Stevo Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 In order to get what I really want I may have to build my own motorhome. I'd rather not but I do have the skills and tools to do it. I have some questions please... 1) Has anyone converted a Toyota box truck into a motorhome, or heard of anyone doing this? Uhaul used to offer them in their rental fleet (see photo below). 2) They put the Toyota 6 cylinder in those box trucks. Are those engines as reliable as the old 22RE? 3) What kind of mpg difference should I expect with the 6 cylinder compared to the 22RE? Thanks Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 They're small. From a quick bit of research, they're only 6'x10' plus 2'-3' for 'Granny's Attic'. Good for a stealth camper, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Converting a box truck to a toy home. Start to consider the costs. You mentioned pretty much living in it. Your going to need a water system, toilet, electrical. Not much different than wiring and plumbing a small cabin. Lots of work. Where are you going to locate waste tanks. You need windows, insulation. It's a very big job. Buying a toyota motorhome might be cheaper in the long run. Another thing, all of those box trucks have tons of miles on them and were driven most of those miles by people who never had a toy home or gave a crap what they did to it. Toyota motorhomes on the other hand usually have very low miles for a toyota. People buy them after they retire to travel and just don't get out that much. Not unusual to find them with less than 50,000 miles. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 Yes it would be a big job and you're right that they have a million miles driven on them by people that don't care. I was thinking that it might be nice to start with a blank slate where I could build it the way I want without all that ticky tacky stuff so common in motorhomes. I could be wrong, but the walls/structure seems more substantial with the box trucks than the flimsy walls on most of the motorhomes I've seen too. I'll probably end up buying a used motorhome though. Any idea how the typical motorhome structure could handle the rough washboard dirt roads in Baja? Converting a box truck to a toy home. Start to consider the costs. You mentioned pretty much living in it. Your going to need a water system, toilet, electrical. Not much different than wiring and plumbing a small cabin. Lots of work. Where are you going to locate waste tanks. You need windows, insulation. It's a very big job. Buying a toyota motorhome might be cheaper in the long run. Another thing, all of those box trucks have tons of miles on them and were driven most of those miles by people who never had a toy home or gave a crap what they did to it. Toyota motorhomes on the other hand usually have very low miles for a toyota. People buy them after they retire to travel and just don't get out that much. Not unusual to find them with less than 50,000 miles. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Good tires (new) and good air bags (new). On our Alaska trip, we put about 1500 miles on ours on dirt/gravel roads, frost heaves, washboard - Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay sometimes we could do 50mph, sometimes I thought the Toyhouse was going to shake apart at 5mph. The key is new tires. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I like the idea but its missing a few things I consider necessary, primarily air to breath. You could shut yourself in the sliding door but imagine if someone closed the lock. So obviously you need to cut a hold for a door and probably some for windows. And there is no pass through so you get out then jump up to the door, like a truck with a camper, in fact that's what it really is a toyota truck with a camper that doesn't come off. By the time you get there, realize the modern or semi modern tacoma has a 4 that's way more powerful and gets better gas mileage, and if you put a standard 6 foot cabover camper on it you'd have more upper space but less floor space. However you could take it off with jacks and have a real around town truck. And it has windows and a door. I don't personally know what kind of tools you'd need to cut a door in that thing but I'm not sleeping in it til it gets done. Other that that its an excellent starting point as it has thick aluminum walls for the coach. I would just put a king sized bed, a dresser and a camp chair and be done, lift up the loading door and put a coleman stove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 And was there any damage after driving on those rough washboard roads? Was it a conventional aluminum siding motorhome or fiberglass? Just asking because washboard roads are typical of the stuff I'll be driving on a lot whenever I travel in Baja. Good tires (new) and good air bags (new). On our Alaska trip, we put about 1500 miles on ours on dirt/gravel roads, frost heaves, washboard - Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay sometimes we could do 50mph, sometimes I thought the Toyhouse was going to shake apart at 5mph. The key is new tires. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 My Dolphin has the thin fiberglass sheet on the sides. no damage, just go around and tighten everything up that rattled loose. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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