4×4 offroad Baja model, it is completely unique.
According to the seller, this 2005 Ford E-450 diesel with a 6.0-liter engine was originally an ambulance. It received a 4×4 conversion by Quigley and was then used by a volunteer fire department in the Midwest. The vehicle was retired from fire fighting in 2016 after only 12,000 miles. It was then purchased by a gentleman who owns a custom fabrication shop.

The seller purchased a Chinook Concourse example and then mated it with his E-450 off-road machines. This seller claims that the Chinook was not made by the same person as the original. He says that the Chinook took hundreds of hours to customize and more than a year to make.

We won’t be able to list all the customizations and upgrades, so we will just share some highlights. The interior was completely renovated using new appliances and a sleek grey and white color scheme. Instead of carpet, the flooring is now made from a durable and easy to clean rubber base mat. 700 watts (!) were installed in the generator. The generator was removed and replaced with 700 watts(!)

The front end of the Econoline was updated with a more modern, blocky design. A custom aluminum ladder, spare-tire holder and rack are also hanging from the back. The engine was upgraded to provide bulletproof power and durability. Additionally, the suspension has modern FOX components as well as an airbag leveling system. The features include a complete LED exterior lighting setup and thick Goodyear Wrangler tires.

I am inclined to sell my house and move into the RV as soon I finish typing the last period. But, you can beat me to that if you have $150,000 to offer. It’s actually $149,990. But who is counting? Although the price tag might seem high, it is not much compared to a new motorhome with similar capabilities and size. For example, the new Winnebago Ekko has a MSRP of over $160,000. This “Chinook” is not covered by a factory warranty, nor will you get the most recent safety tech. However, you will be the only person on Earth to own one.