Lifted Toyota Previa – Ultimate Offroad & Overland Build
Even though most people see a 1990s Toyota Previa and think “soccer practice,” Jack Williams identified it as a cool mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, supercharged minivan hidden under a quirky, egg-shaped silhouette. With so many cookie-cutter Bronco/Wrangler and overloaded Tacomas out there, Jack’s 1994 Previa All-Trac S/C looks like a real head-turner — these were my thoughts exactly when this build arrived in our submissions folder.
This Previa overlander features a custom-engineered 2″ suspension lift, a precision-scanned, SolidWorks-designed roof rack, and a full camper conversion that even has a professional espresso station on board.
In this feature, we go beyond the aesthetics. We sit down with Jack to discuss the trials of “90-degree-free” interior carpentry and put this vintage minivan through our Off-Road Capability Rating system to see if this mid-engine “egg” can actually hold its own against a Land Cruiser or a 4Runner on the trails of Moab.
Key Modifications:
- Full overland camper conversion with a sleeping space and kitchen setup
- 2″ Suspension Lift
- 27.7” General Grabber A/Tx tires
The Build – Owner’s Insight
– This is my 1994 Toyota Previa Alltrac S/C (AWD, Supercharged). I bought it very well-kept at 130k miles. I flew down to San Diego to pick it up with my buddy Jack and we drove it back home to Sacramento in the same day.
– My van is the LE trim with the 2TZ-FZE engine. After producing the first-generation Previa for a few model years, Toyota wanted to offer a version of the minivan that made more power. My understanding is that, because they couldn’t fit a bigger engine underneath the van, they supercharged it instead—giving us the world’s first (and last) mid-engine, AWD, supercharged minivan. This is the golden spec of Previas, in my opinion.
List of mods
Suspension
- 2” Suspension Lift: Spacer lift kit from Journey’s Offroad
Wheels
- 27.7” General Grabber A/Tx tires: Oversized all-terrain rubber
Exterior
- Custom Aluminum Roof Rack
- 95L Roam Box
- Yakima Road Shower
- Recovery Boards
- Roof Platform
Interior
- Pine Tongue-and-Groove Lining
- Walnut Stain Matching finish on all interior woodwork.
- Full-Size Pull-Out Kitchen
- Breville Espresso Machine
- Twin Bed
- Interior Cabinets & Hidden Storage
- Audio System
Off-road Modifications
As far as overlanding mods go, the van has a 2” lift, larger tires, and a custom aluminum roof rack that carries my 95L Roam box, Yakima Road Shower, recovery boards, and roof platform.
Our Pastor used to be an engineer, and he helped me 3D scan the roofline before developing the rack design in SolidWorks and sending it off to be fabricated & powder coated. I had a ton of help on that one.
The spacer lift kit is from Journey’s Offroad, which helps to fit the 27.7” General Grabber A/Tx tires. These vans came with a solid axle in the rear and IFS up front. Given the opportunity, I would love to lift it more. I see a fun Bilstein situation in this van’s future.
Overland Camper Conversion
For the interior, the camper conversion is complete with a full-size pull-out kitchen, interior cabinets, a twin bed, lots of hidden storage, a $2000 audio system, and most importantly, our Breville espresso machine.
From floor to ceiling, it’s lined with pine tongue-and-groove, and everything is stained in walnut to match. All of these additions make for over 1100lbs in total weight added, not including driver & passenger.
In the near future, I plan to add some safari lights and a winch, if I can muster a clean way of doing it.
Questions & Answers
Why did you pick the Previa for your project?
– I’ve always been a fan of unique cars. Perhaps Doug Demuro has had too much of an influence on my taste. Before this, I had two 1990s Toyota Camry station wagons – the ones with the rear-facing third row seats. Those were great road trip cars, but FWD meant that overlanding was never in the cards. They also didn’t scratch the itch of building a van conversion.
There was only one vehicle that checked all of the boxes and was still weird enough to get excited about—and thus, the desire for a Previa was born. They’re dummy reliable, provide plenty of room for a small camper conversion, and have a cult following of people dedicated to driving theirs and keeping them alive. It’s a sweet community to be a part of.
How did you become interested in off-roading?
– I’m a big road trip guy, but I favor solitude. Some of the best places in the world are the ones where you can get yourself out into the middle of nowhere. Having the option to peel off from the pavement and just keep going as far as you want is freedom I can’t imagine not having, now that I’m acclimated to it.
I’m fully aware that my van isn’t the most capable offroader; it’s literally an egg-shaped unibody with all of the guts underneath the belly instead of the hood. But it’s also my daily driver, and it meets all of our travelling needs—which is what I care most about.
What was the most difficult part of the build?
– The most difficult part of the build was getting all of the interior features to fit nicely inside the bulbous interior. I swear, there’s not a single 90° corner anywhere in this van. Every piece of wood had to be custom cut to fit.
There’s a lot of really specific finish work that no one will ever see. But it was all a good challenge, and I’m so pleased with the way my initial vision came to fruition over the past four years.
What do you love the most about your minivan?
– There’s a long list of features that I’m proud of, but the thing I love most about the van is the addition I’ve made to the passenger seat: my wife. She may be the only person who loves the Previa more than I do.
When I first began the build, I never anticipated that it would become such a provision for quality time. Our honeymoon was a roadtrip throughout the Southwest. That’s where most of these photos were taken. We get the van out to go camping as frequently as we can.
Favorite off-road spots/trails/destinations?
– We’re spoiled to have so many great trails near us in here in Norcal, but our favorite overlanding destinations are all out in Utah. Moab will never not be a hotspot. Shafer Basin to Potash Road was a highlight for us, and we’d love to do the full 100 miles of White Rim road. Onion Creek trail was beautiful.
Arches National Park has some trails that we are a fan of. Bentonite Hills is sweet, and the OHV area around Factory Butte is fun to drive. It’d be a dream to take this rig over Imogene Pass and Alpine Loop in Colorado. I’m open to suggestions!
Recommendation to anyone looking to modify a Previa for off-roading
– Invest in the suspension. I consider a 2” spacer lift the bare-minimum. These vans need more clearance, being mid-engine and all. If you’re going to travel in your Previa, get an AllTrac. Knobby tires aren’t necessary—Toyota already built these things so well. They have no business being as capable as they are. But then again, if you have a Previa, you already know that.
– This project has been an incredible source of quality time with my dad, who I could not have done it without. I didn’t realize that by the time we finished, the part I’d cherish most about the whole process is the time I got to spend with him. Thanks, Dad.
Previa’s Off-road Capabilities – Editor’s View
Being a unibody minivan meant to be driven on the concrete roads of suburbia, evaluating its off-road capabilities may not be the right thing to do, but given the fact that some people do want to try out a Previa off-road, we decided to give it a try, and applied our basic off-road capability scoring system to see how it compares to other modern crossovers and dedicated 4x4s.
The key physical parameters — such as the long wheelbase of 112″, ground clearance of 6.5″, and stock wheels sized at 26″ — clearly indicate that it wasn’t intended to go off-road. Even though it’s equipped with all-wheel drive, the absence of an LSD or lockers leaves it behind the more conventional crossovers and SUVs, which resulted in an overall off-road capability score of only 31.6 points out of a possible 100.
Given its on-road nature, this is quite natural and perfectly aligns with similar AWD vans and basic crossovers, but Previa’s mid-engine weight distribution that’s very close to 50:50, actually gives it a traction advantage over front-engine vans.
Interestingly, it scored just a few points shy of the 1st generation Honda CR-V of the same era, which earned 34 points. On paper, its specs look quite similar — basic AWD and no other tricks. But thanks to bigger wheels and taller ground clearance, the CR-V does have the edge over the Previa.
Honda CR-V 1st Gen (1997-2001)
Score:
Toyota Previa All-Trac S/C (1994)
Score:
Perhaps this score may help take the rose-tinted glasses off those who want to wheel it, but the minivan does have some potential if modified accordingly (this build proves it best).
Where the Previa does outshine all crossovers and SUVs is in interior space. With around 158 cu. ft. behind the 1st-row seats, it is nearly 50% more spacious than a Toyota Land Cruiser 80 with its 100 cu. ft. in a similar configuration. This gave Jack, the owner of this awesome minivan, just enough space for a full overland camper conversion — something a Land Cruiser owner can only dream of.
Addressing the ground clearance was the number one task for Jack in making this Previa more off-road friendly, and he successfully achieved it with a 2″ spacer lift and oversized tires that, by the way, gave another extra 7/8″ of ground clearance, bringing it into approximately 9″ territory — equal to stock Xterras and 3rd gen 4Runners. The overall off-road capability score with the lift and wheels installed jumped up to 36 points, making it equal to a Mercedes V-Class.
Other ways to improve off-road capabilities
Other ways to make this minivan even more off-road worthy would include some skid plates for underbody protection. Plus, something like weld-on bars to protect the rocker panels (a must for a vehicle with such a low breakover angle).
Unlike modern crossovers, the Previa with its old-school ABS isn’t able to pulse the brakes on an individual spinning wheel during acceleration to simulate a limited-slip differential to push through mud or snow. An advanced trick would be adding a locker or LSD into the rear axle from similar Toyota applications like the MK2 Celica Supra and the non-turbo MK3 Supra, which came with it in stock configuration. This would also help avoid a diagonal spin problem and give more confidence on low-traction surfaces.
All in all, there are many better vehicles in terms of off-road capabilities, but very few can match the Previa’s combination of interior space, comfort, and quirky character that makes it such a unique platform for an overland build.
Watch the progress and find out more about this Toyota Previa overland minivan by visiting the Instagram profile of the owner: @eggventure.van
Stay tuned for more project reviews on Offroadium.com – Follow us on social media, and share this write-up if you enjoyed reading it!
