Toyota Chinook Build!! Mach 2.

[4xChinook4]

ALright guys, here it is the build I've been waiting for what seems forever to start.; > THE 4x4 CHINOOK PROJECT!!    So here's a low down of my girl. I got the 1977 Chinook. for $1200 strait, interior was functional, but absolute nasty. so many weeks later ( more like months ) got her up to par with presentation.  and with as much fun as i had with the stock chassis, with the infamous dully tire same 14' rim set up  . i couldn't help but think something was missing? to go farther, to get deeper into the back country, and of coarse stay longer  . figuring the best way for my liking made itself obvious when a near mint 1980 stock 4x4 landed in my lap for again $1200  . the poor girl sat under a tree for about 12 yrs i think was, and when the guy tried to do a rebuild, nothing special, just plugs wires, filters, etc. he attempted the chain and guides, mis-aligned the teeth with the cogs, basically got it out of time, and well when it came the make or break, he gave up on her and sold it to me(he didnt really know what he was doing anyway ). i defiantly had my hands full for sure, with the timing chain(would be a cake walk now, but that was the farthest and deepest i had ever been into a motor) and later finding vacuum leaks, and the biggest of the jobs was an EXTREMELY rusted out gas tank, no pictures but imagine the scales of a fish with the sound of a rain maker when you tilt the tank from side to side.  ya it was that bad, so about a week worth of vinegar soaking, and fuel tank liner fixed her up nicely, about a month from this is, with 8 good friends and no  , not yet 21  , we picked up the cabin and walked it over and sat it on the 4x4. i took a step back and could actually say, "i am one of the few owners on this world to actually own a 4 Wheel drive Chinook... so here is how she sits so far> enjoy.

[4xChinook4]

These were taken the day of swap, like it was ment to be eh?

[4xChinook4]

Motor as she sits today is a weber 32/36, currently stock 20r, and a LC engineering  Street header. With 2 1/4 exhaust. Through out, cat and muffler included.

This runs down into a swapped L52 tranny, a rear axel from 3rd Gen IFS truck, and front and rear running 4.88's.

[4xChinook4]

She pulls great to my liking  and expectations  1st through 3rd, MUCH BETTER THEN STOCK. And much cleaner, running around town I barely see the fuel gauge move, and the 4th and fifth are great aswell, the right lane is were she stays on the highway  though.  And No problem getting 55mph.

[4xChinook4]

More to come, hope ya'll like the  next stages of the build from here onward 

[84 yota dude]

Sweet dude! Did you post on yotatech too?

[emsvitil]

Don't know about registration where you are, but in CA now you could register it as NOT a truck and remove weight fees from the registration.....

[4xChinook4]

Don't know about registration where you are, but in CA now you could register it as NOT a truck and remove weight fees from the registration.....

Hmm ok, I'll look into  doing that, thanks, first thing is to get it smogged though! I took her in yesterday, and they wouldn't pass me visually, said my weber carb needed  the air injection put back on. . Funny thing is that's when I had my Weber with the same exact engine setup on my 77, they passed me fly and clear. So I guess this time somebody actually did their job and didn't let me run through on to the actual emissions. lol I'll probably just take off the fancy looking paint, run that valve cover hose back to the air filter, and try and make it look as boring as possible, that way just look for any loose ends, and send it on through like last time.

[jimbo74]

They are really sticklers for that stuff in CA.....

apparently, even if the vehicle has federal emissions, it still has to conform to CA laws to get licensed here..... I wanted to run a CAI on my Lancer with Fed emissions, but it wont pass the visual here unless I buy the one with the CARB EO

[Zs Confederate Toy]

Cool rig! I've always wanted one. You know, since it looks l like you're in CO. Register it above 9000 ft and you don't have to pass emissions.

[4xChinook4]

Cool rig! I've always wanted one. You know, since it looks l like you're in CO. Register it above 9000 ft and you don't have to pass emissions.

Really?  Are you talking about the visual "emissions"

[4xChinook4]

Sweet dude! Did you post on yotatech too?

No bro I didn't sorry. it'll be on marlin for now some this is the forum I'm on the most.

[4xChinook4]

Cool rig! I've always wanted one. You know, since it looks l like you're in CO. Register it above 9000 ft and you don't have to pass emissions.

I'm sure this is probably a noob question, but how would I go about doing that since I live in metro Denver?

[dropzone]

very cool build

[4xChinook4]

very cool build

Thanks bro, it's been a dream for a few years, I've yet to not smile every time I see her in my drive way, 😊

By the way driveway as of Monday, 😊
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[ImmortalYota80]

lookin good! 

[Zs Confederate Toy]

I'm sure this is probably a noob question, but how would I go about doing that since I live in metro Denver?

You should be able to register it at a P.O. Box. Or if you know anyone who lives in the mountains

[4xChinook4]

Well I'll lay Ural know about what happens with that emissions  junk. But  for now, here's some more pictures!! Enjoys 

Sorry about  the sun glare on the headliner shot

[4xChinook4]

Whoops uploaded a double. 

[mudmaster]

That's in good shape

[4xChinook4]

That's in good shape

Thanks bro, ya she is, since most first gens have been bashed and rusted, and majorly altered for crawling, no offense to just about the 99% of the members on this forum. 

[4xChinook4]

Anyway this is the next step on this rebuild, Getting  some more strength on the under side of the camper,  when I did the swap initially,  I put some 3" x 3" x2" blocks/spacers, and while this did great  for street and mild trail  runs, and even some serious down force for a camper, (the 3" x3" face of the blocks is actually a wider surface area than the factory wood block from the original  truck. ) I would like the really strengthen  it up, and get some good weight distribution, thus I chose some 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" angle iron. On some 3"x3"x3" wood blocks 

[4xChinook4]

[helipilot77]

Since the rest of the inside of the cab is in such nice shape, I wonder if you have plans to recover the seat.

[4xChinook4]

Since the rest of the inside of the cab is in such nice shape, I wonder if you have plans to recover the seat.

Not sure I'm following this, ? That is a seat cover on bench right now. I have a set of buckets I'm considering putting in there in the future. the hardest decision is deciding whether or not to cut out the back of the cab for a pass through to the Chinook......

[helipilot77]

Not sure I'm following this, ? That is a seat cover on bench right now. I have a set of buckets I'm considering putting in there in the future. the hardest decision is deciding whether or not to cut out the back of the cab for a pass through to the Chinook......

I meant; will you have the seat professionally redone so that it looks as nice as the rest of the cab?
I was wondering about the cab pass through as well. I would say do it. It will make it look more like an an original. 

[ImmortalYota80]

I say dont cut the cab think about it when it's cold and you want the heater running your gonna want the cab enclosed so your not waiting to heat the whole camper too. That's gonna take awhile. If you keep it enclosed that first gen can will heat up real quick. Just a thought

[4xChinook4]

I say dont cut the cab think about it when it's cold and you want the heater running your gonna want the cab enclosed so your not waiting to heat the whole camper too. That's gonna take awhile. If you keep it enclosed that first gen can will heat up real quick. Just a thought

Ya that's been on the pros vs cons list. Definitely a pro. The con would be it's not a true chinook. .... :shrug:

[ImmortalYota80]

Oh come on man your tellin me you can fit in a tiny first gen cab but can't squeeze your whole body through the rear window 

[Cheesemaker]

I wouldn't use wood.  I would use metal square tubing that has been capped for your mounts.  Over time the 2x4 pieces will split.