zero Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 I just saw this on Ebay. At a glance, it looks like a Toyota truck with a slide-on camper on the back instead of a motorhome. That is how Toyota originally represented the Toyota "Chinook" Round Tripper to the US Federal government. The Feds rejected Toyota's claim in 1973 and the entire project almost got dropped. I was going to try to paint my 1978 Toyota Chinook back to OEM this winter along with all the original lettering. Now I'm wondering if I should paint it more like this one in Ebay. Maybe save me some Michigan bridge and ferry tollls? Right now -most of the time my little Chinook is charged the same fee as if it is a 40' Class A motorhome. My Ford F250 with a big camper on the back gets charged much less. Maybe this paint scheme would support my claim that it is just a Toyota truck with a camper on the back. By the way - my Chinook came from Louisana where a cajun used it as a fishing camp and painted it with a spray can. Thus my need and want for a paint-scheme change. Mine is the orange one. I got it from the cajun when he was visiting Rockland, Maine for $500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusker Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I think the original paint scheme from the factory looks great. You can kind of make out the original lines that were painted over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The duel rear wheels are what kill you. Example: George Washington bridge, my Galavan with single rear wheels $14.00, with duels $38.00. Go back to single's (your Chinook is light enough) and you pay the same toll as a car or truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dolly Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) We refreshed our paint, I didn't like the red stripe and changed it to blue. We still need to paint the sides. It is original fiberglass and was never painted. The kittyhairs are coming out. We spent 35 years in the autobody business and the paint is just rattlecans of Rustoleum. Its the best paint out there. Automotive paint is very expensive and of lousy quality. Rustoleum is like fleet paint. Very tough. The metallic glosses die back a little but the white gloss from a tin can stay very glossy. You can spray it too. Just use good tape and paper to mask and go for it. Edited October 26, 2015 by Dolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 I think the original paint scheme from the factory looks great. You can kind of make out the original lines that were painted over. I really like the original paint scheme too. My 1978 Chinook was painted over but the raised letters and stripes are still there. Must of been done with decals at the factory. I'd love to re-do mine back to original. I wish there was a way to strip that damn orange paint off without destroying what is underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 The duel rear wheels are what kill you. Example: George Washington bridge, my Galavan with single rear wheels $14.00, with duels $38.00. Go back to single's (your Chinook is light enough) and you pay the same toll as a car or truck. Last time I had to drive across the George and Martha Washington Bridge - is was 50 cents each way. Sounds like things have changed. No more 15 cent subway tokens anymore I suppose. Not an issue for me. I will never, ever - go anywhere near NYC again unless it is at gun-point. Only bridge I have to cross and pay tolls on a lot - is the Mackinac Bridge between the two Michigans. Even though it was built by New Yorkers - the tolls are cheaper and have nothing to do with dual wheels or not. All cars, trucks, and SUVs are $2 per axle for a "round trip" crossing. No matter if duals or not. Everything else is $5 per axle. So a 40 foot motorhome has the same damn toll as my little 1978 Chinook. That is - unless I get lucky and the toll person calls my Toyota RV a "truck with a camper on it" instead of a motorhome. That happens once in awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Well in that case I would definitely paint it to look like a truck with a camper. I really like Johns pics of the chinook he used to own. yahoo won't let me copy and paste so here's the link https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/toyotachinook/search/photos?query=john#zax/albums_1618935070 Bet you never get charged the higher fee if it looked like this Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thank you Derek. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 This is the way I chose to paint my '78 Chinook....getting ready to start on the inside soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Well in that case I would definitely paint it to look like a truck with a camper. I really like Johns pics of the chinook he used to own. yahoo won't let me copy and paste so here's the link https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/toyotachinook/search/photos?query=john#zax/albums_1618935070 Bet you never get charged the higher fee if it looked like this Linda S Yes - that doesn't look all that bad. Might save me some money. Both on the tolls and also on trying to match the original lettering and striping that Chinook used. They must of had decal kits at one time. Ironically - Toyota tried to represent the first Chinook "Round Tripper" to the Federal government as a pickup truck with a camper on it - instead of a "motorhome." The regulations were less strict that way. The Feds told Toyota "no" and Toyota almost dropped the whole Chinook program/project. The weight restrictions once it was called a "motorhome" made it too heavy if equipped with a propane tank, heater, and refrigerator. I guess that's why Toyota revamped the whole truck a year or so later and made it with a heavier GVWR and bigger rear-axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 This is the way I chose to paint my '78 Chinook....getting ready to start on the inside soon That looks really good. Are the stripes and letters all done by hand or did you have any vinyl replacements made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 .j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thanks JD, the stripes were applied after painting using black 1/4 " striping tape. Very close to the original, maybe a mm or so wider. The word Gazelle was taped off with blue masking tape... My files a SCREWED up, now I can't find the side view that didn't enlarge. When it comes to getting pictures up on here, I'm a few fries short of a "Happy Meal"...I'll give it another go later...I dislike this compuker & it seems to know it...............donnie BIG LAUGH, I did get a piece of my trash are up by mistake, though.... what a day, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 On my 78 Chinook - I did all the mechanical repairs and upgrades but nothing to the exterior body yet. Got a 2000 watt inverter, 55 amp converter, dual house batteries (one in rear). 35 lb. propane tank mounted to the frame underneath. Dual gasoline tanks. Full-floating dually rear and matching 6 lug wheels in front. New cabinets and bed. Frame is rust-free but the body is terrible. The last owner spray painted it with a spray cans right over the OEM lettering and paint. All there there and if you look close you can see it all. I wish I could find a solvent that would remove that crappy orange paint and not destroy the stripes and lettering underneath. Hardest part to find for this thing was a new windshield but finally got one a few months ago. There is one place in the USA still, making them new for 1972-1978 Toyota trucks. And yeah . . . I know adding the full-floating dually is over-kill. But I had one on hand, as well as the matching 6 lug front hubs. I like having the extra weight capacity of the rear and also the rear sway bar and the bigger brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 You have a good start on a safety hunter camo paint job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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