By 2006, we knew one thing for certain: we wanted a 4×4. Something big enough to carry a family, sports gear, and everything needed for true off-grid living. It had to be strong, reliable, and capable of taking us anywhere.

At the time, expedition campers were still in their infancy. Overland travel itself wasn’t new, but purpose-built expedition vehicles were only just beginning to gain popularity. We spent countless hours online, searching for the right truck.

We live just north of Vancouver, Canada, in a four-season mountain town and a common stop for travellers heading to Alaska. One day, I returned to my car to find it parked beside a massive, military-looking expedition truck. The owners were nearby, so we started chatting. They gave me a full tour and casually mentioned they had built it themselves.

It was love at first sight.

Big. Strong. Safe. Capable. Everything we were looking for.

Their name was Fuss, and they were from Germany.

Finding the right truck

I dove back into research, now with a clear direction. We searched ex-military listings, heavy-duty vehicle sites, agricultural equipment pages — anywhere a suitable base truck might appear.

Eventually, finding the one:

A retired firefighting water tender for sale in Versailles, France.

A 1992 Mercedes 917AF, fire-engine red, with only 30,000 km on the clock. It had been meticulously maintained and retired early from service. Best of all, it had:

No electronics

No computers

Fully manual mechanics

An extended cab — perfect for kids

It ticked every box.

Choosing the build

Around this time, we connected with Stephen Stewart of XOR (www.xor.org.uk), who generously shared his experience with expedition vehicles. He walked us through the pros and cons of self-building versus professional conversion — and strongly recommended the latter.

Yes, it cost more. But it meant doing it properly, efficiently, and without spending every weekend for a year fixing mistakes and losing enthusiasm. He also recommended several builders — including Fuess, the same company whose truck I’d stumbled upon back in Whistler.

It felt like fate.

Germany & the build

We flew to Paris, then by train to Germany, where we were met by Frank, the owner of Fuess-Mobile.de Frank had recently taken over the business from Herbert Fuss, who had retired and was off driving through the Americas — exactly what we hoped to do one day.

Frank spoke a little English, and over two days he walked us through the workshop. We saw raw working trucks transform into expedition homes.  The craftsmanship was exceptional. Every detail was deliberate, every component thoughtfully chosen. This wasn’t mass production; it was a labour of love.

We returned to Canada excited — and slightly terrified — now fully aware of the cost. Over the following months, we went back and forth, wrestling with the decision. Desire versus practicality. Dream versus responsibility.

In the end, desire won… briefly. We considered doing part of the build ourselves to save money. But ultimately, sensibility returned, and we committed to having the entire build completed professionally.

The build took 12 months.

20 years on

It’s hard to believe that was 20 years ago, with plenty of use we are still happy with our decision to buy.  The truck has been mechanically sound for us and the camper box in excellent condition.   Frank and his team certainly build quality, durable campers that last.

Would we change anything?

Maybe we would have added bunks for the kids…instead we added a roof top tent.  An outdoor hot water shower would have been nice, and perhaps replacing the bulky hot water tank with an ‘on-demand’ propane heater.

We recently met another camper truck built by Frank on the road in  Panama.  Comparing notes and design features we can see that small improvements have been made but the design is essentially the same. Custom details for the individual customers requirements.

It’s carried us across continents, into wild places, and through experiences we never could have imagined.

And it all started with a chance encounter in a parking lot in our home town…

With precision they: