MT45 4x4 Step Van

Seller's Description

4x4 is work in progress Dana 70 from 2019 International CV, front drive axle Dana 80 rear Aluminum Body Allison 1000 transmission Having been an auto designer & outdoor enthusiast, I've always been interested in off-road trucks of all kinds & campers in general - mostly as a way to get to remote locations for photography / leisure / adventure with some space for gear and comfort compared to backpacking. This is a practical & versatile platform in general with reasonable interior volume compared to a fuso / van & financially possible compared to GXV, Blissmobile etc. 24 valve, Cummins 5.9 engine - pre-def diesel for simplicity / reliability / ease of international service & medium-duty chassis to handle extra weight of fuel, batteries, etc compared to the light-duty econoline / sprinter vans. This has 2+Ton carrying capacity, and more than that with super singles. Mechanically speaking, as modern as possible, but still a super-simple truck. It's also much lower service cost since basically any shop can work on it - would not require a heavy duty shop. The extra width compared to a fuso / 1-ton van results in much more interior volume & stability with more track-width. I wanted the bed platform to be rotated with the width of the vehicle at the back. This also helps fitting larger / wider tires. I purchased this in 2017 from USPS in Sacramento, California. They had swapped the computer, and were not allowed to provide service records, but said mileage was at 140k. It was shipped from CA to OH, then driven to NH where we currently live & hasn't been driven much - just used for projects and moving homes a few times. I think USPS was trying to get the most usable volume that fits within a standard parking space & I find it to be a great size without being too wide, long, or tall. Before / After side views are photoshop over photo of actual truck This model was preferred for me instead of larger vans because of the 138" wheelbase and the standard single rear-wheels - they provide better appearance & seem easier to configure preferred backspacing. Chassis appears to be identical on higher weight rated MT45's except for the rear axle. It's almost the same specs as a Unimog U-4000, or a Ford F550. Turning radius seems tighter than my honda pilot, and it's ~20' long bumper-bumper. I had planned to find an axle from the GMC Kodiak - but that proved impossible to find, and the cost to build a custom front-drive axle was impractical at over 25K just for the axle. So, I waited, and continued to search occasionally - and in 2020, I found a 'new' front drive axle (dana 70) removed from a medium duty 2019 international CV. It was stored inside the truck until it was installed, so it is in mint condition. Dana 70 Front drive axles are still unavailable as a complete aftermarket purchase, so it was a unicorn find for sure. It's basically the same as the kodiak axle, (but is in production with available parts) and even has Warn locking-hubs with the same wheel-mount width as the existing rear, which is the very common dana 80 - great for finding different gear ratios for larger tires & limited slip or locking differentials. It's like these axles were meant to work together. I got around 17mpg with the road-tires. Shown below are MPT81 365/80r20, 43" tall tires on hutchinson aluminum wheels in a roughly accurate photoshop sketch. 43" would require some work to fit but 41" tires shown in the next sketch at the end will fit without too much effort. The listed GVWR of this truck is 14,140, so you could also go with 'normal' weight rated offroad or all season 38-40" tires for similar appearance. Why Selling? I've been super busy with work, children / family life, and home renovations, and therefore the project has been sitting with other financial priorities. As much as I want to finish it out; I don't know when I'll get to it & don't want to see it sitting for years. The big work of finding a suitable medium duty axle, getting it swapped & functional by a reputable local heavy duty shop is complete. It's time to pass it to on to someone who will find great use for this excellent platform. Does it need any work? Needs new batteries, and driver-side rear brakes since it's been sitting. Codes on the tires are a bit old, but in good condition. What would I do next? I was planning to add 20" wheels, ~40" tires, limited slip rear diff & matching 5.13 gears for the larger tires to run in in 2wd mode while saving for 4x4 components - that would get the proportions looking great like the above sketch. To complete the 4x4 conversion after that it would just be integration / transfer case & shafts. Recent updates? Axle swap completed last year, with matching 4" lift in the rear, oil & filter changes, and new passenger side rear brakes. Front axle is new, still with serial number sticker on it, and front brakes are also new with the axle. Interior Same as when I bought it - with the super handy fold-down shelves on both sides, and bulkhead with locking door between cab and cargo areas. All doors (sides, interior bulkhead, and rear roll-up) and ignition use the same key. E-track is around the inside, and I have some brackets for 2x4s. Also, a set of interlocking EVA (black foam) mats, (in the back) cut to size for the floor, and enough to do the front. The original meritor axle is currently in the back & I have a set of axle relocation plates (From WFO concepts - to move it 1.5" forward) with angled shims if someone wants to run tires larger than ~41". One more photoshop sketch showing MPT81 335/80r20, 41" tall tires on steel military surplus wheels with my plan to have a 15' awning on the side, snap-on style lift gate (porch) at the back, and solar roof. Next Steps I really don't have time for tire-kickers - and am not planning to replace the batteries or rear brake before the purchase. Please realize this is a one-of-a-kind vehicle yet the MT45 platform is still in production and in current use by Amazon, UPS, Fedex, and many other roles. Morgan Olson still offers parts for this body as well. Complete parts & service manuals are in pdf format. Looking for someone to pick it up before winter. Please LMK any other questions / interest / offers.

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