OKA 4WD Camper

Try oka@carsbyweb.com.au you never know your luck

regards
steve

i've have seen some advertised in the "Just 4X4 Trader magazine" - comes out monthly. ask your newsagent for it.
Cheers
Alex B

Hello Sandy, Would be wise to really check this one out....Apparently the early models, pre 1994 still have the ability to get parts for but the later models have real difficulty in getting them, in particular the gearbox and transfer case. Remember that these things are a mix of parts from all different areas. There is one (shell only) in a backpackers tourist centre in Perth and the only reason that it is there is no parts or they are very very expensive. I would be looking at a Canter or something along those lines that you can take the body off and put it on a new cab chasis. You can't do that with an OKA.

Regards

Mark

Sandy
I saw one in a yard on Sunday. Only problem is it was when I was driving back from Lithgow, somewhere between Wentworth Falls and Glenbrook (on the left hand side heading East). I know its not that much help.
Peter

Why?

Firstly, I make the below comments without prejudice and suggest you check all of this out through independent reseach.

Why do you specifically want an OKA? I agree with the Canter idea though speak from out of date information.

The early OKA models were a mix of all different parts, the later models were heavily Caterpilar dependent, or so I am led to believe.

The OKA was designed primarily as a minesite personnel carrier in the 90's when proposed laws would have made the use of toyota troopies no longer possible in open cut mines. For the uninitiated the main purpose of a troopie on a minesite is to take people to and from mobile plant in the Pit for shift changes, crib (morning tea) and the like. Thus the OKA was designed for low speed tough work (read as bullet proof chassis), however the laws were never passed and the Toyota PC still fills this role on almost every mine in Australia.

There were major reliability problems with the early models and CAT saw the opportunity to get some aftermarket sales by working with their traditional Australian customers...Miners....in the later days. I dont know if you have ever bought a Caterpillar part but lets just say you ring your Mitsubishi dealer and get price on a 4x4 Canter engine / tranny part and then do the same with a CAT component on an OKA.

Like I said, my comments are just my opinion and general knowledge. You should get as much feedback on this before you make the plunge.

Cheers

Peter

Just as a addition to the above which is pretty well spot on. When I was looking at them some years ago, A lot of National parks or the like, including caravan parks etc do not/ wont let "OKA"s into their place.

There is a dealer in Sydney but I'd be very wary, I considered an Oka in the mid 90's, they had a few and they were very suspicious.
I tracked the history of two using their vin numbers and both had been written off after nearly a million k's and being submerged for a week.
They had been tarted up for sale with mileages much much less than they actually had and were being sold as original one owner vehicles!
When I informed the yard of my info they hung up after denying any wrongdoing, they were only selling a vehicle etc etc.
Owner reports varied but the Perkins motor was never designed for zooming down the road at 100k's (neither was the rest of the truck either from what I could find out) and as has been mentioned parts can be a problem as well as expensive.

ALso Okas are hideous things to drive, we had one in the RFS in Kurnell, the only one in the state.. It was like driving a boat...

I saw one advertised on the front cover of Motorhome Trader recently here in SA. The picture showed it had sign writing on the side saying something about Kangaroo Island..........(Tours or something?)
I've often thought one would be good to have too, but understand that they may be costly to keep on the road and probably a bit of a handful to drive.
Cheers
Roachie

Sandy,
Try Colyn Rivers he has a OKA fitted out as a motor home. He should be able to fill you in on the pros and cons about them as I believe he has had his for a while. He lives at Broome and his web site www.caravanandmotorbooks.com should give you an addy to contact him. Regards Salty

G'day Sandy, I drove an OKA for about 18 months doing Perth to Darwin tours. I have a lot of respect and faith in the trucks after what it went through, how ever for a personal vehicle I'd probably look at some thing else. The main problem is that most OKAs were driven by people who didn't own them... they always get pushed a little more in that situation(read abused)
The design concept in using off the shelf parts for drive line and electrical was so that they were accessible in all states of Oz. They ran a perkins motor, spicer gearbox(I think) and dana diffs.Can't recall the elec system but it was probably hella/bosch
There are always a few for sale over here in Perth...but thats a long drive back to Canberra in an OKA...

Sandy
I know a fellow up near Lismore has one for sale. His name is Bob and he can be reached on 02 6624 6611 or mobile 0412 113 897. Give him a ring!
regards
peck

Thanks everyone for your input. I have just started looking into Oka's and I am going to start looking into Canter's and Isuz (spelling??). I appreciate all the comments as I do not know enough about Oka's. Basically I am not keen on a troopie camper and the like as I want space and have no reason to ever need a caravan park. Plus I want big 4wd capability. I was talking to a guy on the Spirit of Tasmania ship on the weekend and he had a very cool Canter Camper he got specially made for a cool $150,000. He and his girlfriend are going around Oz for 3 years and it carries his motor bike. That is what I am after but not near that cost and not brand new like his was. I also have a 6month old baby who loves the outdoors but I need a space for her. Currently we have a VW long wheel base transport and we camp with a tent where ever we go or use a swag. In hobart on a trip resently we got caught in some very bad weather - 80kn winds etc and decided to become self sufficent.

Anyone have comments on Canter's and the like?

Sandy

Thanks Brett, I will read up on it. At first glance though it looks too small! Don't want the drama of a trailer and I need to fit a double sleeping space, shower/toilet, eating area/kitchen into the rear space. Being self sufficient is what its all about for us. But I think this vehicle will do big red no probs from first gear at the bottom with no run up.

Sandy

If you take the hour or two to read the specs you will find that each wheel on the trailer is fitted with hydraulic drie morors which can be engauged to help the Vehicle along in those sticky bits.

The fellow claims that the cost is more than a Hummer and less than a Boeing 707. Several million dollars worth I would guess.