When the seller describes a vehicle as “scary fast,” we tend to take a closer look. In the case of this 1982 Toyota Hilux pickup, we’re guessing this isn’t an exaggeration because the work done to make it into a hot rod appears to be extensive. From the outside, you’ll recognize the Hilux nose but the Flareside bed from a Ford Ranger is a bit of a shock. The excitement continues with a Corvette 350 LTI conversion under the hood. Find the Toyota here on craigslist for $14,995.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find. The seller, Rich’s Car Corner in Shoreline, WA, seems to always have a few interesting vehicles for sale. This wild Toyota is perhaps one of the more memorable vehicles he’s had for sale in recent memory. The wider track out back certainly helps with putting the power down, but I doubt that makes it any less of a handful. Considering how timid the original Toyota engine would have been, I hope some other structural upgrades have been made to help keep the truck from twisting like a wet noodle. The listing notes it is equipped with a Ford 9-inch rear end, and assuming the LT1 is from a C4, that represents 300 b.h.p. and 340 lb.-ft. of torque.
The interior looks perfectly standard. The familiar tan rubber vinyl floor covering that Toyota put in all its trucks is still present. The bucket seats may be from a later model but I expected to see something more robust in place with sufficient bolstering to keep the occupants in place. The seller notes the transmission has been upgraded with a reliable and near-bulletproof 700R4. Other features include working air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes. Given it’s in Washington State, I would also anticipate that the body is quite solid and corrosion-free underneath.
The Ford Ranger taillights are immediately recognizable. The bed also sports a color-matched tonneau cover. I suspect in traffic, casual observers wouldn’t notice the removal of the original Toyota bed in favor of the wider stance from a late-90s Ranger. While there’s part of me that wishes the builder had attempted to stuff the heavy-duty hardware under a standard Toyota bed, I also completely understand why he chose this approach. It’s always hard to tell up-close if a build like this was done to a high level, but I like what I see in the listing photos. Do you think this hot-rod conversion was well done?
I’d say the conversion was done as well as you can get, especially the bed replacement. If the cab was like our Mazda the doors were small enough to where if you put bolstered seats in it you couldn’t get into it. I like it.
? Is no engine pic.
Actually the Toyota model 8200 was faster than a Supra back then … it was light weight and the gearing was lower … my sales manager, who had a Supra demo, doubted this ’til we had a showing … the pickup had the Supra in first and early second gear ’til the Supra’s horsepower kicked in … you didn’t need an LT1 for off-the-line speed …
Shame we don’t actually get to take a closer look.
Weird build. I guess it’s what they had laying around.
“Given it’s in Washington State, I would also anticipate that the body is quite solid and corrosion-free underneath.”
Unless it lived within a mile of the ocean.