If you’ve been on the hunt for a unique 4×4 platform to build your custom overland rig, here it is. This 1984 Mercedes Benz 1222 AF 4×4 Doka is already outfitted with a custom aluminum flatbed with folding sides, side-step platforms, super single 22.5-inch, 10-lug wheels, and 445/65 Hankook Smart AM15 tires.
The Doka features a 10-passenger cab that has enough room for a queen-sized bed and is already outfitted with an Eberspacher aux heater that can heat the cabin in freezing temperatures without the engine running. And 12-volt and 24-volt trailer plugs are already installed.
“It has pneumatically actuated snow chains and several air-ports for filling tires or connecting air tools. Everything on this truck is in perfect working order. Included in the sale are the quite hard-to-find and costly maintenance manuals, the operating manual, and some spare parts and filters. [This vehicle] lives inside a temperature-controlled hangar in New Jersey.”
From Luke
“This 1222 AF used to be a technical support truck for the voluntary fire department in Bad Orb in Germany, a small town east of Frankfurt. A lot of work went into this vehicle to make it the multi-role giant pickup truck it is today. The massive rolling-doors steel box has been removed. Custom-built steel frame/aluminum flatbed (all treated with bed liner and heavy-duty L-tracks all around the sidewalls and floors) with folding and removable sides has been installed large enough to carry four to five dirt-bikes, three snowmobiles, my wife’s Mini Cooper, our pop-up camper, or numerous types of shelters or expedition boxes.”
“Custom LED lighting on the rear and sides have been integrated into the flatbed. The side steps/platforms (with anti-slip bed liner) on both sides are custom fabricated and also the foot-steps to accommodate for the larger tires. The white trim pieces and bumper on the truck have been powder coated black to depart from the fire-truck-looking color combo. Custom 10 lug 22.5-inch wheels have been built to be able to fit the 445/65 Hankook Smart AM15 tire, which allows comfortable highway cruising while having fantastic grip off-road. Another benefit of this tire size is the availability anywhere in the US and around the globe.”
“The large 10 passenger Doka cab features an individual cab suspension and can be tilted in a few minutes with an onboard hydraulic pump. Heavy-duty recovery shackles are mounted front and back, and there are 12- and 24-volt trailer hookups/wiring available. The Mercedes is powered by a 10.9-liter V6 OM421 diesel engine, providing enough torque to tow an aircraft carrier. It’s mounted to a 5-speed manual, 4×4 transmission with high and low range and an automatic center and rear differential locks. Another nice traction feature to complement this setup are the automatic pneumatic snow chains. And just in case somebody needs to be alerted of the truck’s arrival, there is a four-trumpet air horn installed on the roof with a PA speaker mounted next to it.”
“We used to have the 1222 AF truck in our volunteer fire department in Austria, and those trucks are usually babied during their 30 years of service, sitting in a heated hangar, hooked up to aux power to be ready for their few missions a month. The 1222 AF is part of the NG Series that was built by Mercedes in the early 80s (new generation). It is one of the lightest trucks in the lineup, using the same components (axles, brakes, etc.) as the models of the same series that can weigh up to twice as much, therefore making this one of the most reliable, least-worked NG trucks available, and establishing itself in Europe as a new favorite in the overland/expedition community for a build platform.”
“Our current Mercedes 1222AF so far has only been part of the occasional weekend camping trip but is ready to start its next proper road trip or adventure—wherever that might be.”
Luke’s 1984 Mercedes Benz 1222 AF 4×4 Doka is currently located in New Jersey and listed for $65,000 or best offer. Check out the original Expedition Portal forum listing here. You can contact Luke with questions or offers at la[dot]jetset[at]yahoo[dot]com.
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