I’ve always liked little pickups but recently I’ve become a huge fan of small trucks. This 1982 Mazda B2000 Sundowner Pickup is on eBay with a current bid price of $1,800 but the reserve isn’t met. It looks like it could be driven home from Rancho Cucamonga, California to almost anywhere that the winning bidder lives.
The third-generation B-Series Mazda pickups were made from 1977 to 1985 and they continued to be used as a base for Ford’s Courier pickups until the 1983 model year when Ford came out with its own Ranger small pickup. The business end of this pickup looks solid as does the bed.
NADA lists the average value of a 1982 Mazda B2000 Sundowner Pickup as being around $3,000 so there’s still a little way to go on this auction. I really like this truck and this generation, but I do prefer the older Mazda B-Series and Ford Courier pickups. That’s just a personal preference. There are no engine photos, which is always a huge bummer, but they say that it has an “immaculate engine and transmission, no leaks.” Still, I always want to see an engine photo, just to know that the seller cares enough to take the time to take one. The engine is a 2.0L inline-four with around 80 hp.
The interior also looks good, from the uncracked seat, to the uncracked door panels, to the uncracked dash. There is some wear on the steering wheel and is that sculptured carpet in there? That would go away in my world but I guess it would deaden some of the road noise. The odometer shows 136,080 miles and is that AC?! There is no mention of that so I’m assuming that it isn’t working. Have any of you owned a third-generation Mazda B-Series pickup? Or, a Ford Courier?
Arrrgh…
If I remember right the bare bones base model of these sold for $6000 bucks when new.
I gave $5400 for mine, brand new. Didn’t even have a radio. Very reliable, but I had difficulty finding someone local to adjust the valve lash. The dealer was 60 miles away. The original Bridgestones lasted 96,000 miles.
They were running a special and we bought one new in 1984 for $4,995. 5-speed, no radio. I can’t remember if it came with a bumper but I don’t think so; I think we had one installed at the dealer. Had it for about 15 years and never did put a radio in it. Still have fond memories of it. Never gave us any problems.
like….hope it sells reasonably….but its in Cali….every thing old is higher there…
A few years back I picked up a running 82 courier for 200 in anaheim ca
Hello? US automakers? (slapping them upside the head with a rolled up newspaper) You want a shot in the arm for sales, bring back trucks ( and vehicles, for that matter) like this. You’d think they’d sell a billion,,,,yet,,,the price hasn’t budged.This is as good as it gets, for a simple, mini pickup. I’m sure the A/C works, people in California spend a fortune on auto a/c systems. It’s like having no heat in a northern car. Obviously, I’m in the minority, and there is not a lot of interest for these, or it would be gone by now. Mazda built great vehicles, and were every bit as good as any other Asian product. A), I can’t believe this is still here, and B), I can’t believe, being a California vehicle, it doesn’t have the ” California classic car surcharge fee”. Personally, I wouldn’t buy another pickup without an extra cab ( maybe that’s the issue), but with a topper, you can’t do better than this.
Hey automaker’s, not all of us want all the bells and whistles, bring back bare bones trucks.
And how does this sound? Try offering a small displacement turbo diesel engine? For a few years, Chevy and GMC offered their Colorado and Canyon trucks with a 2.8 litre “Baby Duramax”. Why they’re no longer provided is beyond me. But I’d like to see more small diesel engines. I’d buy one if it was available. Maybe a plug-in diesel hybrid.
The era of the “Strip-O” vehicle has indeed driven into the sunset. I know they “still” make them, try buying one… Tacoma ceased their single-cab production, so I am in an even smaller than Howard, as that’s the one I’d buy, but I do agree that The Manufacturers appear to be missing this Market Opportunity.
The manufacturers and dealers figured out that there’s no money in stripped down vehicles, they want the extra profit that comes with packages so they push them. In the old days they made up for it with VOLUME,VOLUME ,VOLUME. When I bought my last new car in 2007, they were still advertising stripped down cars as loss leaders, and I picked up a 4 cyl. Highlander for 21K.
My grandfather had one of these on the farm and this is what I learned to drive stick shift on at 13 years old. I’d love to have one of these.
Owned one just like it. long bed is a big plus in my book, Just put tires and exhaust and brakes on mine till the Northeast tin worm got it White is not good in Maine rust 20% faster than dark colors. Bought a Mazda 2600 4×4 regular cab and long bed next. Both great trucks. Long beds were hard to come in Mazda
I had one, and it was a great little truck! Always started and always got me home! Mine was exactly the same color! I can’t think of anything bad to say about one!
My buddy had one of these with a diesel, always ran, but rusted to nothing.
had one in the 80’s. Mazda by Ford. Loved that little truck until someone stole it from my driveway. it was found in a gravel pit where they had tried to cut the motor out of the body, and failed. it was written off and i was heartbroken. the end.
Although I never drove one, I remember the Mazda B2000 truck. I thought it was the best looking truck next to the Toyota, and the Isuzu P’up. It’s a shame they no longer make small compact trucks. I’ve driven two in my lifetime, and although the seats themselves were less than comfortable, I found the cab large enough to work with.
Perfect first new vehicle for a lot of young guys. Today my bones would be happier in a big Thunderbird.
Please take note big three.
This is exactly like the company truck I had, same color too! My boss had a mobile phone installed in it. I got flipped off a lot, because when I’d get a call, the horn would honk. I’d drive this every day, and would be a great lawn mowing truck. Minus the damned old time mobile phone!
Worked for a dealer in 1984. I had one for a demo.
It was a nice driving truck. (except it was very slow!)
Mazda provided one to SCCA Pro-Rally for use in stage layout and general use to Rally organizers.. It had a roll bar and that was the only additions.
It did not due well on jumps however. As it was really nose heavy. Accidently took a jump too fast and launched it. It came straight down (and I mean completely vertical) and luckily fell back on it’s feet. The front fenders got bent back into the tires. When I went to pull them out. It was apparent that it was not the first time that had happened! No other issues! One tough and slow truck!
Bought the Mitsubishi comparison model L200 on 72,000K’s. Awesome. Driven it half way across the continent already. This old school stuff is so much fun to drive with motorist appreciation and all the features you need. It is not the ‘newest car’ I own, that bill goes to my ’85 model “Brock”. Modern cars bore me and only give me appreciation when I smash it as hard as possible on a track to see how suspension has advanced – its pretty much the only advancement above bluetooth. Sorry, actually modern EFI was an incredible step, but it basically just makes high HP drive-able to the shops :)
I agree. I’m not against new things, like ABS brakes and SRS air bags, but I’m And many of the car companies that provided those trucks are no longer offering trucks, at least for the USA market. Mitsubishi hasn’t offered a truck since the early 2000s, Isuzu hasn’t provided a truck for the USA market for a long time. I’ve never understood why that is.
I remember this commercial for these trucks when I was stationed in Florida in the early 80s. Almost traded in my old, beat up 65 Mustang for one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvd18HEf0TE
I remember these commercials. I was too young to drive a car at the time, but I remember laughing by the time the commercial was over. 🤣
I had this truck. Got when I got my driver’s license. It was 1985 and a beat work truck is was no more. I got the “mini truck” customizing itch. Repainted 1985 Ford desert tan monochrome scheme , shaved the handles , bed hooks, trim, dropped 3″, ladder bars. I got the engine ported and polished with 44mm mikuni carburetor got it up to bout 96hp. It was a blast and bulletproof to match. Love this model. The cool camaro and mustang kids all run in same circles as me. And I can haul more coolers and girls to the lake. Great post
had an 80 in 1994ish. bought it for $400 from a friend and promptly drove it to BC, Canada and back to Los Angeles…twice. Never missed a beat. Had a funky shell on the back. Always started on the first hit, suspension was kinda soft but I was lugging a 200lb shell. Blew a head gasket (common on the 2.0) and bent 2 valves putting the head back on so I scrapped it. Bought another 25 years later and Im still driving it. Bulletproof IF you adjust valves and retorque head every 6 months. 30 minute procedure.