Sandie and Karsten retired early and have been living the nomadic lifestyle for the last six years in their self-built overlander RV. Their amazing Tiny House on wheels is 4 wheel-drive and completely stocked to allow them to live off-grid for long periods of time. They’ve traveled the world in this adventure rig, and there is no end in sight!
Mercedes-Benz Truck DIY Overlander RV Is Couple’s Full Time Tiny Home
New isn’t always better. When it comes to overlanders, most people I’ve written about prefer converting relatively new vehicles. However, today, I’m checking out a tiny home on wheels based on an old-school truck that will impress you with its capabilities and features.
Meet Sandie and Karsten, a couple who retired early to enjoy a fully nomadic lifestyle. They’ve traveled in campers since they were students but decided to take the leap to a mobile life fully since they stopped working. Their wants regarding the vehicle were something large with high ground clearance that could go deep off the beaten path.
After considering various options, they learned about old Mercedes-Benz medium-heavy trucks. Specifically, what we have here is a 1983 Mercedes-Benz LA 1113 B.
The duo did a lot of work to restore the truck, as it was very rusty. What helped is that they bought two units so they could grab parts from the other vehicle. What’s more, it took about two years to get it to a good condition.
The rig tips the scales at 18,500 lb. (8,391 kg) in its current form. It sports a 5.7-liter straight-six diesel engine that gets up to 13 MPG (18 L/100km). Diesel is fed by two 80-gallon (303-liter) tanks, allowing the vehicle to go for around 650 miles (1,046 km). However, all these miles will be done quite slowly – the vehicle has a top speed of 55 mph (88 kph).
If you’re looking to build an affordable camper, restoring an old vehicle might not be for you. In Sandie and Karsten’s case, they invested a total of $100,000 (€91,456) to create their awesome mobile home. So, let’s take a closer look at its features, starting with its exterior.
One benefit of this specific truck is that it comes with a massive crew cab. That’s where Sandie and Karsten store all the outdoor items, such as chairs and a table.
At the front, you’ll discover a heavy-duty winch that can pull up to 10 tons (22,000 lb.). Furthermore, at the rear, the couple mounted traction boards. With these features, the couple can go deep off-road without worrying about getting stuck.
On the passenger side, the camper box has a sizeable compartment with a flip-up door. In fact, it’s a pass-through storage compartment that runs to the other side of the rig. It houses a fridge box, tools and equipment, bicycles, and more.
Other notable exterior features are an under-mounted 50-gallon (189-liter) greywater tank, a hydraulic oil tank for the powerful winch, and a ventilation system for the cassette toilet inside.
I love that the couple kept the original look for tor the driver’s cabin. Of course, they modernized it with new air-pressure seats, but they kept the metal dashboard with the original buttons.
Even though the exterior aesthetic is a bit old-school, once you step inside, you might forget you’re in a 40-year-old rig. You’ll discover a warm, modern, and inviting living space covered mainly in white.
Just like in many overlander builds, the interior boasts an open and spacious layout. As you enter, you’ll find a lounge area on your left. It features a sizeable table, three overhead cabinets, and an L-shaped couch that can fit up to five people. What’s more, one part of the couch hides a 100-gallon (379-liter) freshwater, which can last them for up to six weeks.
Opposite the lounge, you’ll notice the kitchen. It has a three-burner stove/sink combo, a small pull-out fridge, a window, a spice rack, and a coffee machine. One drawback is there isn’t a lot of counter space, but the couple uses covers for the sink and stove to have more room to prepare meals. Moreover, there are many storage spots in the form of overhead cabinets, drawers, and even a floor compartment.
The interior’s rear is occupied by the bedroom. You’ll see that the bed is positioned higher up to make room for the garage underneath. The bedroom comes with more storage spaces than any other Overlander builds I’ve seen. You have six overhead cabinets, an enormous closet, and more. A nice personal aesthetic touch is that the wall has a large sticker made out of a picture the couple took while hiking in a forest in Greece.
The final room of this camper is the bathroom. It offers plenty of space and comes with all you need in a tiny home on wheels, boasting a small stainless steel sink, a self-made composting toilet, and a spacious shower.
Typically, the driver’s cabin and the camper box are not connected, but Sandie and Karsten wanted to have the option of moving from one part to another without exiting the vehicle. So, they came up with a pass-through door.
Underneath the bench in the driver’s cabin, the couple installed the electrical system. Unfortunately, Sandie and Karsten didn’t share details about the system, such as the battery or solar capacities.
Right by the pass-through door, inside the camper box, you’ll find the rig’s control panel. It comprises many switches for the lights and appliances, an inverter controller, a thermostat, a battery management system controller, and more.
All in all, this is an excellent overlander tiny home on wheels. Even though it was certainly more challenging to tackle the conversion of an older vehicle, like this Mercedes-Benz truck, it was worth it in the end, at least in Sandie and Karsten’s case – you won’t see many similar rigs on the road.
