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Boat Included: 1985 Toyota 4Runner + 1983 Skater 18S

Much has been written about the automotive movement that is embracing all things transportation-related from the 1980s and early 90s. “Rad” is a term you hear tossed around, and while it is causing a bit of a gold rush for everything from clothing to stereo equipment, there’s also been some clever packaging of transportation from the so-called rad era. This 1985 Toyota 4Runner is a great example of this concept, as the seller has listed it as a package deal with a very cool 1983 Skater 18S tunnel hull catamaran. The boat and trailer are included in the auction, and are listd here on eBay with bidding at $7,800 and the reserve unmet.

I always find these combo packages intriguing, as the goal is usually to drum up more interest than you’d get with just one item or the other. Does it ever work out that way? Hard to tell. If you’re patient, I’m sure there’s more money to be made selling the boat and truck separately, but it likely would get fewer eyeballs overall. Regardless, most of us with an inclination for the outdoors would be happy to park either item in the driveway as both the boat and the 4Runner seem to benefit from a healthy amount of recent maintenance. The Toyota’s engine has been rebuilt and the Skater comes with a new SS steel propeller.

The body of the 4Runner has over 300,000 on it, but the engine is quite fresh, according to the seller. The 22RE is paired to a W56 5 speed manual transmission, and given this is one of Toyota’s most durable engines, the rebuild is a bit of a surprise. Of course, 300K on almost any engine will require some deep-dive maintenance, but the seller clearly went quite deep on sorting out the tired mechanical bits. The lower block was re-sleeved and bored .30 over, and then they threw new pistons, head, front plate, water pump, radiator, and more at it. Given the new lease on life this 4Runner has, it will likely outlive its next owner.

The boat is equally impressive, with the seller noting that the interior is completely original. How sweet is that cabin? Those seats, the colors….oh, and the fact that this Skater will achieve 90+ miles per hour “…under the control of skilled catamaran driver.” That’s enough to get my attention, but I’d have to make a few adjustments to this package: first, the modern wheels completely ruin the vibe of a combo that you’d see at a Michigan boat ramp in 1989. It needs some oversized retro steel wheels, and the trailer – well, it could be given some paint and some upgraded rolling hardware as well. Still, it’s hard to fault the presentation overall, especially with the mechanical work that’s already been done.

Comments

  1. Avatar Todd Zuercher

    Jeff – I think you’re missing a zero in that cylinder bore dimension!

    Like 1
    • Avatar JMB#7

      Maybe 0.3mm ??? More likely 0.030″. The 22RE is a nice engine, but I am sure that the rebuild was in order by 300k miles. They will keep running, but I am sure that it was down on compression. I think that the bidding would interest more people if the boat & truck were sold separately, but that is only my opinion.

      Like 5
      • Avatar Todd Zuercher

        Yes, I’m sure it’s supposed to be 0.030”.

        Like 0
  2. Avatar mainlymuscle

    Lhttps://www.mainlymuscle.com/product-page/king-of-the-80 -Love the marketing ploy ,here’s mine .

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Gunner

    The best year for the first generation 4Runner. EFI and Solid Axle AND it has a W56 transmission for a much needed upgrade for highway driving. The boat is a bonus that compliments well. Sold my 87 in the fall of ’19 for a great price. These like many other older 4WD’s are climbing in value, especially if they are in good original condition.

    Like 1
  4. Avatar Kenn

    Probably an SS propeller–(Stainless Steel). SS steel is a redundancy. Unless you meant Super Shiny propeller. Great package, though as a long time boat owner, including very, very fast boats, I question 90+ MPH.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Matt cent

      Dont you know everyone’s boat goes 90? this is the exact reason why I named my boat “Actual Reality” , it has beaten lots of boats that go 90 at 65mph

      Like 2
    • Avatar JMB#7

      If it goes 90, then maybe it is 90 k/h (56 mph)?

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Jcs

    Not a chance in hell this boat hits 90 mph. Just sayin.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jcs

      I must stand corrected, these darn things were very fast, but skittish. Guess I should amend my statement to…not with me in it anyway. Thrill ride for sure.

      Like 2
  6. Avatar Crawdad

    I had a buddy that was a factory driver for Allison boats back in the 70’s . He called full- deck tunnel hulls like that “ blow over specials”, because the difference between perfect trim and disaster was very small. I agree 90 mph is not realistic.
    I will concede that 60-65 mph in that boat would absolutely feel like 90 !

    Like 2

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