JDM Toyota Camper is a Perfect Escape Pod
This Toyota Camper might be 25 years old, but it’s squeaky clean and has all the amenities you could ask for.
There’s no doubt about it. When it comes to cars? American enthusiasts do have it pretty good — especially when it comes to overpowered crazy-pants stuff like Ma Mopar’s Hellcat family. But when I see stuff like this JDM Toyota Dyna Camper? I’ll admit the grass sometimes looks a little bit greener on the other side of the ocean. This one is currently for sale on Japanese Classics, and along with its boxy good looks, it’s also sporting a TRD racing livery. Even if those stripes don’t add any horsepower, the cool factor is over the top.
Power comes from a plucky 2.8-liter diesel engine, which is mated to an automatic transmission with an unlisted number of cogs. According to the listing, that’s enough to allow this home away from home to cruise at 65 mph on the freeway. Unless you’re a sadist, and love causing pain to other drivers, that’s going to relegate you to the right-hand lanes on most of America’s motorways. But since this isn’t really designed for daily driving duties, that shouldn’t prove too limiting. After all, it’s the journey, not the destination — right?
Up front, there’s seating for three, and the rest of the cab features all the amenities you’d need to make a home out on the range. There’s a two-burner stove, a sink, and a mini fridge, so while you might not be able to roast a Thanksgiving turkey, whipping up a quick bite shouldn’t prove a problem. As a dedicated urbanite, I’ve seriously lived in apartments with less counter space than this camper, so at least where cooking is concerned, hitting the road wouldn’t prove too tough at all.
The big question, of course, is whether there’s a toilet on board, and I’m happy to answer that in the affirmative. There’s also a shower, so you won’t be at the mercy of any nasty camping facilities while you’re on a trip. Overall, there doesn’t seem to be a ton of space inside, but the extendable canopy means that in nice weather, the usable space will encroach on the great outdoors. Now, since I’m over six feet tall, I’m wondering just how comfortable I’d be inside this baby. But I do think the diminutive dimensions would make it easy to navigate in even the most congested cities.
With an asking price of around 30k, this Toyota Camper is far from cheap. That said? If you’re in the market for a camper, you could likely do a lot worse. Because the current crop of domestically produced recreational vehicles are — at least from what I’ve read — essentially crap. And while this machine is already 25 years old, I’d put golden-era Toyota build quality up against anything being produced today. Maybe I’m being too generous? If you think so, or have experience buying a JDM gray-market import, hit me up. I’d love to hear about your experience!
Photos: Japanese Classics