1st Generation 4Runner - Good Project Vehicle?

[palcuz]

I love my '85 4runner and sleep in the back many times comfortably. I'm no mechanical guru but then that's why I bought mine. Great truck and when not "hacked" seems bombproof and easy to work on and maintain. Feel free with any questions.

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[austintaco]

Having owned an 89 and my 84 twice, here's my opinion. If you don't need a SFA, get a late model SR5 with the 22re. You will get more creature comforts and a wider rear axle which people with 84/85 models like to swap in. If you decide that you really want SFA, you can do a SFA swap. Very common, and many kits. The problem that I see with 84 and especially the 85 rigs is that everyone considers them to be the holy grails of Toyota 4runners/trucks and that drives up the price. The IFS models get looked over, and many may not have been beat on as much as the SFA.

If you are dead set on a SFA, then that would mean that you plan to do some really difficult wheeling? The 85 having EFI would be best so that you don't stall out. However, my 84 with a Weber has been vertical nose up and nose down and has only stalled once, and I was able to get it started again and climb up the hill. The 85 EFI
s have a more common block/head that you can buy rebuilt and hi performance heads for cheap. The 84 is the older style block and you will have to buy parts and have a head builder or yourself put them in.

Final options, and I say this with a grain of salt. You can take your chances with an 88/89 SR5 with the 3.0. You can pick them up cheap, and you should. They have a bad reputation, but you might get lucky. On the up side, if you get a good one, it will have about 150 HP, if it blows, your only reasonable option is swapping in a 3.4. Then you will be the envy of all the folks with a 22re.

 

[ssapach]

Problem with a 1st gen 4Runner is that they can turn into a money pit.....and not in a bad way, but there are so many goodies and add-ons for these things.

I currently have a 1988 with a V6 and I'm in the process of prepping an axle for a front swap. From the bit of driving I have done with this thing so far, I really don't mind the V6. I think some people perhaps have too high of expectations for power from all vehicles these days. It has enough jam to get going up to highway speed pretty easily and is actually quite fun ripping around town with. And just for the record, it's running 33" rubber with 4.10 (or so I was told) gears.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy another V6 and if I needed another 4Runner or pickup, I might just look for one with IFS because they tend to be in nicer shape and less beat up around here. The SAS kit is a little bit of work, but considering you can buy a whole kit for this vehicle it makes it a bit easier to deal with!

 

[jeepstream]

And you can never have just one...

I bought a basic '88 DLX that wasn't running, had a nasty interior but a solid body for $650 two years ago. My idea was to build a low-budget expo rig. In my quest for parts including a running 22RE, I now have three 1st Gen 4Runners and a '94 truck with a rebuilt 22RE.

The 1st Gen 4Runners are the only 4x4 you can get with room for four plus gear (and a dog), a removable top and fuel injection for under $5k. I love the way they look with a safari top on the back.

They are definitely starting to catch on quickly, so get one while you can!

 

[austintaco]

For the record, my 89 with the 3.0 ran almost flawlessly when I sold it at 189,000 miles. Two owners later, the head gasket blew, but that was about 3 years later as well. With 31" tires, manual and stock gears, I would get 19-20 on the highway. Here's a pic of it after the next owner repainted it:

It was then sold and repainted, badly, back to white.

Here's my 84:

 

[JasonRedwood]

I have a 3.0 1st gen 4runner and its been a great engine with proper maintenance. My last 3.0 4x4 extended cab went to 230K before the head gasket went. My 3.0 seems to pull much better than the 22re 4runners I have driven. They aren't bad engines, just not GREAT. ha
Austintaco, that gold 4runner of yours is a looker man!

 

[ab1985]

You can't go wrong with a 1st gen 4Runner. I have an '85 and my brother had an '88. They are/were both amazing trucks.

 

[Aquafbody]

I bought an 85 a few month ago, I looked for months to find exactly the right one. I wanted an 85 because it was the first year of the EFI last year of the solid axle and I wanted the SR5 model. I bought it with a popped head gasket from some retard that couldn't even tighten his lugnuts right. I bought it with four wheels "none of them matched, one was even the wrong offset" when I got it home it had three, but after rebuilding the top end replacing the clutch and flywheel "because the flywheel bolts sheared off" she runs like a friggin' champ all though pretty underpowered. I'll post pics later.

 

[Aznwolf118]

The first gen is a great project vehicle, small enough for lots of trails and removable hard to for security and flexibility.
I went with a 1989 Dlx, since I got a super good deal on it and I found out why, the PO maintained it poorly and the head gasket went out. I don't regret it one bit though since I found out you can blazeland long travel it on a budget and go with a 6 bolt main motor. The 22re is a bit more reliable than the 3.0 v6, which i had, after a quick check with the dealer the motor I had was rebuilt by the for the same head gasket issue prior.

So if your really want a project here's a peak to a super reliable v8 then blazeland long travel for a overland travel build

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w152/aznwolf118/DSC03622_zpsbde7d81f.jpg

 

[Bobthebuilder]

I'm currently in the market for a 1st gen 4runner and have found prices are all over the place. People that own 85s seem to think the trucks are worth a lot more than an IFS truck. I drove an 85 and liked the way it drove but I think unless I plan on doing rock crawling, I think I'll stick with an IFS truck

 

[DeskToGlory]

The first gen is a great project vehicle, small enough for lots of trails and removable hard to for security and flexibility.
I went with a 1989 Dlx, since I got a super good deal on it and I found out why, the PO maintained it poorly and the head gasket went out. I don't regret it one bit though since I found out you can blazeland long travel it on a budget and go with a 6 bolt main motor. The 22re is a bit more reliable than the 3.0 v6, which i had, after a quick check with the dealer the motor I had was rebuilt by the for the same head gasket issue prior.

So if your really want a project here's a peak to a super reliable v8 then blazeland long travel for a overland travel build

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w152/aznwolf118/DSC03622_zpsbde7d81f.jpg

Love the idea of the V8 + Blazeland Kit... The Toyota guys would hate me, but I'd probably drop in an LS motor.

Back to the topic of the 1st Gen 4runner... I had an '88 4runner V6 with 300,000kms and never had a problem with ANYTHING for the 5 years I owned it. I barely changed the oil regularly and it took me back and forth across the rockies multiple times, took it off road almost every weekend, and beat on it relentlessly. Even with an auto, 35s, stock gearing, and a welded rear the thing just kept on going. I put a solid axle in it eventually, but i wouldn't do that again. For what I used it for the IFS never let me down.

 

[Wrek]

I had an 85' sr5 4runner that I made the mistake of selling to a "friend" who's family was desperately in need of a reliable vehicle. It had 5,000 miles on a rebuilt 22re and 1,000 miles on a rebuilt w56 transmission. Literally EVERYTHING worked on the truck. It had no major dents or rust.

Now it looks trashed and has broken down multiple times due to neglect and him beating the crap out of it on trails. I sold it for way less than I should have also... I will forever regret it.