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2004 Sprinter Van 3500 rebuilt "stealth" camper van w/solar power - $10,800 (Seattle)
2004
dodge sprinter 3500
QR Code Link to This Post
144" Wheelbase, Roof high so a 6 foot person can stand up comfortably in the back cabin without hunching.
The story of the van in short: Was bought empty shell, rebuilt title from a truck dealership in 2015 with 86,000 miles in NYC and converted into a camper van for road trips. Van is a work horse and never gave any issues over that time. Went cross country 3x with a few shorter trips in between from 2015 til about 2020. Was fully rebuilt during COVID getting ready for another long trip that never happened. Career and other priorities got in the way and the poor van sat unused outside a few local in state trips for most of 2023-2025. We figured it has so much life left that the time has come to pass this along to whomever will cherish and use it to it’s full capabilities. Right now has only 116,600 miles. Only 30K miles were put on it in the last 10 years, very low wear and tear for a Sprinter 3500, these big boys can get you easily into the 400-500,000 mile+ range.
In Oct 2025 we brought the van to Sound Auto Care to get a full diagnostic and fix a few things, mainly the Crank Position Censor which had to be replaced by removing the transmission. Van’s sensors and full diagnostics were restored and it’s starting and running better than ever. Will provide the full diagnostic report if requested.
If you want to see the Sprinter earlier van build we had an IG page where we somewhat detailed it as follows:
https://www.instagram.com/travelinghomeoffice/
@travelinghomeoffice
Note that the IG hasn’t been updated since 2020 and it shows the original van build. It has since been fully rebuilt in the pictures attached. See the numbered captions matching below for the numbered pictures for all included accessories that come with the van when purchased:
1) 116,606 Miles
2)Back up camera (Can be charged or used solar) Auto Vox solar backup camera with monitor ($139 Value)
3) Old photos of the interior shell and what we did to prep it for the build: Original flooring was stripped, floor was degreased, painted with a thick coat of Por-15 rust preventative paint and then insulated and the wheel wells were sound deadened. Really helps with road noise if you're in the back cabin while someone drives, and insulation keeps both the heat away in summer and cold away in winter (Within reason)
4) A pre-build view of the roofing insulation and wooden bracketing we installed to the ribbing of the van make our build nice and sturdy and cozy.
5) The pull out couch/bed made custom for the van fit with sliding wooden slats and compartments for storage
6) Custom fitted cushions for the couch/bed. Made from a memory foam queen sized mattress and cut specifically for the van.
Upholstered professionally by a seamstress. Cushions are custom to be used as a couch and as a bed. The upholstery, sewing and materials cost over $500. This bed was upholstered in 2021 and barely slept on more than a few nights, it's essentially unused as there were no long trips made in the van after 2021.
7) Pull out slatted bed and cushioned laid flat. Can sleep two easily and comfortably.
8) View from the front cabin behind to towards the bed
9) Custom vinyl flooring that spans the rear of the van.
10) 43QT JP40 12V Refrigerator Car Portable Fridge | ICECO ($550 value) plus insulation cover to keep contents of fridge nice and cool. fridge is basically unused and works perfect.
11) Installed 360 degree TV bracket with Samsung Syncmaster 27” Flat screen television/monitor. Bracket rotates and extends outside of the van for outdoor viewing. Also custom shelf installed next to TV that can fit a ton of stuff.
12) On Custom Shelf included is a Goal Zero Yeti 1000. ($1,000+ value). Includes Goal Zero string light and reading light. Goal zero gets solar feed from rooftop solar panels (see pic 23). Solar panels installed and wiring comes from roof directly down into van. Can also be charged from a wall outlet (included)
13) Goal Zero also can fit into the pull out section of the couch/bed
14) Custom overhead storage above the driver’s cabin (Can fit sleeping bags, clothes, food ect)
15) Custom shower/wet room in back corner of van. Fitted for a shower curtain on installed track on roof (No curtain currently). Drains out of the bottom of the van with sink drain and double strained so no bugs can get in
16) New C-Head composting Toilet ($925 value). Toilet never used (I’m not kidding, never used once, bought for emergencies and never had to use it). Toilet fits perfectly in wet room, can be bungee corded down when traveling.
17) Custom sink and counter top. Sink has Valterra hand pump and Elkay Single Bowl Drop Sink. Countertop somewhat unfinished and could use re-edging with a caulk/corner piece.
18) Sink pumps from 7 gallon water tank and drains into a grey water tank.
19) Custom built overhead storage/cabinets along entire driver's side rear of van. Perfect for extra clothes, camping gear, sleeping bags or whatever you need to store.
20) Overhead lighting in back cabin is an installed Dream LED RV light ($38 on Amazon)
Fantastic Vent fan 4000R Reverse (Installed into the roof) $200 value, vents from inside to outside and reverse outside to inside.
The plastic dome ceiling vent cover just re-sealed in Dec 25' re-sealed as the vent opening during heavy rains in the fall of 25' caused a tiny wet spot on the roof next to the vent opening. Not a leak, just some condensation or a tiny seep leak. Re-sealed and good to go now.
21) Mercedes Benz 2.7L 5 cylinder Turbo Charged Engine . Also a brand new Platinum Duralast AGM battery bought Oct 2025
22) Custom Bull Bar protects the front of vehicle. Nobody will dare back into you while parallel parking
23) Two (2) Renogy Solar Panel 100 Watt 12 Volt, High-Efficiency Monocrystalline Solar Panels. Converted and installed via long wire in the cabin to charge your goal zero Yeti 1000
All above included with van!
Some notes:
Front windshield started to leaked at the top as it possibly hadn’t been sealed correctly, so I did the cheap thing and just covered it with flex tape and never got around to replacing/re-sealing it. There is now a crack in the windshield so you’re going to want to get it re-sealed when/if you replace the windshield. There are a few strip spots where flex tapes have been replaced where it took the paint with it and it is now starting to rust. Eventual paint spot job probably could be needed.
*Windshield wipers BRAND NEW, replaced on 12/6/25
*Full synthetic Oil change done on 12/6/25
Air conditioner needs coolant
CD player with detachable face turns on, worked previously but last time I checked it shorts when you slide a CD in. Most likely there is a wire loose and could probably be easily fixed.
Tires have lots of tread left but could possibly use some new ones if you plan to take it either on a long road trip or on rough terrain. Brakes work great but pads haven’t been replaced since I bought it 10 years ago.
Windows on sliding door and two rear windows on rear double doors are tinted and you can't really see inside from the outside unless it's pitch dark and you have a light on inside.
Sliding door opens from interior but has some sticking issues if you try to unlock it and open it from the exterior. Same as the rear doors, open from the interior but from the exterior the locks stick. Both driver and passenger front doors open and close and lock and unlock from exterior and interior.
Van exterior has some paint chipping and could use a paint job down the road but not %100 necessary unless you want an updated sleeker look.
Van was used 90% for highway miles on road trips, so the wear on the van is extremely low for an 04. Van was NEVER lived in but you could totally live in it! It's fully insulated, sound deadened and has everything you need. Van was used for road trips and occasional camping. There is very little living wear and tear inside van as it was barely used after the last re-build. Never cooked food in it as we didn't want the food smell on the walls/materials of the van.
STEALTH CAMPER, parked on the street in cities on road trips and spent the night in it and never had issues. Super incognito as it looks like a normal work van and the solar panels are low profile and can't really be seen unless you're looking down at it from the 2nd floor.
Any questions just ask! Can meet up in the greater Seattle area, or possibly beyond depending on schedule. We absolutely love this van and hope the next owner(s) will too. A little TLC and this thing will look amazing and last years to come.