1972 Dodge Vintage Balboa Campervan with Lots of Modern Upgrades!

1972 Dodge Balboa “Betty” — 20K Indicated Miles | Victron Off-Grid System | CA Smog-Exempt | Mechanically Dialed | $33,500 OBO

THE HIGHLIGHTS

A genuinely rare 1972 Dodge Balboa Sportsman — one of ~50–100 known survivors of the first true Class B+ motorhome. Mechanically refreshed, electrically modernized, and ready to camp today.

1. Sleeps 5. Rear lounge pulls out into a bed, dinette converts into a large bed, plus a small bunk above the cabin.
2. Full kitchen — 4-burner propane stove + oven, sink with pull-out faucet, butcher block counters, fridge that runs on propane / 110V / 12V.
3. Full wet bath — flushing toilet, indoor shower, and an extension hose that turns it into an outdoor shower.
4. Giant panoramic windows in the rear lounge with custom blackout curtains
5. Off-grid capable — 375W rooftop solar, 300 Ah LiFePO4 lithium battery bank, Victron components with Bluetooth monitoring. A couple of sunny days off-grid is comfortable; system has headroom to expand.
6. Mechanically refreshed — ~$25,000 in documented receipts since 2022 from reputable San Diego shops. Engine dyno-tuned to 162 HP, suspension and brakes rebuilt, new starter and battery in 2025.
7. California smog-exempt (pre-1976).
8. Fiberglass shell body — won’t rust.
9. Camp-ready turnkey — kitchen kit, beach gear, and road gear come with the van.

Below: the off-grid system in detail, the full mechanical history, what’s included, and an honest list of what still needs work (price reflects this).

WHY A BALBOA

Meet Betty — a 1972 Dodge B300 Balboa Sportsman showing 20,942 miles on the odometer. The Balboa is widely credited as the first true Class B+ motorhome, hand-built by Jensen Marine in Costa Mesa, California. Roughly 1,000 were ever produced; only an estimated 50–100 survive.

Over nearly four years of ownership we’ve put the time, money, and reputable shops behind making her mechanically and electrically dialed in so the next owner doesn’t have to. We hate to sell her, but we can’t take her with us when we move overseas.

What makes a Balboa special:

1. Fiberglass shell body — the entire camper structure is fiberglass, so the rear/main body of the RV won’t rust. (The original Dodge front cab and hood are steel; see “honest notes” below.)
2. Class B+ layout in a Class B footprint — full standing height, real kitchen, full wet bath, big panoramic windows
3. California smog-exempt — pre-1976 vehicles are permanently exempt from CA smog
4. All-mechanical Mopar V8 — no computer, no emissions sensors, no electronic fuel injection. Carbureted, points-style ignition (with the new Pertronix coil), wrenchable in any parking lot.

THE OFF-GRID POWER SYSTEM

This is what sets Betty apart from every other vintage Balboa on the market right now. The full system:

1. 375W of solar on the roof (200W + 175W panels, with room to add more)
2. 300 Ah of LiFePO4 lithium battery (3× 12V 100Ah)
3. Victron Lynx Distributor 1000 with Bluetooth monitoring (check battery state from your phone)
4. Victron Orion-Tr Smart 12/12 DC-DC charger — automatically charges the house bank from the alternator while driving
5. Renogy Voyager solar charge controller
6. 1200W inverter
7. Power surge protector
8. 12V trickle-charge solar panel for the starter battery
9. ~20 ft shore power cable + 50 ft extension

The fridge runs on propane, 110V shore power, OR 12V through the inverter. Realistic expectations on the off-grid setup: with the original fridge running and incidental loads (lights, fans, charging phones), expect comfortable boondocking for a couple of days in sunny weather before needing to plug in. The system has plenty of headroom for the next owner to add panels, add battery, or swap to a more efficient modern fridge if they want longer off-grid stretches.

MECHANICAL — DONE RIGHT, WITH RECEIPTS

Bought July 2022 at 15,300 miles. Since then, methodically gone through and refreshed by reputable San Diego shops. ~$25,000 in documented mechanical receipts available for review. Shops used:

1. The Dyno Shop (Santee) — engine, fuel, brakes, transmission
2. BeeLine Brake & Alignment (San Diego) — suspension and alignment
3. North County Spring (Escondido) — rear leaf spring rebuild
4. A New Way Auto (San Diego) — recent service, starter, oil
5. Discount Tire — tires and spare

Engine (Dodge 360 V8) — Jan 2023, dyno-tuned, 162.3 HP measured:

1. New Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor
2. New Pertronix Flame Thrower 1.5 OHM ignition coil
3. New 8mm Spiro Core spark plug wires
4. New timing cover, water pump, fan clutch, crankshaft front seal, radiator cap
5. New thermostat and gasket
6. Recored radiator
7. New intake manifold gasket
8. New engine mounts (with transmission mount, March 2023)
9. Bypassed leaky heater core (March 2023)
10. Dyno-tuned to set proper mixture and advance
11. Dyno chart available — 162.3 HP measured peak

Fuel system — Nov 2022:

1. Fuel tank removed and reinstalled
2. All new rubber fuel lines, vent hoses, filler hose (Dayco)
3. New locking fuel cap

Transmission & driveline — Jan/March 2023:

1. Transmission service with new pan gasket, filter, Versatrans fluid
2. New tail shaft seal
3. Front and rear universal joints replaced
4. Pinion seal replaced

Suspension, steering, brakes — 2022–2024:

1. Front brakes (Nov 2022): new drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware, axle seals
2. Rear brakes (Nov 2022): rebuilt drums, new shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware, axle seals, parking shoe cable
3. Brake fluid flushed
4. Replaced drag link, rear shocks (Monroe Gas Magnum), idler arms, upper ball joints, lower control arm bushings (March 2024)
5. Front wheel alignment (March 2024)
6. Rebuilt rear leaf springs with new spring bushings and U-bolts (May 2024)

Recent service (2025):

1. New starter (July 2025) — A New Way Auto
2. New primary battery (July 2025) — Super Start Platinum, 4-year warranty
3. Oil change (June 2025) — 10W40, ACDelco filter

Tires:

1. 4 LT-rated Discount Tire tires (LT245/75 R16 rear, LT225/75 R16 front)
2. New matching spare tire and wheel (June 2024) on rear-mounted swing carrier

15,300 indicated in 2022 → 20,942 indicated today = ~5,600 miles added in 4 years of ownership, all documented on receipts. The odometer is a 5-digit unit, so we can’t be 100% certain whether the true mileage is 20,942 / 120,942 / 220,942, etc. What we can confirm: the van presents and drives like a low-mileage vehicle, and the receipts show consistent mileage progression under our ownership. Buyer should factor this into their own evaluation.

SAFETY UPGRADES

This is a 1972 — we made it modern-safe:

1. New 3-point shoulder harness seatbelts (originals were lap-only)
2. LED headlights
3. Backup camera
4. Tire pressure monitoring system
5. New fire extinguisher + LifeSafe portable suppressant
6. LED road flares + safety triangles
7. Smoke + CO detector
8. Locking gas cap and locking water fill cap
9. Emergency seatbelt cutter / glass break tool

INTERIOR

The Balboa layout is genuinely clever — the rear lounge pulls out into a bed, the dinette converts into a large bed by dropping the table and adding cushions, with a small bunk bed above the cabin. Sleeps up to 5. Giant panoramic windows in the rear lounge. Has numerous storage cabinets and drawers including a clothing wardrobe. Original upholstery is in good shape and woodwork is largely solid (see honest notes for areas that need attention).

Recent interior upgrades:

1. Custom blackout curtains throughout (quality fabric, unique print designed specifically for Betty, hung on professional tracks)
2. Butcher block countertops
3. New vinyl plank flooring + machine washable runner rug
4. New kitchen faucet with pull-out extension hose (long enough to use as a second outdoor shower hose if needed)
5. Bathroom shower has an added long extension hose so it doubles as an outdoor shower
6. Bathroom exhaust fan
7. Bluetooth radio with remote
8. Phone holder, cupholders

Fully functional kitchen and bath:

1. 4-burner propane stove with oven
2. Propane water heater
3. Wet bath with flushing toilet and indoor + outdoor shower
4. 40-gallon fresh water tank, 40-gallon waste tank
5. Two roof vent fans (galley + bath)
6. Original fridge runs on propane / 110V / 12V (works and will freeze, but it’s an old absorption unit — don’t rely on it for keeping raw meat food-safe in hot weather; great for drinks, snacks, condiments, sealed items)

EVERYTHING INCLUDED — TURNKEY FOR NEW OWNER

Camping & road gear:

1. New telescoping lug wrench, 4-ton barrel jack, bottle jack
2. Jumper cables, portable air compressor, tire inflator
3. Leveling blocks, tire chocks
4. 50′ water hose, 50′ extension cord, water filter, universal hose adapter
5. Dump hose with fittings + storage container
6. 5-gallon metal jerry can with external ladder mount
7. 10×20 white tarp + bungee cords
8. Cargo net for cubby above cabin + ratchet straps for surfboard/gear storage on ceiling D-rings
9. Locking gas cap, locking water cap

Beach & lifestyle:

1. 2 beach chairs
2. Beach umbrella with screw anchor
3. Folding pet bed + futon protective cover
4. Folding flat-pack grill + charcoal chimney
5. Small electric space heater

Kitchen:

1. Cast iron skillet, pots and pans, mixing bowls
2. French press, AeroPress, hand coffee grinder, kettle
3. Full 4 setting silverware set with steak knives and organizer, full kitchen knife set
4. Plates, bowls, cups, mugs, plastic wine glasses
5. Cutting boards, grater, can opener, meat thermometer, etc.
6. Collapsible dish rack and dish tub

Plus a full set of misc spares — fuses, bulbs, brake components, fluids, oil, antifreeze, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, manuals.

HONEST NOTES

A 1972 RV is a 1972 RV. Here’s what to know going in. The asking price reflects all of these — we’d rather you know upfront than discover them during inspection.

1. 5-digit odometer. Currently reads 20,942. Because the unit only has 5 digits (plus tenths), we can’t definitively confirm whether the true mileage is 20K, 120K, or 220K. The van presents as low-mileage and drives like a low-mileage vehicle — but full transparency, this is unverifiable. We’ve put ~5,600 documented miles on it during our ownership.
2. Exterior paint and bodywork need attention. It could use a new coat of paint and your choice of colored stripe. Or, restore the shell to its original fiberglass finish. The fiberglass shell (the bulk of the camper) won’t rust, but there is a hairline crack in the exterior fiberglass that needs to be patched.
3. Soft spot in the floor near the rear door. Likely from where it repeatedly got wet from wetsuit removal. Localized, not catastrophic, but a buyer should plan to address it.
4. Windows can let some water in around the seals during heavy rain. We use a tarp (included) to cover the van on rainy days. There are two spots where the wall paneling is cracked. Reseal job would be a good early project for the new owner.
5. Fridge is the original absorption unit. Works on propane / 110V / 12V and will freeze, but it’s not a modern compressor fridge — don’t count on it for keeping raw meat food-safe in summer heat. Works great for drinks, snacks, sealed items. Easy upgrade target for the next owner if they want a modern 12V compressor.
6. Off-grid expectations: the 375W solar + 300 Ah lithium setup runs the fridge + lights + fans + phone charging comfortably for a couple of sunny days before needing a plug-in. Plenty of room on the system to add panels, battery, or a more efficient fridge for longer stretches.
7. Fuel gauge isn’t reliable. Reads inconsistently. We track mileage between fill-ups instead — works fine, and the included external 5-gallon jerry can on the ladder mount is solid backup. A sender replacement is straightforward if the next owner wants to fix it.
8. Cab heater is bypassed. The original heater core was leaking, so we bypassed it. The cab has no heater. We never needed it here in San Diego, but it could be added.
9. It’s a 1972. Drives well (and it’s fun to drive!) and feels solid on the freeway. Highway speeds are no problem on flat ground; uphill or strong headwind takes some patience.

WHY WE’RE SELLING

Moving overseas. Betty deserves another adventure family. We’ve put real care, real money, and four years of weekends into making her reliable. Full receipt binder and maintenance log come with the van.

$33,500 OBO. Payment options: cash, cashier’s check verified at the issuing bank in person at the time of sale, or wire transfer with confirmed receipt before title transfer. Pre-purchase inspection welcome at buyer’s expense. Out-of-area buyers welcome — happy to send detailed photos, walk-through video, and answer any questions before you make the trip.