Toyota Chinook 4×4 Project is Destined for the Rockies and Beyond
This Toyota Chinook 4×4 is the owner’s first foray into a heavily modified rigs, but it’s looking great so far!
OK, this is getting spooky. Almost immediately after I posted about the possibility of a Raptor fighting Toyota? I learned about a Raptor-fighting Toyota. And last week? I stumbled across a Reddit thread about a wicked Chinook 4×4 — which is exactly the kind of vehicle I said the world needed more of, like, two weeks ago. So at this point? I’d just like to say it would be amazing if I happened to win a $10,000,000 prize in the next couple of months. Got that, universe? Cool.
That said, this killer Toyota Chinook 4×4 is property of Tyler Evans, who goes by poormansearthroamer on Instagram, and it’s currently a work in progress. He bought the 1982 Toyota longbed pickup almost exactly two years ago, with the chassis and the Chinook section already combined. But he quickly realized that to address some mounting issues, the camper was going to have to come off.
I had to rebuild the roof so it would shed water and no longer leak. With a little help from my kit-plane-building uncle, I stripped the roof down to bare fiberglass and rebuilt it using laminate, and composite struts from aircraft grade poplar. It was a huge undertaking, but I did a ton of research for it and it’s the part of the build I’m most proud of. So far.
While the fit and fitment of the Chinook structure has been solved, and leaks have been banished, there’s still a little ways to go before the truck is Tyler’s ideal getaway vehicle.
Because this is a project vehicle, there will be some mods, and the canvas for the pop top has already been redone. But at this point, it’s all about the fundamentals, and Tyler is wisely keeping his eye on the ball.
I’ve been taking care of necessary rebuilds and reliability type issues thus far. Next is the interior build out, and I’m super pumped. I’m having pro-grade spray in insulation done next, then I’ll be doing a full 320 watts of solar, a fridge, and sink.
When I asked him about his favorite spots to take the Chinook, our hero was understandably cagey, as he didn’t want to give away any of his best spots. Though he would say that so far, the most fun he’s had with the truck have been trips into the Colorado Rockies. Fair enough. He added that his co-pilot Jambo was in training to be a guide dog for the blind, but when he dropped out of the program, he became a full-time traveling companion. After he gets a troublesome overheating heating issues exorcised, Tyler is planning to head to desserts of Moab.
Given how great his pics are currently? I can’t wait to see what the Chinook looks like in most beautiful sections of Utah.
As you’d expect with an old off-roader, things haven’t been entirely silky smooth, and there have been a few unplanned stops in Tyler’s outings with Jambo.
I lost my ignitor in the middle of absolute nowhere (20 miles outside of Alamosa, Colorado) and had to get towed to a reasonably sketchy junkyard. I spent the night there, chopped in a part of out a newer 2wd Toyota Pickup, and made it home. I actually still haven’t rectified that particular bit of automotive hackery. I’ll get it done during my down time this winter. Probably.
As I said, this 4×4 Chinook is a work in progress, and I’m staying in touch with Tyler. But make sure to follow poormansearthroamer on Instagram. When he’s got more shots of the interior and sleeping quarters, I’ll make sure to do a follow-up post. For now, check out a bunch of glamor shots of his awesome rig exploring off the grid, plus some great pics of Jambo below!
Photos: Tyler Evans
