Couple built the world’s first Land Cruiser Chinook in 100 days to drive the Pan American highway and beyond
- This couple created the world’s first Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook
- The unique project took just 100 days
- They use the vehicle to travel the Pan-American Highway
Published on Mar 05, 2025 at 6:16 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Mar 05, 2025 at 11:46 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A couple from Canada created this completely unique Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook in just 100 days and used it to travel across the Pan-American Highway.
Matthew and Stacey – from the Toyota World Runners YouTube channel – created the world’s first Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook motorhome and used it to embark on an epic adventure.
The pair purchased a 1980s Land Cruiser chassis and a Chinook frame to make the one-off Frankenvehicle.
And here’s how it all went.
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The custom-build combined a Land Cruiser chassis and Chinook body
There are some seriously impressive dinky campervans and RVs out there, such as this 2003 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter T1N that was transformed into a smart living space by a man in his 80s, or this old school bus that was gutted to make an off-grid home.
But in Canadia, Matthew and Stacey – who run the Toyota World Runners YouTube and Instagram channels – created their one-off Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook in a little over three months.
The couple purchased a used Land Cruiser chassis and sanded it down, removing as much of the built-up rust as possible.
Alongside the Land Cruiser, the duo bought a Chinook with around 90,000 miles on the clock.
They removed the engine and gave the engine bay a thorough clean-up before they set about fitting the Chinook’s frame and body onto the Land Cruiser’s chassis.
To ensure the two vehicles came together as one, they had to make liberal use of a welder and also had to fabricate some custom pieces – but before long the job was done.
The Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook was kitted out with a new engine
So, the couple now had the bare bones of the Land Cruiser Chinook – but it was missing an engine.
They first considered going for a diesel engine, but later decided against it due to the cost.
The couple eventually settled on a reliable 3.4 liter V6 Toyota 5VZ engine – the sort found in the 4Runner and Tundra.
With all the extra weight in the custom vehicle, Matthew and Stacey upgraded the brakes to give it more stopping power.
With that done, the Toyota Land Cruiser Chinook was more or less ready to hit the road, and several months on from the project, the couple are happily traveling the Pan-American Highway in the vehicle.
You can follow their adventures here.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
