I’m excited to share with you Mike Z’s 2011 Mercedes high-top toy hauler. (He’s selling it right now, and if you’re interested leave a comment on the bottom of this page)
Mike emailed me after he saw a teardrop camper for sale on DoItYourselfRV.
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Here’s how Mike describes his stealth van camper:
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My van camper can haul 2 paddle boards, 2 mountain bikes, 1 motorcycle and much more inside – all with the bed made the whole time.
Here’s some of the things I like most about my Sprinter conversion.
Super Stealthy and Easy to Park
It doesn’t look like an RV so it’s easy to just pull off the freeway and stay the night with no hassles. All of the things are stored below the raised bed, so the bed is always made.
With all of the internal storage, your stuff is secure inside and safe from the weather.
Related: You’ll Want to Copy This Australian Sprinter Van Conversion. Get Your Notebook Out.
I’ve had other rigs where I had to move something out to put the bed down. Things that needed to be moved would have to go outside.
Moving things to go to sleep is a pain and you can’t do it in a typical parking lot.
Great Storage Capacity – It’s a Toy Hauler!
I like to be able to take some toys with me while on vacation.
I didn’t want to take up valuable space with a sink, toilette and built-in fridge.
We plan our meals to be easy to cleanup, and take a porta potty and refrigerator on long trips. With the 14 foot box in the sprinter, this leaves a lot of room for toys.
Solar Power and DIY Refrigerator / Freezer Combo
I bought a 3.6 cubic foot Danby freezer and a 110 V STC-1000 temperature controller to turn it into a refrigerator (this combo is a popular keezer setup).
The STC-1000 controller turns your freezer into a fridge.
I have 2-100 watt solar panels and 2-100 Ah batteries (these are separate from the Sprinter’s battery and electrical system) and a 2500 watt inverter.
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I’ve used this setup for 2 years now and haven’t had any problems. The batteries haven’t gone below 70%, even with a week of clouds on the Oregon coast.
On a sunny day, with the Danby running as a fridge, the panels generate 10% more power than the fridge and other electrical appliances require.
When using the Danby as a freezer, it uses even less power because the inverter is turned off over night.
With this system we charge our phones, computers, cameras and run our 12v LED lighting and 110 V espresso machine.
Another great thing about this refrigerator setup is that it’s super easy to use.
Just push a button and it’s on.
I work for the local fire department, and some days when I get off work I can’t go straight home. I have to take my food with me, but now I’m able to put the food in the fridge, turn it on and I’m set.
Everything Else
When people ask what this van is, I say it’s my ‘everything rig’.
You can easily remove the divider and the fridge, and you’ll have plenty of space to store just about anything.
I made this Sprinter Toy Hauler because I decided that having a dedicated RV that we would only use a couple times a year wasn’t practical.
It’s not the most luxurious living, but it’s very comfortable and has lots of uses.
It’ll take all your toys and still get 20 MPG
Here’s some more detailed info:
- 2 x 100 watt solar panels
- Morningstar 30 amp charge controller
- trimetric meter
- 2500 watt inverter
- 2 deep cycle 100ah house batteries.(separate from sprinter chassis and electrical)
- Maxx fan with thermostat and remote control
- remote control LED lights
- bed tilts for easy loading of toys
- large 3.6 cubic foot fridge or freezer
- porta potty. (will be a new one for the new owner)
- second row seat
- stove/bbq
- 2 stand-up paddleboards and paddles included in the sale
On any given trip I can take 2 paddle boards, kiteboard, surfboard, motorcycle, 2 mountain bikes, and kites. Even with all that gear, there’s plenty of room to sleep, eat, cook and hangout inside.
The Sprinter has the remainder of a 2 year 5 month or 77,000 mile warranty on the engine.
All service has been done by a Mercedes dealer.
I’ve had no problems during the time I’ve owned it. I’ve taken good care of this vehicle and it has no dents, damage or scratches.
The overall condition is excellent.
Total miles: 23,000 miles
Asking price: $45,000
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Mike also loves to fly his AD1 drone while boondocking. I couldn’t help but share one of his videos with you. You’ll see his Sprinter camper van in the background in a few of the shots.
The scenery is of Arizona, Utah, and Idaho.
httpv://youtu.be/gLZUaDYmoyQ
If you’re interested in Mike’s custom Sprinter conversion camper, you can email him at zolie22 (at) yahoo.com.
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Hi David,
Mike’s email is zolie22 (at) yahoo.com
Van still for sale?