# toyota dolphin



## zephyr23

i was wondering if any one has any experiences with the toyota dolphin? like how MPG they get? are they reliable? any thing would help because their are a few in my area for sale and they look awesome. Also if People dont like them what is a good small rv
Thanks so much


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## ped

They had serious issues before 1985 with the rear axles breaking. In 1985-1986 they made a transition phase and by 1987 they were fully fixed. Look for rear axles that have a 3-4" protrusion in the center and not flat with the rim. They have to be full floating axles and they should look like a dullys or something. The 4 cycl were very weak. They came with automatics or 4-speed manuals and the manuals are better especially with the 4cycl. You can expect realistically 13-15mpg with the 6 cycl and 14-17mpg with the 4 on average. Much depeds on how you drive, where you drive and headwinds. The wind resistance on an RV is much more substantial than a car. You might get better or worse but that will be a good starting point for MPG to make plans with. Some people claim as high as 18-20mpg average but I guarentee they're full of shit.

They are nice and I really wanted one at one time but they tend to be hard to come by in the east and when you do find one they're quite expensive. You can get domestic models of the same vintage for $2-4K all day while the Toyotas go for usually $5-9K. That's a whole lot of gas you could get with the difference in price.

Class C's are nice if you plan to spend substantial time in national forests (where they allow two week dispersed camping for free) as they hold alot of water fresh and waste. But they are very conspicuous in the cities/towns and they use, besides the toyotas, a shit load of gas. Like real world 6-9mpg average at best. Fine if you plan to sit out for weeks on end or you have a steady income and never need to work, but killer if you want drive once in a while and for long distances or have to spend any amount of time in civilization. For that reason I like my Class B. A van with a hightop and all the amenities of any other camper/RV. Fits plenty of solar on the roof, blends in on the street for discrete parking, holds 20 gallons of fresh water which is just enough for 1-2 weeks in the back country (perfect for me), propane tanks to cook and heat with while not being obvious, etc. Anyone remotely minimalist should do just fine with the small amount of storage available too and you can count on with any model 12-15mpg on average.

You want the rear wheels to look this
http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/po/100816/868r7/7509bhm_27.jpeg

and not this
http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/1977-toyota-chinook-rv-pop-top-camper_4472386.jpg


http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/files/Axle_FAQ.pdf


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## zephyr23

Thanks so much i thought when i read 20 MPG it seemed way to high. witch van do you have? , do you know know any good website that can teach me how to do the whole solor roof thing. where in the east are u? i am in ny and vt most of the year. thanks so much


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## ped

I'm in ohio for now. Not really on the websites. I think I just pieced everything together from reading forums and general searches. I have an '84 Chevy G20 greenbriar.


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## Deleted member 2626

i have a 95 g20. i love my van you like yours ped?


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## ped

Yeah I really do.


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## dolittle

I'm gla U said "high top". I can't preach enough on the joys of head space! I've thought alot about getting something smaller. Less conspicuous & cheaper on the gas. But can't quite bring myself to give up all the room in my van. I'm a big fella & I never feel cramped in it. For long term living, a high top is the way to go.


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## ped

I know. I had a low top and couldn't stand it. It's a whole different experience when you can stand up.


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## Eager

Toyota Dolphins are _really_ nice; top of the line as far as class C campers go. Prior to getting my current RV I had my heart set on a Dolphin of a similar make and year. But as ped, said, I soon realized they're hard to come by, and are overpriced. The long hood of the Toyota truck is also a little inconvenient; extending 3.5 feet out from the camper body and making city or lot parking difficult/impossible even with the smallest Dolphin.



I ended up with a very small 76 Dodge Superior with a very Dolphin-esque interior, that I bought for about 1/4th the price, and far less length with the flat-nosed dodge van base.

Also, don't be discouraged outta buying a class C. I spend around 80% of my time in cities in my Class C; and I get harassed far less than when I lived in a stealth van. I've found that being conspicuous is a lot better than being suspicious; and a dirty traveller kid sneaking in and out of a van at odd hours or dumping piss into the gutter or trying to operate a rocket stove was the surest way to raise suspicions of locals and depending on the neighborhood, have the cops called. When you stick out and walk around openly like you belong; you seem less out of place. Sometimes I even knock on the door of the house I'm parked outside of after a couple days and say "Hey, I just thought Id introduce myself; I live in that RV, and I'll be parking here a few more days, in case you were wondering what was up. If you need anything, just ask." Aside from that; most folks seem to assume only a "respectable folks", like a retired elderly couple, would be parking in the middle of public view. The cops have only given me problems once since I've lived in my Class C; and a neighbor I had spoken with the previous day actually rushed out to tell the cops to leave me alone, that I resided there. The pigs promptly left and the person apologetically invited me in for dinner. I've stayed overnight for multiple nights in cities including Chicago, Champaign, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Evansville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Savannah, NOLA, various cities in Northern/Central FL, Richmond, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, DC, Brooklyn, Boston, & Denver and I've managed just fine. The key is to outsmart the law, pick good parking places, be tactically open about what youre doing, and never spange/panhandle/steal/scam in the immediate vicinity of where you're planning to park for any extended period of time.

As far as gas mileage; I get around 13-16 MPG depending on if I'm on a highway or in a city.

My beast:


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## Eager

double post.


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## dolittle

Eager, nice looken rig. Loven the garden boxs! I could be wrong, but it seems a bit unusual to find such a youngster traveling/living in a camper. I think it's kinda awsome.


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