Hey all,

I've been scouring through several different forums and websites, trying to glean as much information as possible on a newly acquired truck. It is 2wd Chinook; the truck was made in 6/78 and the Chinook was done in 8/78. Currently, there is not engine, transmission, and all of the front suspension has been unbolted.

I would very much like to keep the current body and frame if I can, but I need to convert this to a 4wd. I've done SAS on later model trucks and 4Runners, but never a truck this old, and am wondering if it has been done before.

I would appreciate any help on this.

Thanks,
Gavin

 

I'm doing a 2wd to 4wd swap on an 85 right now. It should be basically the same as far as remove all 2wd drivetrain, install all 4wd drivetrain.

I dont know the width of the '78 frame. If its different you might have to find another way to do the shackle hangers in the front.

Theres a thread on pirate where a guy took a late '70s body and put it on a 4wd frame. It shouldn't be too hard to find.

Start a build thread if you end up doing it.

 

Sky had a measurement of 29.5" for their SAS kit, and this frame is a bit narrower; which could still work, but I dont care to reweld spring plates and such(lazy).

I may just swap the camper to something else a la Irbis...we'll see.

 

Heres a pic for motivation.

 

Sweet!^^^

 

Well all you're doing is cutting the old spring hangers off and welding the new ones off..
It's like doing an SAS to an 86+
then in the rear just swap in a rear axle from a 4wd and some 4wd springs and you're golden..

 

Yeah, I've been talking with Nolan about his couple of Chinooks that he has converted to 4wd.

This issue on the frame width and spring hanger width is the spring perch width on the axle. If I narrow the spring mounts on the fram too much, then I need to do the same on the axle. That may cause the eprch to be mounted on the 3rd member housing, rather than on the axle tube.

 

Cool project. I'm doing the same one kind of. I got a complete 77 Chinook that I wanted to convert to 4x4. I was planning on buying all the parts for the conversion but after adding up all the expenses for the parts, which was like $1500 at least, I ended up getting a 1982 4x4 in good shape with lots of goodies and a rebuilt 22R and I even ended up paying a lot less for it than the parts. So the new plan is to swap the Chinook camper onto the 82 cab and we're good to go. It's gonna save major time on work since it's already 4x4 plus I like the body of the 82 more.

 

That sounds real similar to what I'll be doing. I've got my eyes on a truck locally that is going for cheap, and has everything I need already.

I'd spend less time and money swapping the camper than I would rebuilding the truck portion...all in good time though!

 

So I found a 79 4x4 short bed for cheap, and that is relatively complete. The wheelbase is 103" and the chinook is 110".

I don't think this will matter much as far as the cab connection is concerned, and I have plans for the wheelwells; what do you think?

 

Well the chinook is a long wheelbase truck. So you'll probably end up having to hack up the camper..
And at that point, you're better off just getting a small topper lol.

 

i kinda like the idea lol i started to look around on google and there should be all the info you need

this is a fun link:
http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/index.htm

 

Yeah, I could actually make the frame issue work with how the Chinook supports are done, and the frame support that is added for the mud-room area, but decided I want the longer wheelbase.

Toyotamotorhomes is a great resource for these types of vehicles!

 

i don't think that would work lol.
You'd have to either move the wheel well and re-do the sides of the motorhome and insides..
OR... You'd have to cut a foot out of the front, and put a foot in the back..

 

In looking at the frame on the hilux, it would be as simple as cutting the frame behind the cab, and extending it 7".

You can see the bolt on support frame on the rear of the hilux.

 

Extending the frame?
Do it, then.

 

Would one of you kind gentlemen pull a measurement on your vehicle for me?

This needs to be on a shortbed.

Can you measure the distance from the back of the cab to the centerline of the rear axle?

Thank you!

 

Old thread, but did you ever go through with this? I would LOVE to read a detailed thread about a project like this. Definitely something I'm considering with my own Chinook.

 

Yeah I never saw this one. Extending the frame is what RV makers do. There is no longbed truck long enough to make even an RV as small as a Chinook, except maybe one of those old Ford F350 six-pack longbed bodies. They all have start on a longbed frame, then extend it out a few feet. So doing that is possible, and nothing new.

I'd love to see a "Wolverine Chinook"...

 

You might try sending the OP: aka: Fergie an email...last time he was yotatech= 04-10-2011 07:46 PM over 2 years