Well, what do we have here?! This is a 1979 Toyota SR5 Extended-Cab Pickup and it’s in beautiful Puyallup, Washington. It’s listed on eBay with an unmet opening bid of just $1,000. There are six days left on the auction so you have a little time to make up your mind whether to get this one or the ’79 Datsun 620 Extended-Cab Dually Pickup. Or, if you’re like me (which your spouse hopes you aren’t), you’ll want both trucks!
I just wrote about a ’79 Datsun version of this pickup, a 1979 Datsun 620 Extended-Cab Dually Pickup, and this one appears to be in quite a bit nicer condition than the Datsun was. Plus, this Toyota ad includes a good amount of photos including interior and engine photos, neither of which the Datsun ad showed. The body on this truck looks good but it does have a few dings and dents in it; but hey, it’s a work truck! This is a third-generation Toyota Hilux, or SR5, and they made them from 1978 to 1983
Actual paint, and shiny paint, at that! You can see a difference in tone between the fiberglass extended cab and box and the front clip. These trucks were done by a conversion company, as Barn Finds fan and friend, JohninCM, pointed out on the Datsun post, so maybe the paint wasn’t quite matched perfectly when it was done a few decades ago. This “2+2 Crew” was done by RV Specialties, Inc. in California, I’m not sure where the Datsun 620 was done, but I’m guessing at the same location since it looks almost exactly the same. The Datsun post evolved (devolved?) into a Toyota-slam-fest for some odd reason, so now here’s your chance to really let ’em have it: this is an actual Toyota, not a Datsun!
GAAA! Blue seats! Do these belong in the blue ’79 Datsun?! Of course, these aren’t factory equipment for this truck, as the seller mentions, but I’m sure that they’re comfortable and this was most likely an actual work vehicle, maybe for towing a trailer. The original seats are in the rear. I’d want to source another set exactly like those and get rid of the light blue velour seats, but that’s just me. There is a 5-speed manual in here which is nice and there are 87,000 miles on this good-looking rig. The seller says that this truck was “was used by the old man as a daily driver.” The interior looks like it’s in nice condition, even the unusual, padded headliner.
I can’t imagine that the ’79 Datsun’s engine compartment looks this spotless, but I could be wrong. This is Toyota’s famous 2.2L 20R inline-four with 90-95 hp and around 120 lb-ft of torque. That isn’t a heck of a lot of power for towing a big travel trailer, but this truck would sure look good towing a classic Toyota to a car show or, better yet, a vintage/nostalgic Toyota track car to the race track. What do you think about this Toyota? It sure looks nicer than the ’79 Datsun Dually does but, for some reason, I prefer the Datsun. How about you?
Headliner looks like it came from a coffin.
Nice rust free truck, change out those seats and headliner and you have a nice little truck for Home Depot / Lowe’s runs while cheap on gas.
This truck would have worth 3x or 4x times the amount had it been stock with an uncut frame and cab. I had a tan 1982 Toyota SR-5 longbed with factory air, tilt wheel and cruise control. Great truck until I hit a patch of oil from a broken oil line from a concrete truck exiting the 405 freeway in So. Calif. My truck slid then hit the curb then rolled. thank god it landed on the tires. Got pulled out of the ” ice plant ” and drove home with a crushed cab and folded bed. Total loss
Great truck before the crew cab mod, still OK with the mod. engine is close to bullet proof. bought an 86 new and it was a great truck!
Install a modern 1GD-FTV 2.8 diesel and you’d have a very useful and unique trailer hauler.
Its for sale on craigslist for $9500 so the reserve must be up there too.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/5721619901.html
claims it gets 33MPG, yeah in a world were every road leads down hill!
These do not make a very good tow rig.
I bought a ’79 SR5 Longbed to tow my Lotus 61 FF with.On
steep hills,I was in first or second gear.You always knew that
you were towing something
That said,I still really liked those older Toyota pickups.
I just saw the Craigslist ad , thanks Paul L. At $9500 he has to be dreaming or the state of Washington is now selling pot on the street. 33 mpg LOL never going to happen. My 1985 Toyota truck with a 22re would get 27 mpg on a long drive. This truck may get 22-24 on a good day. And stay away from those curvy mountain roads.
I like even more. Yep this has the Datsun beat. This would have the makings for one cool custom. Since power seems to be an issue a 2JZ swap is in order. (Yeah that is being done) Loose the blue seats in favor of a set of Brides with Takata harness. OK lets hook up the trailer and load up the Supra and go drifting.
Hey we can all dream…..including the seller @ $9500. But in defense maybe isn’t too far off. Find another. Lots of work to do on the Datsun even though it is cheaper. Nothing really to do here but hold the clutch pedal and turn the key. Sigh, I would always pay a little more to have the ‘Yota
My first truck was a 1979 SR-5 in this same color, bought in 1987 with 75,000 miles. It had bucket seats and we later had two small sons, had to sneak out of house with one of them because I couldn’t carry both of them. Sold it in 1995 for $1300 with 100,000 miles and bought an extended cab GMC Sonoma.
I had a ’79 SR5 SB, Same Colors in and out, 5-speed, w Shell, after-market-AC and I added CC myself, got 20-22 mpg ONLY , NEVER got more than 22 mpg and I constantly did the fill-up and calculate over 5 years. It liked to seize distributors . Other than that it was a great trouble-free truck for in the 100k miles I put on it. Can’t Imagine towing ANYTHING with that truck, it was barely able to merge safely with the AC on.