There’s little doubt that old Toyota trucks are immensely popular right now. They have proven to be desirable for a few different reasons: one, nostalgia is powerful and many GenXers (and folks on either side of that era) have fond memories of their durable Hilux pickup that was used for work, school,  or both. In addition, you can use a vintage Toyota pickup as both a classic that will get thumbs up at Cars and Coffee as well as an everyday hauler. This 1987 Toyota Sunrader is a rare R/V conversion that also sports a rarer-still turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 4WD. Check out this unicorn here on eBay for $69,500 or best offer.

Feast your eyes on the interior, which looks like a modern Japanese apartment versus the cramped confines of a compact camper. The Toyota is claimed to be one of only 26 4WD Sunraders made, and although I have no hard evidence of those numbers, I also believe that figure given how ridiculous this combination of options is. In the 1980s, there were a variety of these light-duty camper conversions made, with Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu all providing solutions for anyone looking for a motorhome that could fit in compact spaces. Of course, you had fairly humble powertrains powering these heavier-than-stock conversions, so the 22RTE was a possible solution to that problem.

However, the 22RTE was not exactly a reliable engine. Toyota rolled out the turbocharged mill as a way to provide better performance before it began offering the 3.0L V6. From what I’ve read, the turbocharged 4-cylinder with the CT20 turbocharger encountered issues around 40K-50K miles due to a poor oil return design. Of course, you can remedy this issue by going to an aftermarket turbocharger from the likes of HKS, which could also provide a performance boost as well. The seller notes that this engine, with 101,000 miles, was torn down and rebuilt in July 2024.

The interior on this Toyota, like the living quarters, is in immaculate condition. The dash shows no cracks, the seat upholstery is near mint, and the carpets look great. Part of this is due to the seats being redone with new leather and professionally repaired, and the seller also discloses that the living quarters (which sleeps 3-4 close friends) has been completely restored with the addition of “….2 solar panels, battery and inverter to ensure the battery stays charged.” Overall, this Toyota seems to benefit from the best of everything, and a very well-executed overhaul. If you ask me, it’s worth every penny.