Is there anything more charming than a simple, light-duty pickup? It has the same qualities you look for, in, say a Labrador: loyal, easy to live with, and ready to work at a moment’s notice. The first-generation Toyota Hilux may not have been the high-riding 4WD truck we now place on a pedestal, but it was certainly a sign of things to come with regards to the Toyota brand. This 1973 model listed here on craigslist is described as a highly-original California truck that still wears its blue license plates align with a bed topper that has apparently been there for eons. The asking price is $11,500, and thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the tip.
When it comes to an old truck, you can usually pick out some details that point to a long-life of ongoing use. The end topper is the first clue, as it clearly dates to an era when you just threw whatever the local Sears store had sitting in the warehouse. It doesn’t exactly fit the profile of the Toyota and it isn’t painted to match, like today’s toppers that are designed to continue the lines of the body from the cab to the tailgate. The seller mentions that there’s still old-school shag carpeting covering the bed floor, and he claims it’s been there since the 1970s. The steel bumper is a replacement for the original that likely perished in a simple bumper bash incident. Original hubcaps are nice to see, too.
This is a second-generation Hilux, which was produced for just 2 years. A longer wheelbase was introduced and the engine bumped to 2.0L. The seller references that this was a long wheelbase example, but it seems like the bed was swapped. It’s hard tell for sure, especially since the bodywork seems consistent with decals matching from the cab to the bed. The listing clearly states “…was a 6-foot bed”, so perhaps the conversion happened when it was nearly new and the short bed was painted to match. Regardless, the interior appears as well-preserved as the cabin, with just a single crack in the dash and some splits in the seat; otherwise, it looks quite tidy.
The second-generation models moved the signature turn signals from the fender mount location to the more traditional bumper mount arrangement. The nose was refreshed and looked slightly more intimidating. Otherwise, the Hilux styling remained more or less consistent until the 4th-generation run. The 2.0L 4-cylinder produces 97 b.h.p. and 106 lb-ft. of torque, so while it won’t be fast, it will be darn near unkillable. As the seller points out, it still runs smoothly, which doesn’t surprise me at all. Personally, I’m not sure if I’d keep the bed cap – would you leave it as-is, or clean it up a bit?
I had a ’73. Pretty much bulletproof until the timing chain went, [and bent the intakes] but a fairly straight forward fix.
Oh, And I don’t think they came with rear bumpers, at least not standard. Or at least mine didn’t. I’m guessing you could order one as an option but that may have been the only option. They were the poster child of basic.
HA, I was just telling my lead mechanic about the ’74 I had years ago and yep, that 1.8s timing chain pooped the bed right in front of us. But yes, it was a fairly straightforward fix – especially if you sneak the new one in from the top so no head removal necessary. Good Times!
Yes, that looks like an aftermarket rear bumper to me. I remember seeing a lot of Hiluxes (and other import pickups) running around bumperless.
I believe these pickups also had locally-made beds as a result of the “chicken tax” tariffs.
Looks a lot like the ’72-1/2 I bought used when it was about
6 months old.I drove that thing all over the Western US,& put lots
of miles on it.
They didn’t come with a rear bumper,most were dealer installed.
Looks like a Barden bumper,which mine had.Those are also the same
decals on the sides as I had.It was part of the “Toyota Jazz Parade”
promotion.I ordered mine from the local dealer.I also added factory headrests to the seat,as well as a factory parcel shelf,& a factory
metal door for the gas cap (the came without a gas cap door).
These also came from the factory with a basic tool kit,a small
can of touch-up paint,& a list of dealers in the US.It was almost comical
to read the names of some of the dealers,especially in places like
Montana,where there’d be on with a name something like –
“Lewistown Toyota & Farm Supply”.The used to be a dealer in Kalispell,
Montana called “Wild West Toyota”.When you owned a Toyota back
then,it was like joining a club.Other Toyota owners would talk to you
about theirs.
This looks like the original bed,as short beds had a different wheelbase than the long beds – 101.7″ versus 110.0″.The beds were
built in Long Beach,California & put on the trucks at the Port of Entry,
thus avoiding the “Chicken Tax”.
I also had the front grille/surround painted Gloss Black.They were
Silver plastic from the factory.This is a nice truck,but not worth that kind
of money.
Why can’t I edit after I post? That’s why I have two posts already.