Summary

• Overlanding lovers love Toyota vehicles just like the Tacoma. The Trailhunter trim provides to the mid-size truck’s enchantment.
• The TacoZilla idea was impressed by the basic Toyota Chinook RVs, providing a glimpse of the previous with fashionable options.
• This one-off camper construct combines consolation with off-road functionality, showcasing an ideal stability for outside adventurers.

Toyota vehicles and SUVs are widespread amongst Overlanding lovers, and the Tacoma has at all times been the commonest choose. Impressive reliability and off-road functionality make this mid-size truck a favourite for patrons searching for a no-nonsense, outdoorsy automobile.

Many aftermarket suppliers promote personalized kits for the Tacoma to show into a perfect overlanding rig. The reputation of the ‘Taco’ within the off-road neighborhood prompted Toyota to introduce the Trailhunter trim for the truck’s 2024 mannequin 12 months replace.

But earlier than that got here the Tacoma ‘TacoZilla’ – a one-off overlanding concept based mostly on the final era of this mid-size truck. Toyota showcased it on the 2021 SEMA present, and it had all of the package to make it a perfect camper for an Overland tour. We check out what made the ‘TacoZilla’ so particular.

In order to provide the most recent and correct data potential, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Toyota and different authoritative sources together with Hagerty.

TacoZilla Is Inspired By Toyota Campers From The ’70s And ’80s

The TacoZilla is not Toyota’s first try at constructing a camper based mostly on certainly one of its vehicles. In the late 70s, the model partnered with Chinook, an organization specializing in camper conversions, and created the Toyota Chinook RV. It used the chassis of a rear-wheel-drive Hilux. The TacoZilla pays homage to this iconic RV from the 70s and 80s in its exterior styling and inside design.

The Toyota Chinook RV Was A Home On Wheels

Based on the Hilux platform, the Chinook RV had a number of facilities on board. Despite its compact dimensions, it has sufficient room to accommodate two adults or a small household comfortably. Facilities included sleeping quarters over the truck’s cabin, a small kitchenette, a sink, and a fridge.

Besides the spacious lodging, one other signature function of those campers was their pop-up roof. Not solely did it present sufficient headroom for the occupants, however as soon as on the transfer, it lowered all the way down to create a extra streamlined form and saved the automobile’s total top low.

The Chinook RVs Were Built On The Dependable Hilux

Besides their versatility, these Chinook RVs had been widespread as a result of they had been based mostly on dependable and reliable Toyota trucks, such because the Hilux. On prime of that, these mini-campers supplied higher mobility and better gas economic system on account of their compact measurement in comparison with bigger and costlier motorhomes.

Underneath The TacoZilla Lies A 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport

Since the TacoZilla was a contemporary interpretation of the Toyota Chinook RV, the model decided to build it on the Tacoma. The mid-size truck is the religious successor of the Hilux in North America. The variant that the crew picked for this conversion was the entry cab model of the TRD Sport.

2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport Engine Specifications

(Data Sourced From Toyota)

Naturally Aspirated V-6 And Four-Wheel Drive

The Toyota Chinook RVs did not include a high-output engine. For occasion, the 1978 model year Campers had a 2.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, churning out 90 horsepower and 122 pound-feet of peak torque. Interestingly, these did not have a four-wheel-drive configuration. Instead, they had been based mostly on Toyota vehicles with a rear-wheel-drive setup.

However, the Tacozilla comes with four-wheel drive. These had been based mostly on the TRD Sport trims of the earlier era Tacoma, supplied customary with a rear-wheel-drive setup however obtainable with four-wheel-drive and a six-speed handbook. Under the hood, these had a naturally aspirated V6, producing 278 horsepower and 256 pound-feet of peak torque.

The TacoZilla Is Built From The Ground Up By Toyota’s Motorsports Division

Martin Schwerter, the Director of Operations at Toyota Motorsport, is behind the TacoZilla construct. In the video above, you may watch how Martin and his crew began the mission by creating renderings and engineering drawings to find out what they might put contained in the camper and the way many individuals it will accommodate.

It Is Not A Refrigerator

Schwerter did not need the camper to seem like “a refrigerator.” So he and the crew determined that it will have spherical edges. They additionally needed it to sort out the off-road setting simply and agreed upon retaining the overhangs to a minimal.

A basic colour scheme, paying homage to the basic Toyota livery, was picked for the TacoZilla. And although it was a fairly easy construct, Schwerter and his crew encountered many challenges, together with packaging the camper like a Mirco dwelling within the restricted area.

Building The Frame

Once the renderings had been finalized, Schwerter and his crew began the construct by creating the camper’s body. But first, they needed to take away the truck mattress to get an thought of what wanted to be moved to create space for the camper. They determined to go under the peak of the truck’s body to make sure the occupants may stand contained in the camper with out exponentially rising its top.

Once the body was constructed, the crew moved on to the arduous process of placing the skin panels. This step took lots of endurance as they needed to line up all of the panels rigorously. The body was designed in such a method as to make sure that the panels take a slim form on the highest and the underside half to clear vegetation on trails.

Once the skin of the camper was achieved, the crew began constructing the within. There was not lots of usable area on provide, so the crew needed to bundle every part cleverly. They determined to go for sauna-style teak wooden flooring to provide a way of luxurious.

Standout Exterior Styling

The camper’s shell was taken to Complete Customs in Texas to complete off its electrical, water, and lighting connections. Complete customs can be the place the TacoZilla obtained its inside customizations and basic exterior paint job.

The Tacozilla Has All The Amenities For The Perfect Weekend Excursion

The TacoZilla has many amenities, making it a perfect off-grid automobile. While many of the add-ons on this practice camper are constructed completely or sourced from the TRD components bun, Toyota has additionally used a handful of aftermarket components from widespread overlanding manufacturers.

Comfortable On The Inside

Besides the teak wooden flooring, a number of different issues make the within of the TacoZilla camper fairly luxurious. The dwelling area has been designed to accommodate two adults comfortably and comes with bench seating and a mattress that extends over the roof of the truck.

Onboard facilities embrace a sizzling water bathe with a cartridge bathroom, a two-burner range with a sink, and a fridge. The energy provide comes from a {custom} dual-battery setup positioned beneath the hood of the truck. The TacoZilla has a 20-gallon freshwater storage tank and two nine-gallon grey water tanks.

Schwerter and his crew have additionally taken care of aesthetics contained in the TacoZilla. The driver and passenger seats include diamond stitching and a 3-D printed central desk with the map of the Zion National Park. The camper additionally comes with a moon roof. This function was a last-minute addition to the construct, and it helped deliver extra mild into the dwelling area.

This Camper Is Ready To Go Off The Beaten Path

Besides the usual off-road package obtainable on the Tacoma TRD Sport, the TacoZilla has a bunch of further tools that makes it good for back-country exploration. It rides on a set of 17-inch General Grabber X3 all-terrain tires wrapped round bronze TRD wheels.

The TacoZilla additionally has TRD-tuned suspension with a two-inch carry and TRD billet higher management arms. The inventory entrance bumper has been barely trimmed to accommodate a rugged bumper that Toyota has custom-built for this camper. It has an in-built winch and in addition two tow hooks. The inventory rear bumper has additionally been changed with a custom-built piece. It’s designed in such a method as to behave as a step into the camper however can be excessive sufficient to not hamper the departure angle.

While the headlights are inventory models, the TacoZilla has LED fog lights from Rigid Industries. This camper additionally has a Rigid mild bar on the roof to light up the paths at evening. For greater water clearance, it has a personalized TRD snorkel. This piece was sectioned and trimmed in order that it may match beneath the camper’s shell. One different intelligent design function of the TacoZilla is a small air vent in entrance of the camper to help in air flow.