This 1968 Chevy C20 Custom Camper With a Del Rey Sky Lounge Is an Incredible Time Capsule

Few other mobile habitats are as glorious and nostalgia-heavy, or even as rare to come by in this particular condition, as this one. This is Del Rey Sky Lounge mounted on a Chevrolet C20 Custom Camper that presents in impeccable condition and with plenty of personality. That includes period-correct window curtains, if you're particular about this type of detail.

Bring a Trailer is the place to go if you're looking for a new exotic, with or without celebrity pedigree, vintage or custom vehicles, and RVs from the old days. This might sound like an endorsement but we promise it's not: the platform simply has grown this much over the years to be able to offer this kind of variety.

No wonder then that it's now holding a listing for one of the strangest-looking (but in an awesome way) RVs, and one that presents in impeccable condition despite having been around and in use for decades. Its present form, as an RV, is more recent, but the rig is impressive both for its separates and as a whole. It only sells in the latter capacity, though.

This RV is made up of a 1968 Chevrolet C20 CST Custom Camper 3/4-ton pickup and a Del Rey Sky Lounge camper, designed exclusively to sit in the bed of such a pickup. Historically, they haven't been a couple for long, but they look as if they're a match made in heaven from the styling, specific for that era, to the color choices and the way the pickup is designed to handle the extra weight.

The pickup is a Golden Anniversary edition, delivered to Denver, Colorado and acquired by the original owner who's kept it in the family for nearly five decades. It comes in gold and white paint with matching Parchment and Gold vinyl upholstery and the most delicious, matching shade of gold on the dashboard.

Even if this pickup had no other redeeming qualities, this kind of attention to detail would be it. Luckily it does have others as well, not in the least being the fact that it's been kept in excellent condition during the five decades and over 91,000 miles (146,450 km) of ownership.

Power comes from a 396ci V8 engine mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. The truck rides on 16" wheels with chrome hubcaps, clad in Firestone Transforce HT2 tires. There are CST and Custom Camper badges throughout, diamond plate rear bumper and running boards, heavy duty suspension, power steering, and camper mirrors and tie-downs.

The cabin seats three people in comfy seats with lap belts. The matching dash offers the usual gauges and clocks, a three-spoke steering wheel, and a push-button radio. There's also air conditioning and a fire extinguisher behind the second seat.

The truck was bought sans camper by the current owner in 2023 and then fitted with the Del Rey Sky Lounge camper it boasts today. It's a tri-level 1966 unit that offers all the comforts of a proper mobile home, including a bathroom with toilet and shower, a full but compact kitchen, a lounge, and a bedroom.

Del Rey was founded in 1957 as Lil' Camper, before changing its name to Le Safari and, in 1959, as Del Rey, which translates to "Of the King." By 1966, when it became the largest RV manufacturer in the country, Del Rey had also earned a reputation as the King of Campers, offering models Sonora, the Imperial, Sportsman, Tri-Level, and the Sky Lounge we have here.

The highest selling point of the Del Rey camper was that it would go with an existing pickup truck, sitting in the bed with some modifications to the vehicle. The other was that, though compact, it offered insane amenities for the available space, down to a full laundry list of features and three different living levels.

In the Sky Lounge seen here, there is a slightly elevated dining area, a lounge in the cabover that offers panoramic views thanks to wraparound plexiglass windows, and the main floor with everything else. The lounge was also the bedroom, and there was also a wet but pretty nifty bathroom by the entrance, fronted by a wardrobe with hanging space.

The kitchen was also small but impressive for the layout it was a part of. It offered a deep sink, a three-burner stove, an oven, a fridge, and plenty of storage options and meal prep area. Considering it was built in the mid-'60s, a unit like this Sky Lounge explains how Del Rey was able to become El Rey of campers.

The unit now for sale comes with all the literature for the pickup and the camper, and a full list of upgrades and improvements done over the years, including a fresh coat of paint or new upholstery on the driver's seat. The last time the truck was offered for sale, it changed hands for $49,000, but the combo is offered at no reserve and no price estimate.

With four days to go into the auction as of this writing, bidding currently sits at $29,500. Bidding is bound to pick up as the auction draws to an end, but for the rest of us not looking to buy, this time capsule is absolutely fascinating and guilt-less window shopping. The kind that only costs time, not money.