This 1970’s vintage Toyota Dolphin mini-motorhome had been sitting at the curb on our walk for a couple of months. Then one day I saw it was requiring some ministrations. A tow strap was also visible below its front bumper.
A peek in the engine compartment revealed it to be a 20R, which means this was a 1975 or later variant of this generation.
I’ve seen the occupants a few times, an older couple. This spot next to a church parking lot had become their home, obviously.
The next day or so we walked by it again, there was a Ranger in position to administer a booster shot from its battery, presumably. And a gas can sat nearby. Ready to move somewhere new?
Sure enough, the next time we walked by, they were gone.
Even though these (any Toyota motorhome from 70’s-‘80’s were quite popular in their time, I think their survival rate has to be an RV record. I see multiples daily here. Glad they got it going!
I love the concept of a compact RV, everything you need in a smaller package. I’m not sure how that engine will pull the load in a headwind, though.
With a 2 month delay, maybe this repair was the result of a virus inspired isolation? Like many enthusiasts, my auto fix-it projects have piled up like cordwood over the winter. Cold weather and a very busy job have kept me from getting things done until now. Our government mandated shut down is allowing me to catch up, fix the daily drivers and get the summer fleet ready, a bright spot in our troubled times.
I’m glad that they were able to get it going again. I always thought that these would be a fun little rig for a couple to travel around the country. Years ago I spoke with an older lady who drove one. She told me that it would go anywhere, but long upgrades and strong headwinds really slowed it down. There are a lot of people living in some pretty run down motorhomes around the Bay Area. At least they have a roof over their heads.I wonder if anyone on the forum has any experience with these.
Technically these (and others of similar frontal area) were illegal per Fed Standards. However, many RV builders neither worried about nor obeyed such little details. Many also did not have personnel that were educationally qualified to properly observe those Fed requirements.
“Real” engineers were few and far between in RVland when these were kluged together. 🙁
The little “people mover” I designed and a division of the then #2 RV builder in America, Coachman Ind. built, DID just meet frontal area restrictions. BTW, this little mini-van was done 2-3 years before MoPar launched the first US mini-van. DFO
That’s a very nice looking rig.
What federal standards are you referring to? I’ve never heard of ones that would make these “illegal”. How would it be any different than relatively larger ones based on bigger trucks/vans?
I’m also puzzled about any such Federal regulation. These rigs are narrow enough not to need clearance lamps.
Nice. Not surprised, and glad, to see it still rolling, with room to stand up inside! I’ve always been obsessed with these, and if I ever move back to the US I’d like to get one and live nomadic. Probably go for a newer one though, with a bigger camper section, and the V6. I like to peruse this site just to see what’s out there:
http://www.toyotarvforsale.com/
It, like most of its its ilk but especially these earlier ones, is charming but I hope the elderly couple living in it is doing to by choice and not by forced circumstance. I hope it continues to serve them well in all respects.
I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that it is clearly forced circumstances, along with quite a few other elderly RV parked all over certain parts of town.
Even though I too can guess the reality, I’ll cling to Jim’s hope. Pretty upsetting not to: that wheelchair got to me.
Where would the rig be from, with that yellow plate?
It looks like a 1970’s Oregon plate. Normally the Oregon name would be on the bottom but the two letters at the left say HC which are for motorhomes, the specialty plates moved the Oregon name to the top of the plate.
Yours is truly the most empathetic comment I’ve read in quite a while, cheers.
This reminds me that I should be a little more grateful for having a place to live. Safe travels to wherever that little Toyota takes them.
When my Grandpa was still with us, he and Grandma had the coolest Nissan/Datsun Sundowner truck a little older and not an RV. Grandpa was notoriously frugal but very generous to local charities in the Puyallup WA. area. One memory of our visit is Grandpa, Stepdad and I all squeezed into his rig to run an errand. To save gas his self imposed prohibition meant never reving past 1500 RPM in any gear. This required shifting about ten times more than necessary (and many chuckles from Stepdad and I) whenever we came upon even the slightest hill. Back in 1985 that was the first time I had seen such cool small truck, we had imports in Minneapolis then but little variety. Grandpa scratched his itch for traveling by purchasing a little Scamp travel trailer. Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed their minimalist little camper and being able to drop it when needed.
I always thought the Japanese pickups advertised as “half ton” were in reality a LIGHT half ton (in other words “half-ton” really meant capable of carrying 1,000 lbs of cargo that included people and fuel whereas the American trucks can carry an honest 1,000 lbs in the cargo bed).
The first time I saw these camper-modified Toyotas I thought these campers were pushing the limit (if not overloading) their “half-ton” rated load capacity. Add a couple people then you are really overloading the truck.
Anyway, the third picture showing the right rear quarter view of the subject Toyota mini-motorhome, it appears the camper already loaded the rear springs to the maximum rated capacity.
this one has been sitting at a local auto repair shop for awhile.
Such a big outfit on so small a chassis looks slightly comical, almost as if the first corner would have it tumbling over. But 40-some years of service proves that idea wrong.
And some service that 20R has provided! It has not had a day of motion in which its work was not heaviest duty.
This practical yet modest arrangement appeals to me, especially in an era where the horizontal tower blocks for two, towed by gigantisors, might have something this size towed along behind the car and the boat as the mere guest area.
Hope the universe is kind to the owners of this, wherever they end up.
those old toyota campers have a cult following. i think the creme de la creme… is that one-piece fiberglass model with 6 bolt axle.
When I first glanced at the tow strap coiled under the front, guess what I thought it was?
The lead photo brings back memories of when I finally got my Sentra off my hands at the beginning of the year after it had sat for nearly six years.
That is a serious amount of size and weight for such a (relatively) small engine. I know the 20R has a good reputation, but if I was driving that motorhome I’d be living in constant fear of it popping a radiator or similar. I guess slow and steady driving would be the answer, but few folks would have the time for that nowadays. A shame really, in some respects.
Some friends of mine that we camp with, inherited one of these Toyota campers from a relative. They spent several months stripping out the camper part (their relative had been living in it) and rebuilding everything before our first camping trip of the year. They used it that one time, and quickly sold it. The husband told me it was a white knuckle drive the whole time- foot to the floor just to keep it moving up our modest Wisconsin hills. (And yes he went over the engine and brakes before they drove it) He said 45 mph was about its top speed, barely 50 on long downhills. As a camper it was fine, especially if it sat mostly, but could barely move under its own power…