Micro-mini motorhomes

Micro-mini motorhomes were Class C motorhomes built on a 3/4 ton Toyota pickup chassis. Some brands I recall were Dolphin, Seabreeze, Odessey and New Horizon. They were typically about 19-20 feet long. Much of their appeal was relatively good fuel economy, low cost, ease of driving, and the ability to fit into small forest service camp sites. Some people even used them as a second car.

       

The engine size in the original Toyota pickup determined the power of the motorhome. I believe there were at least two power plants offered, a 4-cylinder and a V-6. The higher the power, the better the acceleration and towing capactiy; the lower the power, the better the fuel economy (usually). When buyers ordered new units they could choose the power plant they wanted based on whether they wanted better performance or better fuel economy -- and how much extra they were willing to pay. Those who bought them off the lot -- new or used -- had to take whatever was available. For more power, some innovative owners replaced the original Toyota engines with GM V-6s or even small-block V-8s, sacrificing fuel economy for impressive power.  The light weight chassis and small motorhome body contributed to better fuel economy than typically found in larger Class C's with the same power plant  while delivering superior acceleration and towing capacity.

Typical configurations were fully self contained, but like many mini-motorhomes of the day, on-board 120 volt generators were optional so you won't always find them on micro-mini motorhomes. They did, however, have innovative floor plans that allowed a large cab over bed, a comfortable dinette, a fully equipped galley, and complete sanitation facilities. To fit it all in a small unit, the "bathroom" was very compact, a single compartment that served as both shower and toilet area with a small sink on one side. Though not spacious by any means, they were surprisingly adequate for normal sized adults but straddling the toilet while showering took some getting used to. Some compact bathrooms solved that problem with a toilet that folded up into the wall under the sink. We even  had one small Class A with a similar compact bathroom.

Micro-mini motorhomes were amazingly comfortable. My Mom and Dad and adult sister and Grandmother traveled thousands of miles in a 19' New Horizon motorhome until they upgraded to a 23' mini motorhome with a little more room and a lot more power.  My Dad, who was a professional auto mechanic, really appreciated the extra power.

There was one known serious defect with the Toyota-based micro-minis: the rear axle. The coach builders used the standard Toyota 3/4 ton pickup axle and added innovative, custom-built dual wheels for extra load carrying capacity. Unfortunately, the extra leverage of the extended wheels coupled with the weight of the motorhome body over-stressed the wheel bearings in the 3/4 ton axles. There were enough problems that Toyota offered 1-ton replacement axles. My dad, who was a mechanic, was negotiating delivery of a 1-ton axle for his New Horizon when he upgraded to his larger, Chevrolet van based, Jamboree. Some of the later models came from the factory with a 1-ton rear axle.  If you should buy one that still has the original 3/4 ton axle, it may be a good investment to find a 1-ton axle to replace it if you plan to keep it for a while.  If you find one that already has the 1-ton axle, so much the better.  You may get by with the original 3/4 ton axle for a while, but if it ever does have to be replaced, or if you have the budget for the conversion, it is a very good idea to upgrade to the 1 ton model to avoid future problems.

If your family can fit in a 19' floor plan (it should handle up to 4 people comfortably, especially if some of them are children), and you're interested in relatively good fuel economy, you might look for a good used micro-mini motorhome. Like all motorhomes, they will have often spent most of their lives just sitting, which is both good and bad. It is good because there will be low mileage on the chassis. It is bad, because lack of use allows both the coach and some mechanical parts to deteriorate. If you find one, it is probably going to need some TCL before you are satisfied with it and it may need significant mechanical work. I've seen power plants upgraded to US made V-6s or even small V-8s that yield better performance and still maintain fairly good fuel economy because of the relatively light weight of the unit. If you find one that has already been upgraded, seek documentation of the upgrade. Engine conversions can be tricky. If done right you shouldn't have any problems but if they weren't done right you could have nothing but trouble. Check to see if it has had the axle upgrade. If not you may have to find a 1-ton axle in a junkyard to make the change yourself. If it hasn't been updated, keep a close eye on the rear wheel bearings. If the hubs get hot when you're driving, the bearings are probably going out. Given the history of these axles, chances are sooner or later the bearings will go out it and it will destroy the axle. If you have to replace the axle, make sure you get a 1-ton axle and not another 3/4 ton model.

Talk about a real "micro" mini motorhome, check out this custom RV built on a Volkswagen bug. These were custom built by a company in Irvine, California and you can still buy plans for this unique "Minihome" online today:

And for a really "micro" unit, some enterprising folks have built motorcycle based Class C type motorhomes.  I don't think I'd want to be driving one like this in any kind of extreme weather.

                                                                                                      


For die-hard envirnonmentalists, there are even bicycle based motorhomes.  I sure wouldn't want to try pedal one of these up a a hill!  Small at it is I'm sure it weights a lot more than I do, even with the middle age spread that has followed me into retirement.  I'll bet pedaling one of these around for a while would quickly take care of that for me!  Note the flat bed "bi-truck" in the background too.                                                




Micros are cool!