zero Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I've been looking at a 1984 Toyota Odyssey on Ebay. Has a pop-up roof and looks just like my 1978 Chinook. I did not know any were made in the 80s. If you look closely at the photos -the rear wheels stick out much further then an older Chinook. I'm wondering if the later rear axle is that much wider or does this 84 have dual wheels? Hard to tell from the photos. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1984-Toyota-Odyssey-16-Foot-Motor-Home-Factory-A-C-Four-Speed-Runs-Great-/121031619115?pt=RVs_Campers&hash=item1c2e0bf22b#v4-40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 It's not a Chinook.It's an Odyssey. The owner seems to think it must be a Chinook.Yes General Rv and then the newer owner Leisure Odyssey made pop tops from early 80's into the 90's. Very rare but they do look like Chinooks. The later ones had a side door and a v6 engine and were called a Starlite. Yes there are dual wheels in the back. Probably never changed to full floater though cause of the light weight. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 It's not a Chinook.It's an Odyssey. The owner seems to think it must be a Chinook.Yes General Rv and then the newer owner Leisure Odyssey made pop tops from early 80's into the 90's. Very rare but they do look like Chinooks. The later ones had a side door and a v6 engine and were called a Starlite. Yes there are dual wheels in the back. Probably never changed to full floater though cause of the light weight. Linda S Interesting. I've never seen one like it before but . . . small Toyota RVs are kind of rare in the northeast anyway. The body on that Odyssey is an exact carbon-copy of the Chinook on my 1978. If it wasn't made by Chinook - it must use the same Chinook mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Yes looks almost identical but it's wider and a little longer. I was supposed to pick up an 82 Odyssey pop top last summer but guy bailed on me. Going to try again next spring. I know he hasn't moved it and it's just getting messed up sitting where it is. needs major renovation. The later Starlite models only popped up on one side but they were 19ft long and had full bath and shower. I could have had one of those too but had to many projects at the time and didn't get it. Boy that was a stupid move on my part. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 Yes looks almost identical but it's wider and a little longer. I was supposed to pick up an 82 Odyssey pop top last summer but guy bailed on me. Going to try again next spring. I know he hasn't moved it and it's just getting messed up sitting where it is. needs major renovation. The later Starlite models only popped up on one side but they were 19ft long and had full bath and shower. I could have had one of those too but had to many projects at the time and didn't get it. Boy that was a stupid move on my part. Linda S I would buy any of the little Toyotas with pop-tops if cheap and within 200 miles. Problem is - that rarely happens with me being in central NY or northern Michigan. Closest I've found was the 78 Chinook I got in Rockland, Maine and that one was from Louisiana. Paid $500 for it. Runs good, no rust, but the camper is gutted, roof caved in a bit, etc. A winter project. I see many I've love to buy out west. I have two sons in Colorado have been tempted a few times to buy out there and then . . .try to get one driven here to NY. Probably a bad plan though. I had a chance to buy a Toyota Bandit in Massachusetts a few month ago but the seller sort of "vanished." I guess he changed his mind maybe? Right now there is what looks like a Bandit for sale in western New York. It is on a 1985 Chevy S10 chasis. I called the owner and he's got some facts mixed up a bit. The camper has no heat which kind of suprises me - but maybe heat was an optional feature? I suspect the truck has the odd-ball 2.8 V6 that GM used for awhile along with the 700R4 auto trans (with lockup and overdrive). Those transmissions had miserable problems until the 1988 models came out. Most blew apart by 80K miles and that's what the S10 has on it. So I suppose . . besides the rust it would need a new updated trans, at the least. I'd buy for maybe $1500 depending on how bad the rust is underneath. He wants $3500 which I think is crazy. I can buy a fuel injected 21 foot Horizon right now for $800 (needs a LOT of work). http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-Chevrolet-S10-Pickup-Camper-Attachement-BEST-OFFER-/140892145813?pt=RVs_Campers&hash=item20cdd38895 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Nice looking even if the chevy's do have problems. I think the Bandit is the sleekest design of any of the pop tops. I saw that Horizon too. They are very well made rigs but the fiberglass nose on the front has a habit of disconnecting from the camper. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 Nice looking even if the chevy's do have problems. I think the Bandit is the sleekest design of any of the pop tops. I saw that Horizon too. They are very well made rigs but the fiberglass nose on the front has a habit of disconnecting from the camper. Linda S The one I don't have and really want is an 18' Sunrader. Snow on roofs is a miserable RV killer in the northeast. I like the idea of a seamless roof and the compact size. There is an 18 footer in a junkyard 200 miles from here (Sodus, NY). I can buy it for $1000 but not sure if I want to work that hard for one. Engine is blown, tires are no good and it's been in the junkyard for quite a few years. I wish I'd found it when it first came in there. already ripped some parts out of it and the engine lays on the floor in pieces in the RV. I've got a diesel powered 4WD Blazer Chalet camper (a Chinook creation) and that pretty much has all the room we need (me, wife, one 9 year old kid, and dog). I'm just sick of messing with diesel. The price is so high in NY - and it's scarce in rural areas - just a big pain. Right now diesel in my town is $4.36 per gallon. Regular gas is $3.75. With that price disparity, I'll be happier driving a small engine 2WD gas rig. My 78 Toyota Chinook has a bit more room inside then the Blazer-Chalet. I've got two older kids in Colorado and we're hoping to take an RV trip out west at least once. It was going to be in a diesel - but lately I'm thinking a gas powered Toyota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 So...am I the only one who sees Odyssey by Chinook on the side of it? So it is a Chinook, Odyssey model, which means he isn't wrong. That would explain why it does clearly look to be the same exact mould used by the old Chinooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90toydolphin Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 is saw the odeyssey by chinook ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I'm pretty sure it is an Odyssey. they made a pop up in the 80's that looked very much like the Chinook. Of course it could be an older chinook shell on a newer toyota frame. The only thing it can't be is an Odyssey by Chinook. Two different companies that never worked together Linda S Label on the side was done at some later time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Well, someone sure went to a LOT of trouble to mark it incorrectly! I wonder what any original documentation or Title indicates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Well, someone sure went to a LOT of trouble to mark it incorrectly! I wonder what any original documentation or Title indicates. Whole unit appears to have been painted and custom graphics on the overhead area. Yes they were obviously trying to make it look good. I painted over the Okanagan label on my old van and renamed it Gypsy. I have zero painting skills but I saw it for sale a couple of years ago listed as a Dodge Gypsy van. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 I'm pretty sure it is an Odyssey. they made a pop up in the 80's that looked very much like the Chinook. Of course it could be an older chinook shell on a newer toyota frame. The only thing it can't be is an Odyssey by Chinook. Two different companies that never worked together Linda S Label on the side was done at some later time Looks like the same mold was used - but ownership of that or the rights could have been transferred. I notice that unlike the Chinooks of the 70s, this rig does not have the two over-the-cab windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 There's certainly no real discussion I could find on the Toyota Chinook Yahoo Group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I looked closely at the pics of the coach on the Chinook site and I do believe they may have gotten the mold from Chinook. Hard to say cause this company also created a mold that was sold to New Horizon became the Nova Star so they did have the skills. Their version was called a Sprint. The funny looking counter top is the same pattern material used on many older Odyssey's though so I do believe it was made by Odyssey. Company name until the end of 1984 was General RV. December of 1984 it was either bought or the name was changed to Leisure Odyssey. They show up very rarely. I think I have only seen maybe 6 or 7 of them. There is a woman on the toyota campers site who owns a v6 Odyssey Starlite 4x4. The v6 ones have a much larger coach and a side door. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 I looked closely at the pics of the coach on the Chinook site and I do believe they may have gotten the mold from Chinook. Hard to say cause this company also created a mold that was sold to New Horizon became the Nova Star so they did have the skills. Their version was called a Sprint. The funny looking counter top is the same pattern material used on many older Odyssey's though so I do believe it was made by Odyssey. Company name until the end of 1984 was General RV. December of 1984 it was either bought or the name was changed to Leisure Odyssey. They show up very rarely. I think I have only seen maybe 6 or 7 of them. There is a woman on the toyota campers site who owns a v6 Odyssey Starlite 4x4. The v6 ones have a much larger coach and a side door. Linda S I suspect nobody can trademark the brand "Chinook" on its own considering it's the name of an Indian language, a wind, a fish, a tribe, etc. I suspect to be a registered and protected brand name - maybe it needs to be with other words - e.g. Chinook Gazelle, Chinook MPG, Chinook Mobil-Lodge, Chinook 18 Plus, etc. But seeing how that Odysessy is a basic carbon copy, maybe Lukehart (Chinook Traliwagons) sold the rights to copy - or let those rights expire after the last Chinook MPG was made in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haleth Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) I know with 2 hours left to bid, this might be a bit too late to contribute. but I checked the buyers history. here is the original condition of the "chinook" He must have bought it, slapped on a new paint job and is hoping to get a quick turn around (though I would still buy it if I were in texas!). you can also see in his history that he bought some of the decals as well if you don't think this is the same one. http://cgi.ebay.com/...ht_16107wt_1170 Edited December 7, 2012 by Haleth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 I know with 2 hours left to bid, this might be a bit too late to contribute. but I checked the buyers history. here is the original condition of the "chinook" He must have bought it, slapped on a new paint job and is hoping to get a quick turn around (though I would still buy it if I were in texas!). you can also see in his history that he bought some of the decals as well if you don't think this is the same one. http://cgi.ebay.com/...ht_16107wt_1170 If somebody was really interested - all you've got to do is contact the owner and ask what the title says it is. I'm too far away to care very much. If it was within 200 miles I'd be tempted to buy if cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haleth Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I think it sold for 1850 or something. Not too bad if it is in good mechanical condition (the inside... not so much) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 SINCE I LIVE IN THE HOME TOWN OF THE CHINOOK THE FIRST PLANT MADE THE CHINOOK MOBILE LODGE AND THE LITTLE TOYOTA CHINOOKS LATER THEY CLOSED THAT SITE AND THAT COMPANY. TRAIL WAGONS WAS A DIFFERENT COMPANY STARTED ON A NEW SITE BY THE SAME GARY LUKEHART ALL THEY DID WAS VAN CONVERSIONS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I JUST LOOKED UP SOME MORE HISTORY SEEMS THEY MADE SOME STUFF IN CALIFORANA RECOMEND read CHINOOK TRAVIL LODGE SEEMS THEY HAD A PLANT DOWN I DID NOT KNOW THEY ALSO PARTNERED ON STUFF WITH ANOTHER COMPANY HERE WESTERN WILDERNESS RV ALSO DEFUNCT SEEMS THEY MADE THE FIRST AGREEMENT EVER MADE TO PUT A FACTURY MINIMOTER HOME ON A TOYOTA CHASSIS ALSO DATSON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis P Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I picked up a 1982 pop top odyssey last month in AZ and the title says odyssey, definitely not made by chinook. I haven't had the time to compare the dimensions to the chinook yet, so I don't know if they are from the same mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I picked up a 1982 pop top odyssey last month in AZ and the title says odyssey, definitely not made by chinook. I haven't had the time to compare the dimensions to the chinook yet, so I don't know if they are from the same mold. I have seen an 82 also and I can not see any difference between the coaches. It's very possible General RV-Odyssey in San Bernadino bought the mold from Chinook. The same company made a mold for another motorhome and sold that to New Horizon. When it was made by General RV-Odyssey it was called a Sprint. They sold it to New Horizon and it became the very nice Nova Star Does your 82 have or did it have a large platform on the back. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis P Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 My 82 doesn't have a platform on the back, not sure if it ever did. It has a heavy duty truck bumper on it, which I'm pretty sure is not original. It also looks like it used to have dualies on it, now it has single 15inch wheels. I just bought some continental Vanco 2's for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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