Nice New Toyotas

For almost 20 years various manufacturers made the Toyota motor home in several models. During its heyday, this little camper was produced in over 60 different models and styles of motor homes.

Beginning with the rather small Toyota Chinook camper and carrying on through the largest of the Toyota based Winnebago and Itasca models, the Toyota based motor home help to establish many manufacturers in the RV industry.

Because of the large number of manufacturers it is not uncommon to see similar campers and very different names. The small overall size had to limit the variety of floor plans available. This caused a lot of the manufacturers to build virtual duplicates that varied only in some of the fit and finish type of details.

It wasn’t long until the manufacturers began to expand the size of the camper bodies. Using conventional manufacturing techniques found in the travel trailer industry, the stick and staple type of construction with aluminum siding became the standard.

In the decade of the 1980s production of the Toyota motor home peaked. Many different companies were producing many different models. Some of the larger companies that were in this business were national RV, the producers of the very popular Dolphin series. They also produced the Seabreeze models. At the same time Winnebago was producing the Brave, the Warrior, and the deluxe Itasca Spirit models.

Damen Corporation of Elkhart Indiana produce the Escaper motor home, while Coachman produced the popular Coachman and Savanna models. Leisure Odyssey was building the Americana, Santa Cruz, and the Laguna campers.

The Mini-Mirage was built by Mirage industries, while the still very popular SunRader was constructed with a fiberglass body by Gardener Pacific.

By the late 1980s the length of the camper body had expanded to 22 feet. This caused a severe overload problem on the original half ton pickup axle. A national safety recall was issued by the United States government to correct the problem. Most of the models were given a new one ton axle. However there are still a few units available today that have the unsafe axle. Caution is advised if you are looking at in 1980s version of this very popular camper.

In 1989 V6 appeared on the market in the Toyota chassis. This increased horse power became very popular with the camper owners and production continued until 1994 when Toyota stopped supplying the pickup chassis to the camper manufacturers for safety reasons. Winnebago produced some of the last V6 versions in 1994.

During its production lifetime, the Toyota motor home enjoyed a great popular success and was widely distributed across the country. Today the greatest number of units on the road seem to be concentrated on the east and west coast areas but these motor homes will turn up just about anywhere in the country.

Having lived and traveled in a Toyota Motor Home, I have fond memories of this type of RV. Discover more about the little RV at http://www.thorntonnetsales.com/toyotamotorhome.

Lee McPherron is a long time RV user, now enjoying life in a 27 foot fifth wheel full time. He is a research writer who writes on a variety of subjects. Associate links provided could possibly result in compensation.

About 1980 RV manufacturers took notice of the success of the little Toyota Chinook motor home. They began to create their own versions that included better facilities for living on the road.

The typical 18 foot Toyota motorhome had more to offer than the previous models. It featured an overhead sleeping area above the cab. This was about the size of a standard double bed and would sleep two people comfortably. This left the main area of the camper open.

Usually this model of Toyota camper located the galley at the rear of the living area. This galley or kitchen would include a 3 cubic foot refrigerator, a three burner stove with oven, a sink with a water storage tank and electric pump, and overhead cabinets for storage of food items and cooking equipment.

In the right rear corner of the camper was a bathroom, complete with shower. This tiny bathroom was fully functional and usually not more than about 2 feet square. An RV toilet, and small fold up sink completed the facilities. The floor of the bathroom was also the floor of the shower with the drain located in the center.

An important addition to the camper was small holding tanks for wastewater and sewage as well as a freshwater tank. Although small, these tanks added a lot to the comfort level and utility of the camper.

Along one side of the camper normally behind the driver’s seat was a small couch. This couch would fold out into a bed for additional sleeping capacity. The other side of the living area would usually contain a small dinette or table.

Although very basic, these features made the camper a lot more livable. With care and planning it was entirely possible to take extended trips with this unit. As RV users began to discover all the features and practicality of these little motor homes sales increased. The four-cylinder Toyota chassis was quite economical to drive even if it was not very fast.

As the weight of the camper increased the performance would decrease. Although the manufacturers tried to keep the weight down by using lightweight building methods and materials, these campers were pushing the limits of the capacity of the Toyota half ton pickup. Some critics began to question the overall safety of these machines with people and their belongings on board.

It was about this time that the weakness of the half ton pickup chassis began to show. Some people were experiencing failures of the rear axle due to excess weight and overloading. This led to a recall to replace the axle with a sturdier version.

When the RV manufacturers saw a demand for these vehicles, they began to design even bigger and longer Toyota motor homes.

Having lived and traveled in a Toyota Motor Home, I have fond memories of this type of RV. Discover more about the little RV at http://www.thorntonnetsales.com/toyotamotorhome.

Lee McPherron

Are you trying to find a Toyota Motor Home?

Even though the Toyota motor home is not as common as it once was, there are still thousands of good units available.

At first the problem seem to be insurmountable and impossible but with some planning and perseverance, the goal of locating a good camper can be obtained.

In this article we will discuss three different ways to come up with the perfect motorhome. These are searching the local area, exploring the internet sites, and networking with friends and family. After reading this article, you will have a better understanding of how to find your motorhome.

1. Local Search

Searching the local area is a great way to find a camper to examine and possibly purchase. Keep your eye peeled for a motor home that is sitting in a drive way with a For Sale sign on it.

You might even make note of any rv that you see that seems to be sitting for a couple of seasons without moving. Although it is not offered for sale, a discreet inquiry may encourage the present owner to sell it.

There are various “auto trader” magazines for sale at gas stations and convenience stores that are a good source of leads for your local area.

Finally, don’t forget the classified ad newspapers that are usually free or very low cost.

2. Online Search

Used motor homes can also be found for sale on line. You can use the internet a couple of different ways

For starters, you may want to checkout the online websites of local newspapers. These websites often include a automobile section classified ads.

Be sure to browse the classified ad website for your local area as well as areas within reasonable travel distance. These websites are designed to let owners sell their belongings, like a motor home.

The giant auction website will also have a few listings for Toyota motorhomes for auction. This auction website is a good place to judge the actual market value of the various models of Toyota motor homes.

A search engine query for “used motor homes for sale” may turn up dealers or individuals who have the model of motor home you are trying to find.

3. Networking

Be sure to let all your friends, coworkers, and family members know that you are interested in buying a Toyota motor home.

It is possible that some one that you see every day may have a relative or friend that has a unused camper that could possibly be for sale.

Spread the word far and wide that you are in the hunt for a Toyota RV and you may be surprised what you find.