Japan’s small campers offer quirky alternatives to those who want their camper to be a bit different. But getting one often means dealing with outdated tech and an interior that looks its age. This 1995 Isuzu Fargo Alamo camper is a pleasant surprise, then, as it’s an old JDM camper with some modern touches. It’s an old RV that you could actually live with.
I’ve featured a number of glorious JDM campers before. One was a versatile Mitsubishi Delica turned Class C camper. Another was a huge bus turned into a rolling hotel room. But one of the downsides many of these campers share is that you couldn’t really use them for much off-grid camping. This Isuzu Fargo Alamo camper on Cars & Bids not only has some updated tech, but its interior looks pretty modern, too.
The Isuzu Fargo is a commercial van produced between 1980 and 2001. While not as famous as its contemporaries, some of these became camper vans and Class C RVs like the one you see here. This one has the short wheelbase and the cute, blocky looks people love from these Japanese cabover campers.
And who can forget some rad graphics.
The interior doesn’t have much in the way of luxury. There are no chandeliers here, and there aren’t any luxurious materials. But it does look somewhat modern. Everything you need for a good road trip is present, including a kitchen and a bathroom. Throw some houseplants and curtains in there, and you have something good for those unrealistic Instagram camping pictures.
The RV also has a bunch of modifications that make it better for modern camping. You get some decent equipment utilising off-the-shelf parts:
A partial list of modifications reported by the seller includes a pair of Renogy 100-watt solar panels, a Renogy solar panel controller, a Renogy DC/DC charger, a Krieger 3000-watt inverter, dual house batteries, and updated switch panel, and an aftermarket freezer.
The seller says that they haven’t depleted the batteries, so they cannot say how long this setup will last off-grid. But they say that the solar panels should recharge the batteries in three to four hours. And should those batteries die, they can be recharged by the RV’s alternator.
The ad doesn’t state capacities, but note that the hatches along the side of the camper are for water, electricity and propane.
The Fargo platform lends some capability… with some caveats. Power comes from a 4FG1 2.4-litre inline-four non-turbo diesel making 90 horsepower and 57 kg-ft torque.
It’s driven by the rear or four wheels through a five-speed manual. Helping off-road capability is a two-speed transfer case and manual locking front hubs. The low power means that top speed is apparently just 108 km/h. But at least it averages about 24 mpg.
According to the ad, the camper was imported in 2019 and purchased by the seller back in March. Buyers who are interested should be aware that this baby is wearing shoes with 2010 date codes on them. So new tires will definitely be in order.
The article has been updated since publication.