Renovated 1992 Toyota Odyssey Makes Cozy Home on the Road

By S.J. Bryan - October 24, 2018

1992 Toyota Odyssey camper

Want to break free? This family turned their Toyota into cool and capable RV that is a an adventure on wheels.

Have you ever spent yet another a day at your desk, looking longingly out the window and thinking: “I’d love to just pick up, pack a bag, and head out on the road.”? Yep, we’ve been there. There is an undeniable lure and romance to the freedom and adventure that the road provides. Just ask Danielle and Tommy, the crew behind Slow Car Fast Home. In 2017, Danielle and Tommy acquired a 1992 Toyota Odyssey for a mere $7,500. And then the real adventure began.

Before it was road-ready, the Odyssey was going to need some work. Okay, a lot of work. Danielle and Tommy first gave their Yota rig a name: Nigel. Next, they spent 7 months renovating Nigel inside and out. The space needed to be livable, drive-able, and accommodate both Danielle, Tommy, and their two dogs.

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Business in the front and business in the back 😅 working on some of the detail painting in the back and getting the front ready to paint #slowcarfasthome

A post shared by Slow Car Fast Home 🚐💨 (@slowcarfasthome) on Jun 24, 2017 at 10:44am PDT

As they write on their website, choosing a Toyota was maybe the easiest part of the journey.

“Toyota motor homes offer the perfect amount of space for us to live comfortably, and to keep our work organized and accessible. Tommy has always had a soft spot for Toyotas, so the first time he saw a Toyota camper he couldn’t stop researching them. They get good gas mileage (for an RV), we generally get around 12 mpg but on our best day we can get closer to 14 mpg. Parts are relatively inexpensive, all shops have worked on these Toyota trucks, and they are super reliable…and there is an incredible community amongst the owners of these rare motor homes.”

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Still doesn’t always sink in that we actually did this ourselves last year 🙈 When people think you’re crazy for doing something, keep going, keep at it, work even harder. They’re probably right, but wouldn’t life be boring without a few crazy people sprinkled around? #slowcarfasthome

A post shared by Slow Car Fast Home 🚐💨 (@slowcarfasthome) on Jul 11, 2018 at 10:10am PDT

Check out the incredible transformation on the interior, before and after. The finished product is a remarkable home on wheels. They have everything they need in the small space, and its functionality is truly impressive. The road can be a lot easier when your home is so cozy and comfy. And you can’t beat that view.

1992 Toyota Odyssey RV

After some time on the road , they decided to document the journey online on their website, as well as on Instagram.

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Let’s talk about fear. This has been the topic flooding our inbox as of recent. It seems to be what paralyzes some of you from following your dreams. We of course have fears like everyone else, but the difference is, we choose to not let our fear consume us. – We were scared to start an interior and exterior renovation with no previous experience or knowledge. We were scared to put too much of our savings into Nigel. We were scared to take off as full-time travelers. We are scared of getting to a point in our bank accounts that makes us uncomfortable….I surely could list other things we are scared of, but that would be putting too much focus on something that only exists if we let it. – The best things in life are the ones that scare you a little. The amount of beautiful places we’ve seen, people that we’ve met, opportunities we’ve come upon ALL outweigh any tingle of fear that might sneak up in the back of our minds. – And, please understand, the world is not as scary as people tell you it is, or as scary as you’ve built it up to be in your head. Get out here, come to the desert, go to the mountains, camp on public lands, or take a road trip before you message us asking us about all of our fears. I’m almost certain you’ll see what I’m talking about! – “Give up on your fears, not your dreams” #slowcarfasthome

A post shared by Slow Car Fast Home 🚐💨 (@slowcarfasthome) on May 24, 2018 at 10:14am PDT

They happily travel, live, and work on the Yota. And it looks like a damn good life.

Nigel has taken them across the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and even Alberta, Canada. And they have no plans to stop anytime soon.

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Born to Roam, Everywhere is Home 💚 #slowcarfasthome

A post shared by Slow Car Fast Home 🚐💨 (@slowcarfasthome) on Sep 10, 2018 at 11:09am PDT

Sure, there are still little mods and changes done along the way, but you’re not going to hear complaints. This is a work of love.

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We haven’t shown this side of our kitchen since we took out our big oven and four-burner stove top! We had to make room for our lithium @humlesspower battery — so, we lingered at a Home Depot for a few days and made a new counter top, new cabinet door with palm tree vents for the battery, and bought and installed a new two-burner cook top! We haven’t missed that big clunky oven one bit, and now we have more counter space 🙌🏽🙌🏽 #slowcarfasthome

A post shared by Slow Car Fast Home 🚐💨 (@slowcarfasthome) on May 18, 2018 at 10:34am PDT

So, instead of sitting at your desk another day, roam if you want to! With the right Toyota RV, the journey can be just as exciting as the destination.

1992 Toyota Odyssey RV