It’s hard to believe, but some of those anti-rust treatments that dealers used to hawk in the 70s and 80s seem to have worked. I suspect when we see impressive results like this 1981 Toyota Pickup that some trucks were fortunate to get the “Rusty Jones” treatment and reside in a dry-weather state. With those two boxes checked, it’s no surprise a truck like this 1981 Toyota Pickup SR5 4×4 here on eBay has survived in such incredible condition.
Bidding has reached $13,600 with no reserve and I suspect it’s going to go quite a bit further before it’s done. The color scheme is just awesome, as it doesn’t get any better than some loud factory color like canary yellow to make a cool truck even cooler. This Toyota not only comes with seemingly rust-free bodywork but also an interior that appears to have seen very little in the way of hard use. This was not someone’s work truck; it looks more like a rig a retiree used for short hop drives. Amazingly, the paint is said to be original with the decals added at a later date.
The 22R engine is the cockroach of Toyota truck motors; you will have to work pretty darn hard to inflict any real harm. The seller notes the mileage is under 130,000 which is quite low for a Toyota truck of any vintage; needless to say, it has plenty of reliable years of motoring left. The combination of the 22R, manual transmission, and four-wheel-drive ensures this Toyota will go pretty anywhere and will retain a very low bill for annual upkeep. It’s a win-win for the next owner, but of course, given how original it is, you may be somewhat reluctant to really use it.
Assuming this is a spray-in bed liner, it is doing a terrific job of keeping the factory bed paint in good condition. Would you add a bed liner to a truck as original as this one? I would be torn, but the spray-in coating is a load off your mind in terms of avoiding seriously scratching up the original paint. Everything works in this truck including the air conditioning and lock-out hubs, and aside from the aftermarket wheels that I’d ditch for some larger, OEM-style steel wheels, I wouldn’t change a thing about this Toyota pickup.
I’ve owned several ’81 4Xs, and they are indeed cockroach-approved.
Looks like a plastic bed liner
SR5? Maverick? o0OP, ordered now, I may need to wait a yr or 2, better go w/this~
Not an SR5 package
Correct, I had a black short box SR5, much nicer interior. Friend also had a blue one with the red yellow white hockey stick stripes. Same interior.
I’d be surprised if this hasn’t sold by now. We were given an 82 long bed 2wd for caretaking when the owner moved to Hawaii. It was almost new. No need to state the obvious, but this truck out performed my 78 GMC on the highest passes in Colorado! Amazing performance and when winter hit, fill the bed with snow and you’ll get through!
This is not an SR5, it only has the stripes. Dead give away is the lacking instrumentation.
Also , steering wheel is the base model wheel.
This is not an SR5, it only has the stripes. Simple give away in the lack of instrumentation.
I love this style Toyota, the new body style not at all. This is a really nice truck.
My Mom had Rusty Jones applied to her ’81 Civic at purchase (dealer). It still rusted out around the wheel wells (Philadelphia area). I’ll chalk this condition up to careful use & storage in a dry climate.
Great truck, though. GLWTS.
The listing (which ended at $15,200) was very clear that this truck just had the SR5 look but was not an SR5. Also the rustproofing was identified as “ENDRUST Systems,” not our good buddy Rusty.
FWIW, since the listing has ended …
I had a 1984 SR5 short bed blk and just my luck I had 1st gear go in my 5 speed so cockroach drive train not so much . I did buy it used 1987 and was 18 yrs old so it didn’t survive too long before I screwed it up lol