This 1986 Toyota “Hilux” pickup boasts the desirable four-wheel-drive setup along with some modest upgrades that give the truck a more modern appearance. The classic details are still there – i.e., the decals on the doors and the bed – but the larger wheels and tires take away from that vintage aethestic, which can easily be remedied by reverting back to the stock configuration. Check out the Toyota here on eBay with bids to $9,000 and the reserve unmet.
Truth be told, I’ve always liked trucks that show the wheels and tires poking out from the fenders a bit, so I don’t hate the appearance. But I can also see the argument that a 4WD truck with the factory wheels and tires will look just as good, but perhaps just with a slightly larger tire size. The important thing about any vintage Toyota product is that the body remains as rust-free as possible, and this one looks fairly pristine.
The same goes for the interior, but that’s not entirely original. The seller notes that the cabin has been updated with fresh upholstery but he doesn’t know much else about the truck. He claims the paint appears to be original, and while he has no records for any mechanical improvements, that the engine and transmission are seemingly quite healthy. This always blows my mind: surely a Toyota of this vintage that has survived to this extent was looked after religiously by a previous owner; why doesn’t a stack of paperwork exist for a truck as clean as this one?
That engine bay, too, is relatively spotless. Mileage is typical Toyota-high at 223,000, but that’s really not a deal-breaker on a truck like this (as hard as that is to believe!) While the truck presents well, it’d still be ideal to have more evidence of how it was maintained as it has a slight “fluff and buff” appearance to it with the modern wheels and tires. Still, as far as vintage Toyota trucks go, it’s hard to go wrong with a rust-free SR5 4×4. Do you think the paint is still original?
Back in the late 80s I dearly wanted one of these. I’d briefly owned a 73 Datsun extra cab pickup, with which I delivered pizzas, and a 72 Celica, and figured the Toyota pickup would be better than both those vehicles. Alas, I never did get one. Now, the Tacoma is on my wish list, however, my 03 F150 is still going strong, so I can’t justify buying a Tacoma, and likely never will. The F150 is threatening to last at least as long as I expect to live, so why replace it, right?
Your F-150 must not have the three-valve Triton engine.
I am in the same boat as you. My 99 F150 XLT with 4.6L and automatic has almost 340K on it. The only things I’ve replaced (aside from normal wear and tear items) are the danged armrest window switches, the rear window seal and the wiper switch. I’m beginning to wonder if Ford didn’t sneak some Toyota parts into my truck.
Just kidding!
It is a lumbering beast compared to the Hi Lux and I’d love to have something that handles a little better with better gas mileage but overall, I can’t complain.
By the Tacoma if you can .You only live once so go out with no regrets 🛻.
i’d say it’s the real deal. prolly just got a super buff and wax. the engine bay got the deluxe pressure wash and shine. note the famous 22 r deacal is gone from the valve cover.
gonna be a real nice ride for some one.
for my taste he’d have to round up some stock wheels and tires before i wrote the check.
I have a 2022 Tacoma, V6 4×4. Just use it for around the property, only has 6K miles on it, the kids are going to inherit a low mileage gem when I kick off. I looked at the new “semi” trucks, like the Maverick, but in the end, I wanted a solid truck to work as a truck. It is great for what I use it for, buy one, you will not regret it.
Damn, that reply was supposed to be for Don H. Is it the site or my mind that is failing? Wait, no one answer that, I might not get the feedback I want to hear.
The wheels and tires are nice. I would’ve maybe wanted them on there when i was in my 20s. But, now, I actually preffer the plain steel wheels.
Not sure why these trucks get so much attention. I had an 84 extra cab, solid axle 5 speed 4×4 with AC a header and a Weber carburetor from the junkyard. It was slow and gutless and I was always the last one to get to the snowmobile parking lot. All these trucks have is nostalgia and fond memories of the past. No performance, you will always be last.
Living in MA, seeing any Japanese truck without a bed that has rusted to the point of needing replacement is an anomaly. So many mismatched or homemade beds on these trucks up here, but the drivetrains do keep running with meticulous routine maintenance.
That’s funny, Ray! I see the same thing here in Western North Carolina, most of the older Toyota pickups rolling around in these parts have either a different color bed or a wooden or metal homemade one. But you can’t seem to kill those motors and trannys! I personally know people who have these old pickups who commute in them daily and have well over a half million miles on them! Just not the original beds lol…This one will make someone a really dependable vehicle for many years to come I suspect!
If that’s a respray, it’s a darn fine one, from what I can tell in the pics! If not, this baby has only been on pavement, in non-rust belt states, and has definitely been garage kept. A really nice and unusually blemish free example of a super venerable pickup, but unfortunately 10 grand is a bit much for a truck that’s flipped the odometer twice and is nearly 40 years old! Although we know very well that, if properly maintained, these guys can go to nearly a million miles!
WOW!! This was my dream truck right after back to the future. Sorry to say, just the decals say “SR5” which this is not I don’t believe. Back then the “SR5” was the top of the line with carpet nicer seats and gage cluster. This is deluxe “DX”, Still pretty nice.
Rob, correct and it says right in the ad DLX so it is a base truck in SR5 graphics only. My ’86 that I bought and shipped from Guam was a true SR5 with the electrics package so power windows, etc.
Does WhistlinDiesel know about this one….?
Back in 1997 I had a 95 Toyota pickup, owned for 9 years, never did anything but regular maintenance to it. Great truck. But the price for this truck is outrageous. Somebody will buy it though. LOVE the wheels and tires !!!
If my memory is correct, at some point early on Toyota would ship trucks to the states without a bed. Some kind of tax thing. The beds would be shipped separately unpainted and painted when they got to the states. Often the paint did not match because of quality, craftsmanship or whatever. That is my story.
A loophole allowed trucks with passenger compartments from foreign manufacturers to be imported and sold in the US with a 4% tariff. The law-sneaking coverage provided a latter-installed cargo box or bed once the vehicle was in America. Then it could be marketed as a light truck there. However, at the end of 1980, President Jimmy Carter finally closed this contaminated regime for good.
I believe the beds were made here in the US (Long Beach?).
That’s why a lot of them had paint that didn’t match perfectly as these
got older.
Hey don, you are half correct. Calif Toyota started making there own beds in 84 when the fourunner came out. All other States trucks came out with a Japanese bed .the California bed was far superior being it was double wall construction and a smooth bed side ,and a one touch tailgate latch. They used paint from Japan, and painted the beds to match and that is why a lot of times the paint didn’t match perfect. I bought a turbo 4×4 sr5 in 86. I loved it but didn’t fit in the regular cab. I bought a new Xtra cab in 87 ,turbo,4x45spd. It started a love affair between me and sr5s. I now have owned over 50 of these trucks. I have seen it all…
My favorite is a 1983 SR5 long box 4wd 5spd. And I loved the terra Cotta color.
I bought a Toyota Hilux in 2014 it came with a 2.5 turbo diesel I have 175 k no problems yet 35 mpg. Thailand
At 200k, it’s due for a timing chain , maybe it’s been done. Seller doesn’t state any knowledge about previous maintenance, worked on a lot of 22r ‘s. Also start to use oil at that point, oil wasn’t that good back then, check plugs for oil and compression test, if all good, great little truck.
I bought an 83–violating two of my sacred rules. 1)Don’t buy a vehicle at night and 2)Don’t buy a vehicle in the rain. When morning dawned, I realized the dented hood, cab roof and door were MUCH worse than I thought. The interior was non-existent . . . but it ran like a top. Fixed the cab with a quick jab of the palm , found matching door and hood in a wrecking yard. Drove it for 23 years, spending virtually nothing except oil and DIY tune-ups. Still running fine at 331,XXX for a thousand more than I paid for it. Two guys fighting of it, and raising my asking price.
Not to be that guy but I was under the impression the Hilux was never sold state side and only came in right hand drive.
I’ve owned a number of Toyota pickups, including an FJ45, which was my first one, and an ’86 SR5, which is similar to this one. My current ride is a ’22 Tacoma. They are all great trucks.
223 thousand miles it looks well preserved but not for me I guess, the bids are really going strong on this one
Owned a few of these. Worst frames out of any 4×4 other then a CJ. Poor quality sheet metal and an anemic engine round it out. Thanks but no thanks.