We’ve covered the Toyota Chinook a couple of times, mostly here. But I couldn’t walk past this one down the street a few blocks without commemorating it, given how well preserved it still is. These were so popular once, at least on the West Coast. And they obviously still have a few loyal followers.
Obviously, I’m a Chinook lover, and the similarities to our Dodge Chinook Concourse are apparent. The Dodge is bigger all-round, and has amenities the Toyota version lacks. But the Dodge also has an 11mpg thirst the Toyota lacks, which was of course a significant part of its appeal, along with a commensurate lower price.
The Toyota Chinook has a pop-up top, so that once can stand while figuring out where to stow all the gear. It was a popular alternative to the iconic VW Westfalia campmobile, and it engenders some of the same kind of love today. Needless to say, its Toyota drive train was rather more bullet-proof than the overworked VW’s.
Based on the color scheme, I’m guessing it’s a 1978 or 1979, as that was the year Chinook used those colors on the Dodge. But who knows. The point is that it’s still around.
In a quasi way I was in the market for one. Attracted to it for obvious reasons. We are not a camping family. Then i realized the more things I own the more problems I have. Instead I rented a pickup with unlimited mileage and stuck on a slide in camper i rented from someone. Best idea ever. I don’t like pulling a trailer as I like to venture into cities and towns as well.
Renting with unlimited mileage and a slide-in sounds perfect for those side trips thru every highway along the AlCan in BC and YT.
I thin it’s a ’78 based on the plate. I had both a ’79 Mazda and an ’80 Audi that started with a Y at the start of the sequence. The R is far enough back to make ’78 more likely.
Either way, Agnes is a beauty! Clearly not of the typical ten previous owner variety.
Given what these and Westfalias go for, it’s really surprising that no one does a modern take on a tiny, self-contained camper.
Slap a pop-top on a Transit Connect or ProMaster City, and start from there. I feel like there’s money to be made.
There are gobs of companies making conversions or conversion kits for the vans you mentioned. it’s a very hot field right now. The difference is that Chinook dominated the market then, and now it’s very fragmented. But there were some competitors to the Toyota Chinook back then too.
The Toyota truck chassis is a ’78, though it was common in motorhomes of that era to see the chassis predate the body manufacture date. I always liked the large class A Chinooks of the early 70’s. Very nice looking compared to many of their contemporaries!
California’s BAR smog check records peg this as a 1976 model: the oldest model year still required to undergo biannual smog testing. Still, this one’s never failed a test: an indication that it’s just as well-preserved mechanically as it is cosmetically.
Whenever I see a photo of Paul’s Chinook I am reminded of riding in transit buses various cities in Southern Ontario used back in the 70s. They were called the Rek-Vee Club Car, and were used for suburban and dial-a-bus routes. I rode on them a few times in Ottawa, and recall seeing them in Toronto.
Kingston operated a number of those in a dial-a-bus service as well.
My Chinook was a 74 , probably the 2nd year they were in production. Nice little camper, but having owned VW camper prior to that, I think I would do VW again. Both were just over 10 years old when I owned them. While the Toyota was more reliable mechanicly, the camper part leaked in rain through the poptop and windows . Rain would collect at the base
of the pop top canvas because of the faulty roof gutter design. It leaked inside the walls shorting out taillight wiring. The last year of the Toyota Chinooks were redesigned with a fixed raised roof. My VW had much better body quality. It didn’t have a pop top, so it had the the regular curved roof which drained water nicely. I don’t know how good the pop top VW models were. The windows never leaked in water. In the couple years I owned it I didn’t have any serious mechanical problems. Mostly smaller issues
I have to say I never had any problem with water leaks in my 75 Chinook that I knew of though I did have problems with taillight wiring. Never had water leaks around windows of the camper for sure. Saw no evidence of interior leakage behind wall paneling. Rust of front fenders, doors and rocker panels was the worst problem I had. I did get all of that fixed with a cab rebuild. Also my cab floors rusted out and even after the rebuild the passenger side rusted out again to the extent that the passenger seat was falling through the floor which is really why I ultimately got rid of it after 8 years when it was 11 years old and it had traveled 250,000 wonderful miles.
Actually the Chinook shown looks just like the 1975 model that I owned and drove from 1978 until 1986 in northern Ohio. (same color scheme) Mine showed 30,000 miles on the odometer when I bought it from a private owner. I used it as an on the road office for my career of selling advertising programs in the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers as well as a vacation unit for our family of 3. Mine had much sharper looking wheels as you may see if the photo I have chosen shows up with this post. It was marvelous for my purpose, plenty of room to work and I could still park at a meter in downtown Cleveland when visiting ad agencies. I spent $1200 to have the engine rebuilt at 90,000 miles because it was burning a quart of oil every 100 miles but after that I ran it up over 250,000 miles with no further problem. I also spent a couple grand to have the cab rebuilt after a few years of northern Ohio winters though after that I usually kept it in the garage and drove winter beaters. Ultimately I gave it up after a roadside safety check that gave me 24 hours to correct several deficiencies such as one brake light out and no emergency brake. Traded for a creampuff 77 Chrysler New Yorker 4 dr hardtop in 1986. I really miss that Chinook. You can see the tailend of our 73 Matador wagon with two little girls sitting on top on the other side of the Chinook.
A friend had a nice one of these about 18 years ago. I could’ve had it for cheap. But I was freshly self-employed at the time and had no money to buy or maintain extra ‘toys’.
A few years ago, I looked at an ’86 Toyota Chinook knock-off for another friend. This one was really rough, with a cracked roof from backing into a tree causing a major mold-farm inside, a very rusty cab and firewall, and the final coup-de-gras – someone had sawzalled off the cat converter, along with big chunks of of the exhaust system during it’s extended decay in the mobile-home parking-lot!
Happy Motoring, Mark
Just saw Agnes rolling down 580 in Berkeley, looking good! I own a ’74 with a 22r from an 84, rather than the original stock 18r. Not nearly in as original shape as Agnes appeared to be, but the thing is bulletproof!