By all accounts, Kevin Johnson should have walked right past it.
The faded green 1972 Ford F-350 had been sitting in a field outside Alamo, Nevada, for well over a decade. The tires were flat, the paint was weathered, and years of desert dust had settled into every crack and corner. To most people, it looked like another forgotten work truck nearing the end of its life.
But Kevin saw something different.
“I was at a buddy’s house down there and noticed it sitting in the field,” he recalls. “The owner’s wife wanted to sell it, so I brought it home.”
For just $3,500, Kevin—a 34-year-old diesel mechanic from Utah—became the owner of something far more significant than an old pickup. Sitting in the bed was a remarkably well-preserved 1967 Alaskan Camper, mounted on one of the rarest truck camper accessories ever produced: a Halldon utility body.
Together, the truck, camper, and utility bed represent one of the most influential truck camping combinations ever built. Long before overlanding had a name, this was the original adventure rig.
The Original Overland Visionary
Today, nearly every truck camper manufacturer offers some version of a low-profile pop-up camper. Flatbeds and utility bodies have become the gold standard for maximizing storage, while adventure travelers spend thousands building rigs capable of exploring remote backroads.
Don Hall was thinking about all of that more than 70 years ago. The founder of Alaskan Campers wasn’t just building campers—he was reimagining how they should work.
In the early 1950s, Hall developed what would become one of the most iconic designs in RV history: a telescoping hard-wall camper that traveled low for better stability and fuel economy, then raised in seconds to provide full standing room at camp.
Unlike the canvas-sided pop-up campers that would follow decades later, Hall’s design featured insulated hard walls that offered better protection from weather, greater security, and a much quieter camping experience.
Even more impressive was Hall’s companion invention, the Halldon Body.
Essentially the grandfather of today’s flatbed truck camper systems, the Halldon Body replaced the traditional pickup bed with lockable exterior storage compartments, allowing campers to carry tools, recovery gear, fishing equipment, and camping supplies outside the living space.
It was an incredibly modern concept—one that many manufacturers are only now embracing.
A Wife’s Frustration Sparks a Revolution
The idea for the Alaskan Camper wasn’t born in a design studio. It happened beside a campfire.
While traveling the rugged Alcan Highway on a hunting trip in the early 1950s, Don and his wife, Irene, encountered a washed-out section of road. As Don carefully eased their tall camper around the damaged roadway, the truck began leaning dangerously toward a rollover before finally sinking into a marsh.
That evening, while they waited for help, Irene made her feelings perfectly clear.
“If you ever want me to go hunting with you again,” she told her husband, “make me a camper like a hat box that slides up and down. Down for traveling, up for camping.”
Sometimes the simplest ideas become the greatest inventions.
Back home in Sunland, California, Hall headed into his garage and began building exactly what Irene had described. By 1954, the first prototype was finished.
After several successful camping trips, Hall unveiled his creation at the 1958 Los Angeles Sportsmen’s Show. The response was overwhelming. Orders poured in, and Alaskan Campers was officially born.
Within little more than a decade, seven Alaskan manufacturing facilities across the United States and Canada were producing campers to satisfy demand.
Remarkably, the patented telescoping hard-wall design Hall created in his garage remains the defining feature of every Alaskan Camper built today.
Some ideas simply don’t need improving.
A Survivor From Another Era
Kevin’s Alaskan is one of those rare finds that instantly transports you back in time. Open the door and you’re greeted by warm wood cabinetry, vintage hardware, aluminum-framed windows, and a layout that has changed surprisingly little over the decades.
Even more impressive is how original everything remains.
“The camper is in original condition and, to my knowledge, has never been restored,” Kevin says.
That’s almost unheard of for a wood-framed camper approaching 60 years old.
The secret? Nevada’s dry climate. While countless vintage campers have succumbed to decades of water intrusion and rot, Kevin’s Alaskan spent its retirement in the desert, preserving much of its original craftsmanship.
Only a few practical upgrades have been made by Kevin. The unreliable propane refrigerator gave way to a modern 12-volt compressor refrigerator, and the stove now runs from one-pound propane bottles instead of the original plumbing.
Otherwise, stepping inside feels remarkably authentic. There’s a three-burner stove, sink, closet, overhead cabinets, drawers, under-bed storage, and a dinette that converts into a comfortable bed. An overhead cot still provides sleeping space for children, just as it did nearly six decades ago.
The Feature Everyone Notices
Ask Kevin what he likes most about the camper, and the answer comes without hesitation.
“My favorite feature is how the top raises and lowers.”
It’s easy to understand why. With the roof lowered, the camper slices through the wind far better than a conventional hard-side model while keeping the truck’s center of gravity low. Once parked, the hydraulic lift raises the upper section, transforming the compact traveling profile into a spacious living area.
“For a fuel mileage nerd like myself,” Kevin laughs, “the lowered roof definitely helps.”
Large windows surround the Alaskan’s interior, making the camper feel surprisingly open despite its modest dimensions.
Then there’s the Halldon Body. While the camper itself offers enough storage for weekend trips, the utility body underneath changes everything.
“The body has a ton of storage,” Kevin explains. “You don’t have to keep much inside the camper.”
Fishing gear. Recovery equipment. Tools. Camp chairs. Cooking supplies. Everything has its own compartment. It’s a concept that feels remarkably current—even though it was introduced in 1969. Bryan Adams would know.
Breathing New Life Into an Old Ford
The truck itself has received considerably more attention than the camper. Originally powered by Ford’s 390 V8 and backed by a four-speed manual transmission, the engine eventually developed serious internal problems after Kevin got it back on the road.
Being a diesel mechanic, he already knew what the replacement would be. A rebuilt 12-valve Cummins diesel paired with a five-speed manual transformed the classic F-350 into a capable highway cruiser.
“The truck has plenty of power now,” Kevin laughs. “It averages in the low 20s empty, and around 18 mpg with the camper if I drive it easy.”
It’s a combination that blends vintage character with modern reliability—without sacrificing the truck’s original personality.
Patina Earned, Not Painted
Every classic vehicle owner eventually wrestles with the same question. Restore it or preserve it?
Kevin doesn’t hesitate.
“It’s going to stay like it is. I’ll fix what breaks.”
His plans are refreshingly practical. A larger fuel tank for extended range. New seat upholstery. Fresh carpet. Eventually resealing the camper’s hydraulic lift cylinders.
The faded paint, weathered aluminum, and decades of honest wear? Those stay.
“The truck is gonna stay how it is,” Kevin says. “The camper will too. It’s a unit that’s gonna get used.”
Don Hall’s Legacy Lives On
Today, a brand-new Alaskan Camper can easily exceed $50,000 before options. Yet Kevin’s weathered 1967 model may be even more valuable—not because of what it’s worth, but because of what it represents.
Every time the roof glides upward, it’s a reminder that one man’s simple solution to a campfire conversation reshaped an entire industry.
Every time another camper owner stops to admire the Halldon Body, they’re looking at an idea that was decades ahead of its time.
And every mile Kevin drives proves something Don Hall understood from the very beginning.
Adventure doesn’t require the newest truck, the biggest lift, or the latest technology. Sometimes all it takes is good engineering, thoughtful design, and a camper built to last generations. Judging by Kevin’s Alaskan, Don Hall got all three exactly right.
Great article, thanks.