1987 Toyota Sunrader 4x4 retro camper build

[4x4kayaker]

Sold my Sportsmobile and just started working on fixing up an 87 Sunrader. I love the floor plan not sure why they stopped making them? If anyone knows of resources I can tap into for parts and build advice let me know. I think they only made 26 of them and even fewer as 4x4 and fewer more with the engine turbo option on mine.

 

[bdog1]

Well let's see some pic's....


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[getout]

Is this the ebay one? If so, I'm jealous and want pictures.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

 

[4x4kayaker]

Here are a few photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwi_adventures/sets/72157638814822985/

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

Why did you swap the Sportsmobile for the Sunrader?

 

[Toyotero]

Kayaker,

Great looking rig, especially with that bumper.

They are definitely somewhat rate... according to this ebay auction, only 4 turbos were made... (accuracy is questionable :-D )


I think you're the third owner on this forum with one of these, one of the others just started a fairly involved restoration process.

 

[4x4kayaker]

I swapped my 2004 Sportsmobile for this because I've always had vw campers and Toyotas. The Ford Sportsmobile had the diesel 6 liter and was very expensive to maintain, great rig but working on the engine was a nightmare. I had it for 4 years and built it out and sold for a profit. Guess I'm getting older and want a simpler more reliable slower paced 4x4 camper. I like older rigs. I do miss the power on the hills. Got all the demo completed, scraped the old foam insulation off, now time for sanding and glass some leaky spots

 

[magentawave]

Oh good, another human that is as crazy as me. Hey good luck with your build!

I've been working on my 2wd 18' Sunrader for almost a year now. Aaargh - a year! I swapped out the 1/2 ton axle for the 1 ton, gutted the interior and glassed in the big 26 holes left behind after I yanked everything out from the inside (not including all the little holes!)...including those front wrap-around windows that are notorious for leaking. (I don't want any openings on the roof.) I made new "studs" and "rafters" out of 1x poplar and epoxied them in place to be attachment points for cabinets and paneling...that won't ever come down. I researched all the different adhesives and epoxy was the only one that made sense. I'm almost done building a simple bathroom with sawdust toilet and pee diverter. It will be a "wet room" so I can use a black 2 gallon garden sprayer as a shower and hang wet wetsuits to dry. I'm now building the interior cabinets out of 1/4" ply. I'm glassing them in place with epoxy, and I swear, even though I'm building them super light aircraft/multihull style, you could hang your body off of the rear upper cabinets and they are as solid as a rock. Don't want cabinets falling off the walls on some long dirty washboard road down south! Its been a helluva a lot of work but fun cuz now I actually feel like I'm starting to turn the corner. When I'm done with the interior then I'm going to build a lightweight aerodynamic enclosed carrier on the top for surfboards, stand up surfboards and light stuff like fishing rods. After that I'm going to desmog the 22R according to the thread at YotaTech and then I'm thinking of "painting" the whole thing with white Monstaliner. I work on the thing for hours almost everyday and then spend a few hours at night online researching stuff like fridges, solar, batteries, etc., etc., etc. Yeah, long days but my plan is to head south and surf my way through Mexico, Central America and South America so preparing for that is what all the research is about too.

Currently I'm figuring out what fridge to get and how to store the solar energy. What are you going to do about powering everything? Do you know what kind of batteries you'll use (6 volt or 12 volt) and how many? I'm also wondering where the heck I can put the batteries cuz they are heavy suckers.

 

[4x4kayaker]

I currently have 2 12 volt batteries both in the engine bay. I'm upgrading my alternator its on its lasts legs. And a pair of airbags for the rear are on order. I'm very interested in your surfboard exterior cabinet-possibly cover the top with stick on solar panels?. I plan on adding a simple kayak roof rack, not sure how to mount one just yet. I'm insulating the cabover area right now, and will add solar too. Got 2 ceiling beams laminated and glassed into place. Yup progress is slow, but some day it will be a beauty. also researching a rear storage box or maybe make one.

 

[magentawave]

My plan is to make the rooftop board box be the same width as the raised part of the ceiling with the front of it extending over the overcab area into an aerodynamic sort of point. It will be thin plywood glassed on with epoxy cuz I don't want any holes at all in the roof. The boards and stuff will be accessed from a locking hinged door in the back of the box. I'm not going to use "stick on" solar panels. Probably two 250 watt panels. Send me a PM with your number and we can talk about this on the phone if you'd like to.

 

[gongatt]

Hi!! my name is gonzalo, i live in Bariloche,Patagonia, Argentina. with my girlfriend are starting to build a motorhome in a aToyota Hilux 4x4 1992, i like yours, cand you send me some photos of the conection with the cabin???? that is the part dificult.

Regards

Gonzalo

my mail is gonzalo.gattas@gmail.com