Considering first gen toyota?

[Dwill817]

Try to find an 86-88 extended cab. They look awesome with that tiny window in the back.

 

[98dango]

As a multiple toyota owner ill give some opinions. To start a toyota 1st gen is a beautiful truck. The 4wd has a rear shackle desing scripts rides fair. This is reversed from you cj yj with the shackle in the front not rear.

The 22r will do the job but your not winning races. I had a 84 4 runner 36" swampers 5.29 gears it would tow my tent trailer but my buddie with a 3.0 v6 35" bfg 5.29 gears could tow it much better.

The first gen.truck have bad trannys most don't have power steering. All can be fixed. The 84+ truck are a little better comfort wise. You can get an x-tra cab 8" of heaven in that cab.

I have owned 78 79 81 83 84 85 87 (3) 90s 92 95 right now I have a 79 that is getting finished from a 4 year field nap. I like the newer truck 86+ ifs.for fire roads and genral driving. Efi better tranny and smother operation. But I love that look of the 79-83 truck.

 

[coryc85]

Randy - you are in Toyota heaven out there in California, you should have no problem finding a good one. I bought an '83 from a guy in San Jose and it was pretty rust free. A lot of people think the 85 4Runner is the holy grail, since it had EFI and solid front axle, there was also an Xtra cab that year, so you could have either the truck or the 4runner with solid front axle and fuel injection. As others have stated, if IFS is fine with you, then that opens you up to 86, 87, 88, and 89 4Runners and up to 1988 in the trucks. I think the trucks changed their design in 1989. Personally I like the 4Runner, top comes off, has some pretty decent cargo capacity. To your question about running 65, I have no problem pushing 65 in my 88 4Runner with a 22re. I have regeared to 4.88 with 33" tires. Mud tires are pretty loud on the highway though, I'm working on my sound deadening (I have no carpet right now). There are lots and lots of performance upgrades, but I'd say you aren't going to get much more out of these engines. My gas mileage is somewhere around 18 city, and I have gotten 20 on the highway.

 

[p nut]

How can you not like a 1st gen truck? It was my first love.

 

[piffey263]

Thanks guys, I know i'm lucky living in California I see the pictures of any car on east coast... its amazing how much rust.

I really like the idea of the first gen 4 runners, so I am able to get the best of both. If not the extended cab would be nice.

I saw a picture of a four door truck but apparently they where never imported to the US which is to bad.

yeah doing 65 would be really nice and glad they can do that, I just relocated to Sacramento so its more of a big deal the 65 mph thing.

I was reading more about the IFS and I really like that idea on the trucks. I have a jeep that has solid axle so I don't need a truck to have a solid axle too.
I also like the look of the trucks running 33's, but I think 31 would be adequate.

 

[Sam Huynh]

How can you not like a 1st gen truck? It was my first love.

Not to be a prick, but thats a 2nd gen.... Looks to be a Marty McFly Back to the future replica though which is awesome.


Anyways back to the OP, I love first and 2nd gen toyota trucks. I drive my 2 toyotas 84 pickup, and 89 4runner on a daily basis 60miles round trip and are the only vehicles I currently own. Both of them get decent gas mileage and I have no complaints thus far with either one of them. Not much to complain I guess when you go from a lifted jeep on 33s that got 12mpg if I was lucky to a 4runner on 35s getting 18-19mpgs. I do think the pickup is a bit more cramped though and have found myself driving the runner more. If I were you Id look for an 85 extra cab pickup. its roomier, SFA, and Fuel injected. But if the IFS doesn't bother you 87-89 is your ticket.

 

[98dango]

First gen toyotas age the coolest for sure. I remember seeing Marlins toy on supprise canyon when I was a kid loved them ever since.