51,850 Miles: Clean 1985 Toyota Pickup

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While Marty McFly’s blacked-out Toyota pickup may get all the glory, this 1985 model with just over 51,000 original miles deserves a look, too. Although it’s been repainted, the rest of the truck is still indicative of the condition you’d expect of a low-mileage survivor with an excellent interior and clean glass. The graphics and paint are new, so don’t get too blown away that this truck is showroom fresh despite having 50,000 miles on the clock. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $7K and no reserve.

Here’s what I never understand about repainting highly original / low-mileage vehicles: even if the paint was faded over time, I’d still prefer the vehicle not be repainted. The appeal of driving a low-mileage survivor is that it hasn’t been altered in any way, thanks to the fact it didn’t suffer from overuse. Sure, this Toyota looks incredible now, but it seems unlikely it was a total heap prior to the cosmetic refresh.

Especially when the interior looks like this. You can’t fake original cabins like this, especially with brittle Japanese plastics. The dash shows no signs of cracking, impressive considering this appears to be a Florida truck. The seats are untorn and the rubber floor mat looks minty. Thankfully, this pickup has the preferred manual gearbox to get the most out of the dependable-but-ponderous 22RE engine.

The seller notes the Toyota comes with a rebuilt carburetor and that stainless steel headers and a new exhaust have been installed, offering slightly more sound over the stock setup. No smoke or leaks are noted, and this shouldn’t surprise anyone given this engine’s reputation for longevity and dependability. The current bid seems low, but with no reserve, bidders are likely lying in wait. These vintage Japanese trucks are on the rise, and this one looks like a winner.

Comments

  1. John M.

    Gone.

    Like 1
    • Martin

      Pretty sure I saw that one here last year….

      Like 0
  2. Gary

    Now on BAT.

    Like 0
  3. Sam

    Unfortunately, being an ’85, that’s only the second year of this body style, but the last year of the solid front axle. And the strongest of the solid front axles. Toyota had learned from their previous mistakes and trussed it better. And that means these models are highly desirable by the off roading crowd. Light, cheap to build, and stout as hell, with almost the legendary Landcruiser strength. Sadly, this truck will probably be cut up for someone’s next rock rig.

    Like 0
  4. Jimmy

    Ended / Didn’t Sell. Too bad as it’s a nice truck.

    Like 0
  5. Bern

    I suspect that the seller may have had second thoughts and just decided to keep the truck. If I owned it, I definitely would have a hard time letting it go.

    Like 0
  6. Ridge

    Just FYI… That’s a 22R engine. The “E” designator is for the later EFI versions.

    Beautiful!!!!

    Yes these are very hard to let go. My first car is a later 1990 with the newer body style.. I rebuilt it from the frame with a bunch of lift and other off road modifications. Still have it! Told my wife when I proposed to her that I came with it and it keeps a spot in the garage.

    Like 4

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