Foundation Vehicles

Compare & choose

Every Foundation platform, compared

One insulated composite body system, built on six chassis — from the nimble Ford Transit to a heavy-duty expedition truck. The body, insulation, and subframe engineering carry across all of them, so the real decision is the chassis. Here’s what’s shared, and how they compare.

  • Continuous insulation with no thermal bridging — a 1.5" R11 panel on the vans and E-Series, a 2.5" R17 panel on the trucks
  • 36" cab-over habitat with a full cab-to-habitat passthrough
  • Fire-retardant composite panel with very low water absorption — no wood to rot
  • A Zero-Torsion / torsion-reduction subframe that keeps the body square as the chassis flexes
  • Options include cab paint-match, doors, windows, hatches, and access stairs
  • 3-year upfit warranty + 3-year / 36,000-mile OEM warranty
How the body is engineered

Choose your platform

Every platform, with a page of its own

Pick a platform for its full spec, decision criteria, and real builds — or compare the whole lineup in the table below.

Blue composite camper on a Ford Transit AWD chassis, parked on a forest road in the Colorado high country
Ford Transit Gas van, AWD available · FV-138/156/178
Matte-olive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter AWD composite camper at dusk with mountains behind
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Turbo-diesel, AWD available · FV-144/170
White Ford E-450 4x4 E-Series composite box camper parked on a forest dirt road, front three-quarter view showing the cab, off-road bumper and beadlock wheels
Ford E-Series 4x4 The 4x4 expedition van · E-138/E-158
Blacked-out Chevrolet 6500 4x4 expedition camper on a desert road at golden hour near Joshua Tree
Medium-duty expedition F-550, Ram 5500, Chevy 6500
Green LMTV expedition truck with a composite camper body on a mountain road
Heavy-duty expedition LMTV, FMTV & heavy chassis
Foundation Vehicles RampDeck body on a Ford Transit 156 with the rear wall dropped into a flat deck and ramp to the ground and mesh side railings raised
RampDeck Ramp door, garage & deck in one
A composite flatbed camper on a dually Super Duty truck on a forest road, side view
Flatbed campers Lift-off composite campers & kits
The full length of a finished white composite body — bright, seamless walls, a locking entry door with window, and a glossy wipe-clean floor
Composite camper bodies What we build, across every chassis

Compare

Every platform, side by side

The same Foundation composite body system across six chassis — so the real decision is which chassis fits how you travel or work. Here is the whole lineup at a glance; open any platform for its full spec.

Every Foundation platform compared — chassis, drivetrain, capacity, panel, and 4x4.
PlatformChassisDrivetrainFuelMax GVWRPanel & insulation4x4Best for
Ford Transit Transit 350 / 350HD cutaway3.5L EcoBoost gas V625 galUp to 11,000 lb1.5" panel · R11AWD availableValue, easy service, all-season roads and light trails
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Sprinter 3500XD cutawayTurbo-diesel~24.5 galUp to 11,030 lb1.5" panel · R11AWD availableLong-range and full-time travel, mountain touring, resale
Ford E-Series 4x4 E-350 / E-450 cutaway7.3L “Godzilla” gas V840 galUp to 14,500 lb1.5" panel · R114x4 conversion availableSerious off-road, big tires, more payload and range
Medium-duty F-450/550 · Ram 5500 · Chevy 4500–6500By chassisBy chassisBy chassis2.5" panel · R174x4 availableFull expedition payload, clearance and range
Heavy-duty LMTV / FMTV and heavy chassisBy chassisBy chassisBy chassis2.5" panel · R17, Azdel4x4The most remote, self-sufficient routes on earth

Van and E-Series figures are from the 2026 spec sheets. Medium- and heavy-duty builds are custom-sized to the chassis, so those specs depend on the truck — but the composite body, continuous insulation, and Zero-Torsion subframe engineering carry across the whole lineup.

Not sure which to pick? Read: How to choose a chassis

Van bodies · the most common decision

Ford Transit & Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Whichever van you choose, the Foundation body is exactly the same — so the only real decision is the chassis underneath. Here’s what people love about each.

Blue composite camper on a Ford Transit AWD chassis, parked on a forest road in the Colorado high country

Ford Transit

3.5L EcoBoost gas V6 · full-time AWD available

  • FV-138
  • FV-156
  • FV-178
  • The value pick — typically less to buy and less to own than a Sprinter
  • Gas V6 power with no diesel or DEF to manage, and fuel at every station
  • Full-time AWD available for confident all-weather traction, no driver input
  • A large dealer and service network nationwide — parts and repairs are easy to find almost anywhere, and often less expensive
  • A lower step-in height that feels more car-like than the Sprinter — easier to drive and to get in and out of every day

Best for value, all-season road-and-light-trail travel, and staying close to easy service.

Matte-olive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter AWD composite camper at dusk with mountains behind

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Turbo-diesel · AWD available

  • FV-144
  • FV-170
  • Turbo-diesel efficiency and torque — long range and easy mountain grades
  • A reputation for high-mileage longevity in expedition and commercial service
  • Available AWD for real backcountry capability
  • A refined, quiet, premium cab
  • Strong resale, and a well-developed adventure-van aftermarket — accessories, parts, and support widely available

Best for long-range and full-time travel, mountain touring, and resale value.

It’s the same Foundation body either way — so the real decision is just which cutaway chassis fits how you drive and where you’re headed.

See the full Ford Transit page See the full Mercedes-Benz Sprinter page

Van body sizes

Van-body specifications

The five van body sizes across the Transit and Sprinter, side by side. The E-Series carries the same sizes on a bigger chassis — see the E-Series page for its spec table.

Filter by chassis
Model ChassisWheelbaseOverall lengthWalkable floorMax GVWRFuel
FV-138 Ford Transit 350 Cutaway138"19'3"72.5 sq ft9,950 lb25 gal
FV-156 Ford Transit 350HD Cutaway156"20'6"82 sq ft11,000 lb25 gal
FV-178 Ford Transit 350HD Cutaway178"22'6"95 sq ft11,000 lb25 gal
FV-144 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD Cutaway144"20'73.5 sq ft11,000 lb25 gal
FV-170 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD Cutaway170"23'3"95.5 sq ft11,030 lb24.5 gal

Every body ships with a torsion-reduction subframe, full passthrough, R11 continuous insulation on a 1.5-inch composite panel, and fire-retardant composite materials with no wood. Interior is 7′ tall × 80.5″ wide.

Take it with you

Download the 2026 spec pack

Every body size, dimension, option, and warranty for the whole 2026 line-up — Transit, Sprinter, and the 4x4 E-Series — in one PDF. Or ask us for pricing →

Download spec pack (PDF)

Sizes at a glance

The four body sizes, to scale

Van bodies come in four lengths. Here’s how they compare — and how much walkable floor each one gives you.

  1. 11′3″ Compact · ~72 sq ft floor
  2. 12′6″ Standard · ~82 sq ft floor
  3. 14′0″ Long · ~92 sq ft floor
  4. 14′6″ Extended · ~95 sq ft floor
Drawn from our production body elevations, to scale. All four give true 7-ft standing room inside — only the length, and the walkable floor, changes. The chassis cab drops into the open pocket beneath the cabover.

Square beats round

A cargo van curves in. We don’t.

The rear cross-section of a stock Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170 high-roof cargo van next to our FV-170 body, drawn to the same scale. Our square composite body gives you more headroom and real width up top — the space a factory van’s roof curves away from.

84″ · 7′ ceiling ~79″ van 80.5″ wide — square wall to wall 53″ between wheel wells space the van's roof curves away from FV-170 body Sprinter 170 high-roof cargo
Rear cross-section, drawn to scale. Same footprint — our square composite body captures the space a factory van's rounded roof leaves behind.
  • ~5″ more standing height — a true 7′ ceiling, flat wall to flat wall
  • ~10″ more width up top, right where a van's roof curves in
  • Square upper corners you can actually build cabinets and gear into
  • No wheel-well intrusion stealing your floor

Preferred builders

Want yours fully built out?

We build the platform; from there you can outfit the interior yourself, or take it to any professional builder or upfitter. Our preferred builders can finish the whole outfit — off-grid electrical, cabinetry, and everything inside. Find one, or get listed if you build.

Find a builder

Make it yours

Options & accessories

Every body is a starting point. Configure it with the doors, access, and gear you need — most items available across the lineup.

  • Entry doors
  • Windows
  • Roof hatches & skylights
  • Access stairs
  • Cab-to-habitat pass-through
  • Cab paint-match
  • Side-mount roof access ladder
  • PV solar mounting kit
  • Exterior storage boxes
  • Brush guards
  • Garage bed platform
  • Interior bath panels

Coming soon

New options on the way

Coming soon

Hard-sided pop-top

A rigid, insulated pop-top for extra standing room and sleeping space without the height on the road.

Coming soon

Soft-sided pop-top

A lightweight pop-top that opens up headroom and airflow, then packs down low for the trail.

Launching soon — reach out to be first to know when these are available.

Financing

Financing available on every platform

Financing is available for all Foundation platforms, and OEM financing through Ford and Mercedes-Benz is also available. Ask us about the options when you start your build.

Request pricing

Start a project

Not sure which platform fits?

Tell us the build and the payload you need and we'll help you land on the right chassis and body size — and send pricing and the full spec pack. Or just call the shop.

The message form is loading. You can also email info@foundationvehicles.com or call 720-610-1562 any time.