Hello:
I have owned two Toyota based rigs.
1984 Sunrader shorty with 4-cyl 22R and 4-speed manual transmission. I installed an RV camshaft to increase the torque (pulling power) of the engine along with a Weber carburetor. That setup made adequate power to cruise along at 55 mph and get 20-22 mpg. It was fun to drive. Enough power to tow a 650cc motorcycle behind. Made many cross country trips and two to Key West in this rig without problem. The camper was small, of course, but comfortable except for having to climb up into the overhead bunk. I'm a small guy so could fit into the bathroom for a shower. Major hassle fixing the roof that had bowed downward from a snow load sometime in the past. Yes...Sunraders leak! I had a large leak around the door frame and sealing the front "vista wrap around" windows was an ongoing project. One of those windows eventually broke and that was the death knell for the Sunrader. I was not willing to pay the $600+ dollars for a replacement window with no guarantee it would fit. Sad because from day #1, I never used those windows as they made the upper bunk too hot, so they were covered from the inside with reflective insulation and large throw pillows to try to insulate them. They did look nice though...... Sold it to a guy in town who gutted the interior and it now sits abandoned in his backyard rotted away.
1985 Toyota Santana. Really unique rig as its a pop-up that really only pop-upped from one side, except they deigned it in a way that the extra headroom from the pop-up section was over the bed and not the living/cooking area where you need it. Looked cool as heck but very poorly designed from a user point of view. The problem came from the running gear. It had the excellent 22R engine (no fuel injection, easy to work on) BUT an automatic transmission. The rig was a nightmare to drive being so slow to accelerate and under powered. So bad in fact, that I sold the rig within weeks of buying it, didn't even bother to "soup up" the engine...just a lost cause. The camper section was made of fiberglass panels that were starting to de-laminate. Yes, you can fix this, but I wasn't up to task, especially in light of the automatic transmission.
Lessons learned:
1) These Toyota campers are not for the casual camper. They are for vintage collector folks who camp,. Yes, there are many of those who do this. You can't be in a hurry when you drive and you need to enjoy wrenching on the vehicle. I really enjoyed this aspect.
2) Avoid any Toyota with 5 bolt wheels. That means the rear axles aren't up to task and may cause problems. Yes, you can put in a 6 bolt one ton rear axle and fix the issue. You need to be a mechanic or have big bucks to pull this off.
3) A 4-cyl engine teamed up with an automatic transmission is a non-starter in my experience. I have no personal experience with the V6 engine and wouldn't want one because of the cramped working area in the engine bay and the prone to problems fuel injection. They also have a bad reputation for blowing head gaskets.
4) The interiors of both 80s era campers were made of press-board and very cheaply at that. Rebuilding/replacing with "real wood" was a fun project for me but maybe not for everyone. Obtaining repair parts for the "vintage" appliances and such was an adventure onto itself. Most common phrase heard from RV dealers/parts guys is "Buy a new one". You will get familiar crawling around RV junkyards looking for that one unique widget you need.
5) One will pay a high premium to buy one of these and it will be a constant unending project. Mechanical upkeep, interior repairs etc. Not ONE I looked at was ready to go cross country and all will require repairs before becoming road-ready. "Turn key" they are not. That's the point of "vintage campers" to drive an older classic rig that you are intimately involved in. It is not for everyone. Think the analogy: Drive a modern car if you want reliable "plain jane" transportation that you can take to the dealer for service because you "aren't into that". Or drive a souped up muscle car because you enjoy old school cool and wrenching on it...that's part of the fun! You have to be "nostalgia crazy" to buy/own a Toyota camper but they are rewarding. They do make great campers and are fun to drive (slowly). They are not even close to modern offerings in quality, power or reliability...but some folks enjoy that.
Bottom line: I enjoyed one of mine and would consider owning another, however, for the same amount of money, one can have a nice Class B with a modern V-8 and much less owner maintenance/involvement required.
PS: If you own a '80-85' 4wd drive Sunrader, for under $20K...call me!
Happy Trails!
Chuck