First off, you couldn’t buy one of these. Well, not outfitted like this one. In 1982 this Toyota Sunrader motorhome came from the factory in 2-wheel drive trim and with a 22R Toyota engine that couldn’t keep this 18 foot long RV at highway speeds no matter how much pedal you gave it. So when the seller decided to make this thing more capable on the road, he knew it needed more power. And with new power could also come off-road prowess. Hmmmm.

So the seller took the factory 2-wheel drive Toyota chassis out from under this motorhome and replaced it with a 4-wheel drive version. Of course, the solid axle Toyota chassis are considered to be some of the most stout in the off road world, and we know these little bastards can go anywhere with the right parts. Well this one also got a heart transplant in the form of a Toyota turbo diesel engine as well. It makes a lot more power than the stock 22R and it certainly runs mint since it has all been rebuilt. Of course 4×4 front fenders and badging completed the look, as did a complete restoration of the entire RV, chassis, interior, engine, trans, etc. Read “This is a nearly new RV”. And we want it.

We’d put tires and wheels on it and get our camping on in a big way.

Here is what he seller has to say about it.

I am selling my one of a kind 1982 Toyota Sunrader, 18 foot model, turbo diesel, 4 wheel drive with a solid front axle. This guy started life out as a 2 wheel drive automatic with a completely gutless 22R gas engine that would not go over 45 mph on flat ground. The frame has been swapped out for a factory solid front axle 4×4 toyota frame. Please note, this is not a solid axle suspension swap, the frame is a factory 4×4 solid axle. The new power plant is a Toyota 2.4L 2LT turbo diesel engine mated to a 5 speed Toyota transmission and transfer case. The engine has been professionally rebuilt with new pistons, rings, new bearings, new gaskets and seals, resurfaced crank shaft, new head, rebuilt injection pump and rebuilt injectors, I have all of the paperwork for confirmation. The Sunrader also has new full exhaust with pyrometer, aftermarket boost guage, new clutch, new bushings, new shocks, new tires/wheels, winch bumper, welded grill guard, power steering, AC, adjustable air bags, new brakes, new electric cooling fan, and a multitude of other new parts. This is the 18 foot model with the upgraded 1-ton dually, full floating, rear axle.

This is a complete, frame off restoration/conversion. The cab was removed, sanded, primed, and painted. The interior was completely renovated with the inclusion of modern, high efficiency appliances and LED fixtures, natural finish maple and pine wood cabinets, extra insulation over and above what came from the factory, a tankless hot water heater to save on LP usage, etc. The stove/oven is easily removable and designed for indoor use or outdoor cooking on hot days. The roof was also reinforced with structural steel to maintain proper water drainage from the roof line and to be able to support the weight of cargo as necessary. The cabinets are bolted into anchors on the fiberglass wall interior, the anchors in the walls have been fiberglassed into the original Sunrader shell, making an extremely strong bond holding the wall panels and cabinetry in place.

The exterior was cleaned of all existing caulking and re-sealed. Both overhead wrap around windows were replaced and new gaskets were put in place, so no worries about leaky windows. Overhead crank out vents were both replaced and re-sealed. All glass windows were also removed, cleaned, and re-installed with new caulking.

The Sunrader runs and drives excellent. It can cruise easily at 65 mph highway speeds and still get 25 mpg on regular diesel or bio diesel. This is the only Sunrader that I’ve ever seen accelerate up hill and be able to maintain highway speeds. This guy is big enough to live in comfortably for long periods of time and small enough to parallel park in a big city. I have driven it every day and constantly have people stopping me to ask about it, take pictures, or tell me their Sunrader stories. It also gets a thumbs up from pretty much every Toyota driver I pass on the road.

The starting price for this Sunrader is $34,900 but I will consider reasonable offers. Feel free to contact me at 541-302-8191. Or if you have any questions feel free to email to this posting. The Sunrader is located in Portland, Oregon but we would be happy to meet any interested buyers at the Portland International Airport or help with shipping arrangements. Thanks and take care!