- This 1994 HiAce hides a bathroom where most vans keep their cargo.
- The van’s 2.8-liter engine has been thoroughly serviced and refreshed.
- Cabin has been retrimmed in leather and includes a fridge, TV, and bed.
This 1994 Toyota HiAce Grand Cabin has racked up almost the distance from Earth to the Moon, but the odometer is the least interesting thing about it. The van carries a handful of touches you simply won’t find on another example like it, and that’s before you open any of the doors.
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It was born a Japanese-market van, yet it now wears a US title and registration, and somewhere along the way someone rebuilt it into a proper long-haul companion and a home that comes with you. The cabin has been re-trimmed from end to end, which does a thorough job of hiding how many years are actually on it. I mean, just look at those maroon leather seats with quilted stitching, they look practically brand new.
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A previous owner has also updated the center console with a wooden panel and two metal cupholders. As nice as the front of the cabin is, most of the action is at the rear. Not only is there a small 40-liter fridge back there, but there’s also a wall-mounted TV, air conditioning, in-built speakers, and chairs that can fold flat and double as a spacious bed.
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The trunk is where the whole thing tips over into something else entirely. It’s been converted into a working compact bathroom, sealed off by its own door, finished in waterproof white flooring, fitted with a small white-and-pink sink and cabinet, and plumbed with a hot-water shower. A van you can shower in is a rare thing, and rarer still is one that does it without looking like a science project.
High-Mileage But Well-Maintained
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Although the vehicle’s mileage is quite high, currently at around 271,000 km (168,400 miles), the 2.8-liter naturally aspirated diesel engine appears to have been well maintained. Less than 10,000 km ago, the timing belt and tensioner pulley were replaced, along with the water pump, timing belt cover gasket, cooler idle pulley, vane pump idle pulley, the left and right engine mounts, the thermostat, and the muffler. The fuel injectors were also replaced, as was the alternator.
This one-off HiAce is listed through Fourbie Exchange in Pomona, California, with a $17,995 asking price. That’s serious money for a thirty-year-old van with Moon-shot mileage, but it buys something no showroom can hand you off the lot. You can check out the listing over here.
