Mini Part 3: Mini Removed, Yota needs Help

1984 Mini Cruiser Restoration: Part One Purchase and First Look
Mini Cruiser Restoration: Part 2 Delamination and Demolition
Yesterday, finally, we removed the entire fungied trailer that sat saggy on the bed of our dually.  We worked in rain unscrewing and unsticking the roof from the aluminum framing.  It seems back in the 90's this RV was professionally half re-roofed and remodeled.  Glue, square head screws, paste, caulking that melts Styrofoam... the works held this baby together.  And now, it's all headed to the dump. All that we kept is the framing, the least corroded pieces of aluminum sheeting, the windows, the fiberglass shower stall and toilet.

Visions of wood grain walls, with fiberglass roof and side skirts flash behind my eyes.  Quadruple polyurethane floors comfort my toes, while the crash of waves wafts in the screens windows that separate us from the greenheads.  I blink to see this little Toyota, with it’s cab chopped off, waiting for some tender loving… grinding, rust proofing, a gasket, shocks, ball joints, muffler and new front tires. Does it need more? Probably but I’m determined. 

So I suppose the next update on this project will be truck repair related and will be straight forward and good news! !    !   As far as what the RV part will actually be made of… we’re still discussing the options.  In the meantime, entertain yourself with this original RBR Brochure.  Sorry the images are cut off but I did not take the photos.

Mini Cruiser Restoration: Part 2 Delamination and Demolition

1984 Mini Cruiser Restoration: Part One Purchase and First Look

I often wondered if tearing the whole interior out of the mini was a good idea.  Moldy and soggy Lauan hidden behind a cheaper second layer of cardboard looking siding reassured us of our demolition choice.  Exposing the inside of the walls found us a comforting aluminum frame and insulating foam.  Although slightly corroded and mildewed it seems intact. Thanks for the frame RBR Corp.

Not sure of what we shall do with the roof yet we decided to remove the exterior of one wall first.  Talk about soaked and delaminated plywood!  There was even mud in the bottom of the wall!  Needless to say, another correct demolition choice. 

Below:  The interior wood and part of the foam actually has ant damage. Go figure.

We are struggling with the choice of what to reside this thing with.  I do not want to put wood back under aluminum for risk of the same.  But whatever I read on Toyota Motor Home Forum Toyota Motor Home Forum?  says if you make it waterproof it should stay so with maintenance.  Well I’m not convinced.  Actually I want to put just wood walls.  Therefore if anything starts to rot I can see it.  My partner is not convinced on wood walls.  We’ll see.  Right now we’re thinking of adding box aluminum beams in the roof because we need to support a boat.

What kind of ghetto work?!

Below is some serious frame rust that we couldn't do ourselves and had to pay quite a bit to have done.  The part that held the cab to the frame had apparently rusted through, dropping the cab down with no support.  Re-enforced with steal and coated in rubber, should be good and pass inspection. Seems like the sagging of the cab has ruined the driver's side shock.  Ah well, we'll replace it when we replace the ball joints.

Mini Part 3: Mini Removed, Yota needs Help

1984 Toyota Mini-Cruiser Restoration: Part One Purchase and First Look

Mini Cruiser Restoration: Part 2 Delamination and Demolition
Mini Part 3: Mini Removed, Yota needs Help 
A truck/camper combination to surpass the ages. Not to mention dualies! One can not believe a motor home could fit in a single parking spot.

Our mission started with the simple want to sleep on the beach. A self contained vehicle was our need and we went on a mission, a Craigslist mission. We searched slide-in after slide-in, fairly priced or not until we realized this Tundra we drive can not carry worth its own weight in the bed. A Tacoma frame with a larger body. What will the Japanese think of next? So fate decides to give us the gift of the Toyota Mini-Cruiser with dual tires on the rear and a capacity over 2 tons.

Truck Condition:
This third generation Toyota Hilux is in great condition... well the 4 speed engine purrs like a kitten but missing gaskets have the engine and more covered in oil. What a mess. The exhaust seems to be missing and rusted. The frame has quite a bit of rust which of course, we hope is only on the surface. The original owners were smart enough to have the recalled rear axel replaced. RBR, the manufacturers of the mini-cruiser decided it was a good idea to add dual tires onto an inferior axel which ending in a recall that put them out of business. Smart.

The floors in the cab are rusted out. The dash is almost completely void of non-necessities. The necessities work. A pile of wires enters the engine compartment but falls short of connection. The title says it has 199,000 miles while the odometer will pass 100,000 in our tender loving care. The wiring of exterior lights is possibly ungrounded and does funny things with brake and turning signal combinations. No headlights made of fun trip home that ended in a dark ride up a narrow dirt road.



Mini-cruiser Condition.
RBR made these campers between 1977 and 1989 in Indiana.  Is that correct all you die-hards?

The camper is in rough shape. Walls are rotted behind separating seems. The ceiling leaks and is growing mushrooms. The counter is warped. The floor has been floored over. The paneling has been paneled over. Metal has been rusted over. The fridge is an original ice box. Some cushions are possibly original ;) The table is missing. Widows are intact. The bathrooms still remains complete with commode and shower.

I am thinking gravity fed solar hot water, solar panels, a wind mill for those windy days on the beach and pop out greenhouse windows. Eventually, veggie diesel.


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