Today’s Vintage Gem is a stunning emerald-green 1965 Ford F-100 paired with a vintage Alaskan truck camper. Nearly sixty years later, this charismatic duo looks ready for a cross-country adventure while offering a glimpse into truck camping’s early days.
Meet this charming 1965 Ford F-100 long bed and Alaskan cabover-less camper, previously auctioned on Bring a Trailer. Few truck camper combinations have spent decades quietly proving the value of simple design and timeless style. This isn’t a flame-throwing hot rod built to grab your attention. It earns it the old-fashioned way.
Bright white bumpers and a matching hood pop against this truck’s deep emerald green body like a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone on wheels. Perched in the bed is a white Alaskan truck camper with a cabover-less profile, rounded roof, and corrugated aluminum skin. The whole rig looks like it rolled straight out of a 1960s camping brochure where every family smiled and every campsite had a lake view.
The Custom Cab trim meant this wasn’t Ford’s basic work truck. Open the door, and you’ll find hints of luxury—like the bright interior that mirrors the exterior paint scheme, a white-and-chrome three-spoke steering wheel, and a horizontal-sweep speedometer. With the long bench seat and wing windows, it’s easy to imagine a time when no one was in a rush to get to camp.
Under the hood is Ford’s dependable 240 cubic-inch inline-six, topped by a single carburetor and paired with a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission. This truck has likely spent decades reliably carrying its owners to favorite fishing holes and campgrounds.
Like the Ford F-100 beneath it, the Alaskan camper has aged gracefully. Inside this time capsule of a camper, honey-colored wood covers the ceiling, walls, and cabinetry. Large windows bring in natural light, while white curtains and plants add warmth and personality. You may find the front-dinette floorplan familiar, with a sink, stove, and refrigerator providing the necessities needed for a weekend at camp.
The original hydraulic lift system raises and lowers the roof using a hand lever. It works exactly the same today as it did when Lyndon B. Johnson was in the White House. The operating instructions remain attached to the inside of a cabinet door. They look nearly pristine at their post, patiently waiting to guide the next generation through camp setup and breakdown.
With the sale taking place in British Columbia, we can only imagine where this truck camper has traveled. Maybe it has driven through Jasper and Banff National Parks, crossed provincial borders, or followed the Alaska Highway north. One thing is certain: wherever this Vintage Gem has been, and wherever it’s headed next, it’s bound to turn heads along the way.
Do you know of a vintage truck camper we should feature next? Send it our way!
