SAGA Sprinter 144 Weekender Kit

From work van to vacation van whenever you feel the need for adventure

The build

The Reparadise team has spent the last decade pulling piss-poor interiors out of Sprinters, Airstreams, Transits, Sportsmobiles and camp trailers. Most of these interiors were expensive — sold to unsuspecting customers at exorbitant prices. We were sick of it. A couple years ago, we introduced the world to SAGA — our own brand of premium, Sprinter-ready cabinetry. SAGA maximizes your Sprinter’s space and utility with clean, simple components that are built to last forever. The two Sprinter 144’s we’ll be talking about in this profile feature brand new SAGA interior kits. Yours can, too. Read on.

Interior

Dominating the interior space is the modular VanWife Versa bed, which transforms into a table with benches (front and rear facing), a picnic table setup that seats up to 6 adults. It can also be removed completely for an open storage space for gear and large items.

These 144’s are also built with SAGA wall kits. These kits are designed specifically for owners who want a slick, refined, efficiently insulated interior. SAGA cowling kits feature integrated LED lighting and wire chase for a professional look while keeping wiring accessible. Our wall kits also include integrated USB ports, inverted plugs, and articulating LED ceiling lighting.

The Sprinters feature our floor-mounted cubbies, located right behind the front seats. The design is simple but effective and makes use of space that is normally wasted in these vans. There are 2 versions to choose from to make these compatible with vans with or without the hand-operated e-brake.

The Build

Both builds started with Sprinter 144 shells — no major teardown necessary. Once the windows, insulation, and SAGA wall and ceiling kits were installed, we got busy with the SAGA componentry and a Versa Modular Bed System by our friends at VanWife. Details below.

SYSTEMS

Not everyone wants to see the country from behind the windshield of a 45-foot class A motorhome — we sure as hell don’t, but cramming all those electronics, a galley, and other systems into a Sprinter van takes a little more creativity. Most custom shops shove all their electronic systems under the bed in the back of the van — the most obvious place to put all that stuff. We’re smarter than they are.

We built a tall, narrow cabinet that tucks perfectly into the passenger-side wall at the back of the van. It houses a robust electronics system and leaves all that room under the bed for storage. It isn’t even as wide as the wheel well. This narrow storage area houses a full 48-volt electrical system or, if you’re working with a tighter budget, a 12-volt system at about 300 amp-hours.

A small hatch on the side of the storage cabinet gives you access to breakers, fuses, and the main disconnect switch. With the main cover removed, you’ll find 2 CAN-bus lithium 48-volt batteries, a Victron servo, a Victron solar controller, a Victron MultiPlus-II inverter, and all the necessary wiring. There’s room for a third battery and a Wakespeed alternator controller, which will bring the system to 7.2 kilowatt-hours or 600 amp-hours at 12 volts — enough to run the air conditioner off the grid.

Exterior

We didn’t do much exterior work on these Sprinters. You’ll notice the gray van features a Falcon Ridge roof rack with a Fiamma awning and Zamp Obsidian solar panels, Arctic Tern windows, and Aluminess nerf bars, while the black van features and Dometic 7350 Fan-Tastic roof vent. All super-cool stuff, but the REALLY cool stuff happened inside.

The Sprinter 144’s featured here give you a good idea of what’s possible with a quick-and-easy SAGA interior install. These components are all about simple usability, innovative design, and super-high-quality construction. Do you have a Sprinter that you’re thinking about building out to get off the grid? Don’t be a dumbass — talk to Reparadise, first.