My memories of a slow, yellow Toyota in my fleet are not so distant that I don’t feel a slight pang of remorse when I see this clean 1982 Toyota pickup listed with just over 61,000 original miles. Sure, it was slow and shaped like a brick, but it was so incredibly reliable for what it was. This Toyota pickup is a throwback to an era when 2WD pickups were actually quite popular in the U.S., and you could get into a useful vehicle with a large bed without having to spend $50,000 for something with automated sidesteps and 20 inch chrome wheels. Find the Toyota here on the Sierra Classics website with an asking price of $9,990.
It’s not often you see these Toyotas still wearing their original bed lettering / graphics, original steel wheels, and chrome bumpers that shine like new. It’s also rare to find one with minty fenders and laser straight panels up and down the sides. Despite being small in size and power, these Toyotas were also incredibly durable, and owners tended to use them hard when they were in the prime of their active service lives. Now, to find one is to own a collector’s item or a beater that has somehow survived and continues to offer reliable service; this example clearly falls into the former category.
The interior is as immaculate as the outside, and while we tend to expect that vehicles with low mileage will simply present well inside and out, it’s not always the case. Plus, 60,000 miles is still plenty of time for a truck to look fairly tired inside and out, if not from wear and tear caused by the owner then possibly from the sun or other natural elements. This truck was clearly cherished from new, as the seat upholstery remains in mint condition, the dash uncracked, and the door panels just as the factory intended. Check out the seat belt receptacles – even the color on the latch button is still vibrant.
The 22R engine is one of those legendary mills that takes a considerable amount of effort to kill, and considering the nominal miles on this one, it will likely outlive its next owner. The engine bay paint looks fantastic as well, certainly indicative of a car that has seen very careful use over the years and consistent with the exterior. The seller notes some minor cosmetic blemishes as the only flaws, so presumably it still runs quite well. The price of these small-scale pickups will likely always hedge around this range, even in exceptional condition like this, unless you want a 4WD survivor – in that case, you have to shell out the big bucks, making this tidy 2WD even more appealing. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Stan for the find.
With the jillions that were sold, there’s bound to be a couple like this floating around down south. I had a truck just like this, only red. It was my ex-brother in laws truck he bought brand new, with NO OPTIONS. He had to go to 3 dealers before one would sell him one. He put 240,000 miles on it before I got it, and all he did was oil changes, brakes and tires. It never failed. The box was falling off when I got it, but still drove it for a year. It’s biggest downfall, was it needed a 5 speed, it buzzed on the highway. Wasn’t much of a vehicle with all the shortcomings of these, but in a changing world, it was just what we needed and caught Detroit with their pants down. They were great little trucks, and if these roundhead car makers would get their head out of you know where, and offer something like this again, be a hit.
You know what I wish? Truck manufacturers made a new pickup truck that had the options that I really need and do without the ones I don’t need, and didn’t charge $35K for the honor of having 4WD and a couple of options
Nice truck. Rust isn’t an issue where I live and though these aren’t common, they are still seen often.
If it were a short he’d it would likely have already sold for this trucks asking price.
Steve R
Can I make a friendly request? Please ban the use of the word “minty” in describing anything here. A perfect, flawless, looks-like-it’s-right-off-the-showroom-floor vehicle is “mint”. A nearly perfect, nearly flawless vehicle is “near-mint”. These are long-established and well-understood terms. “Minty” describes things like gum, candy, and alcoholic beverages…all good in their own right, but not something I associate with the flawless vehicles we post here. Whoever came up with the notion that it’s good word to use in situations like this one probably had had too many minty alcoholic beverages.
Very nice truck, by the way….I’d say it’s near-mint.
919, you are absolutely correct. There is nothing minty about this truck or any other merchandise unless it smells like mint or is a very mint green in color. Period.
I cringe every time I see this term. I follow used guitars and other instruments and when I see a Strat for sale described as “Minty” I want to hurl. Brings to mind visions of “El-Kabong”.
I drove a company truck for a few years. It was a 1986 Toyota long bed with the same engine, only it had a column shift auto with push button overdrive. Super reliable truck. Nothing seemed to stop it.
I’ve never seen one with the bed not completely rusted through.
Had an ’83. One head gasket in 23 years. Put 331K on it. Sold it for $200 less than I paid for it . . . with 23 years of service. Not bad. Ugly truck, ran like a clock. Now have an ’04. Last of the little Tacomas. Hope to put 500K on this one.