International Harvester Scout / Toyota Chinook / Expidition 4x4 pop up Camper

[The Fleckster]

Hello everyone,

My name is John and I am know as a Car / 4x4 / fabrication guy to most of my friends. I thought i would join and post up my build up here as this board has some good knowledge people that i would like their thoughts about my project on, and figured you would appreciate the project. First off this is my first Toyota i have ever owned and I have owned and worked on allot of vehicles over the years. To give you some background i started a International Harvester 4x4 shop back in 1998 while attending Washington State University for Business. Since then i have moved back to Western Washington and been doing that ever since. I will be posting some pictures on here and asking questions along the way, however i have my own forum and website where the project is currently posted. I dont want to repost everything as thats a ton of work in itself. ALSO FILE SIZE IS LIMITED AND SOME OF MY PICS ARE BIGGER THAN ALLOWED. So if you want you are more than welcome to follow the link and subscribe to get all the posts and details.
John's-International-Scout-Toyota-Chinook-Camper-Expidition-4x4

I have been wanting a California 4-wheel pop up brand Scout Camper for my Ih Scout Traveler model for some time now. I have found a few but the timing was not right (however if you know of one for sale please contact me). In addition they are square and not all that attractive. Recently I have been pondering other alternatives and come across what i think will be a pretty functional and cool way to achieve my goal.

What is my goal you ask? Well i want a rig that i can 4 wheel in, but also camp out of on short and extended vacations to rivers, mountains, deserts, Lakes, and anything mother nature has to offer us for fishing, hunting, summer trail rides, concert events, Rokon Romp events, and even tailgating. The rig must get good to decent MPG and have good overall driving characteristics. The uses are endless and I know that is a broad scope, but one I think pretty achievable.

So here are some starter pics. When the rig arrived at my shop it was dirty. I was glad it was out in the open and not under a tree or it could have been worse. I started by washing it up and cleaning it. It cleaned up after 3+ hours of cleaning and scrubbing. Man my arms are sore.

 

[The Fleckster]

Interior: It was a base model with just an icebox so the nice thing is there are no doors on the side and i can build it out without having to glass in the holes if i want to relocate the items that need ventilation. However i am thinking i will vent them in a more creative way if possible so I don't have to cut up and install access doors from the outside.

The stove you see in the first picture was added on, and is powered by a small "green" propane can underneath. The little ones you buy at the store. The icebox was removed by the previous owner as well. There is a small water pump faucet and a bigger one for when you have it hooked to a hose from outside. The bed platform was removed and all that was given to me when i got the Toyota Hilux Chinook was the mattress pads.

 

[The Fleckster]

Anyway thats all the pics and progress for now. The next step will be choosing the International to graft this onto. My current choices are a 1961-1965 Scout 80 or 1966-1971 Scout 800, 1972-1980 Scout 2, or 1976-1980 Scout Traveler.

I looked at moding it onto a IH Travelette (crewcab pickup) or a C-series Travelall cut off behind the second door but it would be just too big for what my goals are of a rig that can do some harder trails. Also they are too wide. The Scouts are narrower and more maneuverable. Plus they have the box frame and great running gear to start with.

I am working on measurements but it looks almost perfect to put on the Scout Traveler 118" wheelbase model.

I just came across another one. Its a 1976 Chinook camper and i might as well buy in case i need parts or want to do another of these down the road.

What are your thoughts so far? I am open to all kinds of advice and perspectives and appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks for letting me join your board.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Here is a used Four Wheel Camper for a Scout.

Located in Northern California.

Might be quicker and easier to get out camping by putting something like this on a vehicle.

Looks like it is ready to go.


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/pts/3342072203.html


: )




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[The Fleckster]

It was pretty nasty on the outside when i got it, but thankful it was sitting unused out in the open for the past 7 years. Had it been under a tree or something it would have been much worse i think.

 

[tanglefoot]

I don't have any wisdom to contribute but I'm very interested in watching this one. I've always loved seeing the Toyota Chinooks and wish they still made them. Your example cleaned up very nicely--those early Toy-truck cab lines are classic. I bet it'd make a nice little flatbed runabout/sport truck once you've liberated it from the camper body.

The Chinook camper body is a great alternative to a truck camper--it has quite a bit of extra space compared with similar truck campers, aside from the smaller cab-over.

Being a Toyota fan, I'd love to see a Chinook body matched to a more-recent Toyota 4wd platform or (better yet) a 4wd-conversion and re-power on the original chassis but the 'Binder ought to make a very interesting combo as well.

Here's Nolan's famous '76 with a 4wd conversion and fresh engine (not to mention the amazing interior redoux).

http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/nolan's_76_chinook.htm

 

[The Fleckster]

Dang thats clean. I think in my research on reading all the threads on these i saw that guy when he bought the blazer one. I liked that it was taller poped up than the scout-2 version originally. Too bad its in CA, or i would barter for it or buy it perhaps. I have only seen 1 up here in washington for a scout 2. I really wanted a Traveler one, but they seem harder to find.

Here is a used Four Wheel Camper for a Scout.

Located in Northern California.

Might be quicker and easier to get out camping by putting something like this on a vehicle.

Looks like it is ready to go.


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/pts/3342072203.html


: )




.

 

[The Fleckster]

Yea i saw Nolans and his Blue one on the Toy forum and liked the interior he did. Also saw one recentley in Canada on a newer toy with a cummins 4bt and they wanted $16,000 but it had the all pro offroad lift and a strait axle conversion. It was sweet. I love the durability of the International. They were built tough for Farmers, etc who could not afford to have their rig break down. I dont know of a tougher factory 4x4 rig as the Ih has a full box frame, dana spicer axles, dana spicer manual transmission and transfer cases, if it had the auto it had the 727 Chrysler beast tranny, and the gas motors were from the Loadstar 2.5 ton medium duty trucks. Hell gear drive cams, 5% nickle in the block to keep them from wearing out the cylinders, cast iron inserts on the top piston groove to keep the cylinders from ovaling out, canted valves, water to the head first from the water pump (corvette stole that idea for its vette), and the crank was deep inset inside the block with huge main gussets like a 440 MOPAR. That motor is almost indestructable. I have seen them run into the 400-500 thousand miles with proper maintance.

Corse i am thinking cummins 4BT at this time...