UPDATE – It appears that this one sold quickly! Hopefully, that means it went to one of our Supporting Members (thanks to Early Access). If you are the lucky individual to have purchased this sweet truck, we would love to hear from you. And if you are on the hunt for a Hilux, be sure to check out the 1979 Toyota that is coming up next!
I would love to know the story of how this 1976 Toyota Hilux SR5 pickup has survived the test of time. Was it tucked away or just used sparingly? Regardless is a one owner 58,000-mile gem that is looking for a new owner. Located in Madison, Connecticut, this truck is listed for sale here on craigslist for $12,900.
Check out the clean bed on this truck. It was either never used or has been covered by a plastic bed liner. The second-generation (N20) Toyota Hilux was introduced in 1973 and manufactured until 1978. The 1976 Toyota Hilux pickup was available with either a short bed or long bed. The long bed was not available in the US until 1972.
This truck is mostly equipped with the 2.2 liter (2,189 cc) inline four-cylinder engine. It was rated at 96 horsepower and was built from 1975-1978. The engine is mated to a 4-speed manual transmission and is said to run and drive great.
As far as the listing price of $12,900, that seems kind of steep but this is the top of the line truck with the SR5 trim package. The pictures in the ad are not that great but the interior looks nice with a tan bench seat. Thank you to Connbackroads for sending this truck to our attention.
Longbeds came out in 1974,& SR5’s came out in 1975.
I had a ’72-1/2 with the 18RC “Valve Burner Four”.The 20R
came out in 1975,& was a huge improvement.The long beds
have a better ride than the short beds.
This looks like a really clean original-looking truck,but
I’d want to see it in person,before spending that kind of money.
Also short on pictures – none of the underside,& only one
of the interior.Looks like it’s missing the center console,& the
original floor covering.
Seems pricey but my real point is to highlight the void in the market now for small & useful pickups like this. Is it too much to ask to have them come back? Do airbags and other current safety requirements make it impossible to do so? I realized 30 years ago starting with SUV craze, people’s taste changed but I’d think if one would come to market, it would stand out and sell.
I could be really biased here as I wrench on my 2000 Ford Ranger 4.0 XLT. I just did rust repair, replaced suspension and coils, rebuilt all the brakes… drove it 63 miles with a grin… and then the transmission failed. BUT I STILL LOVE IT.
Pricey Huh.. How about Gone! as in SOLD! Lol
If a Smart Car can meet current safety requirements, I see no reason a true compact pickup couldn’t be built and sold for under $20k.
Good point.
Again and again, these are NOT 5 figure vehicles. I don’t care if it has the window sticker, priced this way solely on how many are left in this condition. While it sent the truck industry on it’s ear, they were the cheapest vehicles known to man, especially Americans, who were convinced, their F250 was the best,,,and it was. These were considered just a fad, and wasn’t until the 4×4 really changed things. I don’t need to list their shortcomings, one bought these for one reason, better gas mileage. That’s it, well, that and they ran forever, long after the box fell off. The mileage doesn’t surprise me, as with a 4 speed, it’s not a good highway truck. 5 speed changed everything. I had a ’84 , very similar, was my brother in laws truck he bought new with absolutely no options. He had to go to 3 dealers before one would sell him one with no options, as that’s where they made their money. It had almost 1/4 million miles when I got it ( for 100 bucks), he never did anything but oil changes, tires and brakes, and was still a good little truck, but I’d never buy another, ESPECIALLY for $13 grand,,,sheesh.
What makes you the arbiter of value? Why is that so?
It seems like you take it personally when someone asks more for a car than you think it’s worth. It shouldn’t, people are free to pay whatever they want, like it or not. It’s nobody’s business other than the buyer and seller, especially an uninvolved third party.
Steve R
I don’t know Steve. You seem to like to put your two cents in when a seller overprices a rusty muscle car. I don’t see how Howard is being any different.
You seem a little cranky. You should have noticed by now everyone around here has an opinion. HoA has some street cred around here….based on his apparent knowledge and experience…You have an opinion too.. I dont mind that you take umbrage when someone thinks a vehicle is overpriced. You know..opinions are like certain bodyparts..everyone has one…some are one..as my sainted late father used to say.
The one Indy shop I worked at in CA had a 78 SR5 long bed. It was cool to see how decked out it was. Would have been a good candidate for a repaint but the interior was pretty beat down from sun damage. Really liked driving it and it’s hard to beat those old trucks for reliability. I remember checking ball joints on a 4X4 with over 200K they were original and I figured they would be loose. Perfectly fine! Try that on a domestic truck.
Here we go with the bash the domestics mantra again. I currently own 70s ford, Chevrolet, and several toyotas. They each have their pluses and minuses. If you place maximum value on mechanical reliability the foreign trucks were superior. However the bodies and interior material quality was horrific. Try getting one of the import bodies of this era to last more than a couple years in road salt. Upholstery disintegrated in front of your eyes.
This over glorification of how good the imports are needs to be put in perspective.
Some people buy cars that are overpriced.
Some people buy cars that are waaay overpriced.
Some people don’t.
It’s the BUYER’s responsibility to perform “Due Diligence,” as to the quality and condition of the item offered for sale.
ca·ve·at emp·tor
/ˌkavēˌät ˈem(p)ˌtôr/
noun
1. the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.
I’m with Steve R.. is it wrong to ask $2000 for a vehicle that probably ain’t worth $500 and then at auction it brings $15 to $20000! NO. A seller can ask whatever amount they want and if someone wants it THEY WILL PAY FOR IT! Case in point..a friend of mine had a first year Ford Lightning 90% original and sold it for four times the amount that he wanted simply because the buyer wanted that particular truck. Same with me if I see a vehicle that I want I WILL PAY FOR IT! Its that simple 😎👍
I bought a 1978 SR5 brand new as the dealer was discounting 1978’s so they would sell quickly and up their allocation for the 1979’s. Because of the “chicken tax”.(25% import duty on complete trucks in retaliation for duties by others on chickens), bed less trucks were imported and beds added in the US. My bed had a sticker stating the bed had been made by Long Beach Metal Fabricators.
I lived in Central Ohio, and the bed sides began to rust after the second winter. I repaired and repainted. I then noticed rust bubbles on the right side A pillar. I sold it.
Mine was white. My friends was brown and hid the rust better.
I bought a 1986 Nissan Hardbody new and kept it in Ohio for 12 years. It had very minimal rust.
Congrats! I hope the new owner loves it! This is I’m sure the best looking Toyota Hilux truck of the 70s that’s still around. Most Toyota Hilux trucks of this vintage may still be running, but everything outside the cabin and the bed are usually rusted out.
I have a yellow 77 Toyota truck, pretty rusty, worst is the A-pillars at the roof, and the bed sides just above the floor. I think I’l make a bondo buggy out of it, of course I’ll use bondo glass so it won’t absorb water. Quick paint job, throw it on Barnfinds auctions, and see if I can make any money on my $1500 runner. It does have a taller white camper top, that might look cool yellow also. I always thought the bed quarters looked funny being higher than the rockers. Ooops, forgot it needs a clutch, and it’s full of junk in back, maybe I’ll restore it some day.
Nice little ‘roll.’ Appears to be in great shape. Q: Would I pay that amount for a 4 cylinder car or truck of that era. A: No.
If on the other hand, the buyer did and his wallet is happy, so is he.
I assume he (or she) is singing a song as he rolls along!
I’d start to balk at 7, 8K$ but that’s just me.
I’d go for the blue ’79 w/auto as priced righter~