Early Toyota pickups have built a loyal following over the years, and clean examples are becoming harder to find. This 1975 Toyota Pickup SR5, currently listed on eBay, represents one of those increasingly rare survivors from Toyota’s early truck lineup. Finished in Suntan Orange and showing an estimated 120,000 miles, the truck is powered by Toyota’s well-known 20R four-cylinder engine and paired with a manual transmission.
The 20R engine, displacing 2.2 liters, earned a reputation for durability and simplicity, helping establish Toyota’s reputation for reliable small trucks in the 1970s. According to the seller, the truck originally came from western Washington, a region known for its relatively dry climate. The seller notes that this environment is reflected in the condition of the frame, truck bed, and undercarriage.
After the truck was transported to the East Coast, the seller invested significantly in mechanical work. The radiator was refurbished and the carburetor was replaced with a Weber unit. Additional work included replacing the head gasket, machining the cylinder head, and performing a valve job. Brake hoses were replaced, along with both front and rear shocks. Other work included installing new tires and replacing the rear wheel cylinder.
The seller reports that roughly $5,000 was spent on repairs, along with about $1,500 in transport costs from the West Coast. After the work was completed, the truck reportedly ran very well. One issue noted at the time was that the transmission would occasionally pop out of fifth gear.
Original components removed during the refurbishment have been retained and will accompany the sale. These include the original carburetor and smog equipment, which may appeal to buyers interested in maintaining or restoring factory-correct equipment.
Unfortunately, the truck later developed a mechanical problem and currently does not run. The seller states that the engine seized after the vehicle sat for roughly 15 months. According to a shop that inspected the truck, the oil pump failed. A verbal estimate for repairs was reportedly in the range of $3,000 to $4,000.
The mileage is listed as approximately 120,000 miles due to a replacement speedometer. The original speedometer, which reads about 19,156 miles, is included with the truck.
Even with the current engine issue, early Toyota pickups continue to attract enthusiasts thanks to their straightforward design and growing collector interest. Would you repair the original 20R and keep this classic Toyota on the road?
When I had my ’72-1/2 RN22 short bed Toyota pickup,
I was in Visalia,CA,having a new Toyota paid for head put
on it.I liked the new SR5,& could have got a good deal on a
trade,but the only color they came in was that ugly Chocolate-
Brown color,so I passed.
Does anybody know when these came in other colors?
Western Washington is not “relatively dry”. I live here. Eastern Washington is. Yet cars here don’t corrode too badly because we almost never salt the roads…about this truck, you don’t want to put the smog garbage back on unless your state requires it. The engine will thank you.
The words “project” & “survivor” should be mutually exclusive of one another. The former needs lots of things & the latter needs nothing or almost nothing. Which is it? Terms are just tossed around now.
I’m thinking somewhere between the two. I don’t know what it is. What would you call it?
Toss the engine and swap it out.
I had one of these..
Bodies had soo much rust..
Drop in a good 22R and drive this little rig! It is better to be driven than restored! These were work trucks, not collector items!!
Nice looking truck. Although I was too young at the time to drive a car, I remember when the Toyota Hilux truck looked like this. My late stepfather had a 1977-78 Toyota truck. I hope whoever buys this truck can get it running and driving.
I could be wrong. But I thought that 1975 Toyota trucks still used the 18R. (timing chain slapper) I was under the impression that the 20R (a huge improvement) wasn’t used until 1977. So this would not be the original engine if that is the case. And also, if I’m not mistaken. The manual transmission that came behind the 18R was a little weak. If you like this body style. (The cab is a little more cramped than the ’79 on up version) then just find a rusted out later version and swap out the engine and gearbox. Just sayin’
My stepfather’s 78 Toyota had the 20R engine. It had 92hp and around 124 lbs.-ft. of torque. It may not seem like much by today’s power standards, but for what this truck is, it’s just fine. I’d buy another if I could find one in decent condition.
1974 was the last year for the 18RC engine.
The 20R came out in 1975.Vast improvement!
Thank you for the clarification!
I guess the old (emphasis on the old part) brain has slipped a timing tooth.
I grew up in western Washington and I would never call it relatively dry. They just never started putting salt on the roads until they came out with that brine stuff that was easier to store +/- 15 years ago and then only the state highways and some cities use it. This thing has a lot of cancer in the body and a locked up engine my opinion it’s a parts rig
I grew up in Western Washington state and I drove the 78 Toyota truck. Other than rust holes in various places, it continued to run and drive forever.
so much for that 20r reliability
IIRC, The oil pump on these are driven off the front of the crankshaft. (Please forgive me if I’m wrong as I’m getting old. ) And it doesn’t take much to lose oil pressure IF the oil service is questionable. V/S if oil pump is down in the oil pan. The system (driven off the front of the crank shaft) is a great system for durability and generating good oil pressure for an overhead cam (requiring good/above average oil pressure) engines. But poor maintenance takes out the benefits.
So rare to see an actual these first year SR5’s that still has the factory stripes down the bed.
I have seen a lot of trucks from the 75-77 years that say they are SR5, but stripes are not there.