Unique Unimog motorhome up for grabs
Half tiny home, half hardcore 4WD truck, this DIY camper costs a cool quarter-million dollarsTiny homes are all the rage right now, while big truck-based expedition vehicles are also gaining traction as more road travellers seek to explore the most far flung regions of Australia.
So why not combine the two as part of a unique, go-anywhere DIY camper build?
That appears to be the thinking of the intrepid couple behind a home-built, Mercedes-Benz Unimog based off-road motorhome; a two-year labour-of-love that's currently advertised for sale for a cool $242,000.
Starting out with an ex-Army 1986 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U1700, the aptly described "vanlife on steroids" is equipped for serious off-roading with its high ground clearance, 4x4 quad diff locks, 18,000lb electric winch, 40inch light bar and 200 litre fuel carrying capacity.
The fixed boxy camper module features a queen bed that converts to a dinette or lounge during the day, along with a corner kitchen with stainless sink, filtered water tap, gas cooker, oven, grille and compressor fridge/freezer, plus a separate shower cubicle with composting toilet.
Inside, there's all the tiny home features like timber benchtops, black tapware, tiled walls, surf racks and wall-mounted pot plants, plus some additional homey touches like a three bottle wine cellar and concertina side window with pull-down blind that doubles as a screen for the home cinema set-up.
Internal storage includes a full size pantry with pull out drawers, and there's plenty of external 'garage' space too, along with a couple of high-mounted boxes for carrying the tools and toys.
It's also set up for off-the-grid camping, with four 6V 250Ah AGM batteries fed by a 1000W rooftop solar panel array and a 24V 2000W inverter charger to help run all the appliances, plus a 250 litre fresh water tank.
Another novel feature is a rear deck that drops down after opening the big rear barn doors, that supports up to three people for Happy Hour sunset viewing. There's an outside shower too to wash off the sand after a surf!
With around 150,000km on the clock, the 27ft (8.23m) long house-on-wheels has done a few trips over the past year including a sandy adventure on Fraser Island, and much of the motorhome build and travels have been documented on the owner builder's Youtube channel.
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