As a bit of a counterpoint to this morning’s immobilized (if only temporarily) Ford F-150, I offer you this Toyota pickup from roughly the same vintage (this is a 1975 or later version of the generation that first appeared in 1973). Unlike the Ford, it’s a daily driver and highly mobile, as I see it coming and going in my neighborhood. Which reminds me that I saw a yellow one of these the other day driven by the dad of one of my daughter’s classmates from middle school. They bought it as a typical cheap errand-mobile 25 years ago, and he’s still driving it (she drives a Lexus ES350).
Tough.
This is a long bed version, much preferred hereabouts for its greater utility value, which is of course precisely what these are valued for. And a canopy just adds to that, depending on the typical cargo.
There were a number of mid-generation changes to these, starting in 1975. The cab was lengthened just a bit, to give big Americans a tad more space. Not that these were ever going to be commodious. And under the hood the larger 2.2 L 20R SOHC four replaced the 2.0 L 18R. A bit more torque; always a welcome thing. Or maybe just to keep up with the horsepower-robbing emission controls.
Got to have a stick. I’m trying to image all the places this truck has been and all the things it’s hauled. Those seats look like later replacements to me.
During these challenging times, it’s good to be inspired by tough old goats like this. No virus is going to knock it down for the count.
Awesome truck. The healing rains have preserved this one well, I hope someone is running a clinical trial on healing rains vs virus…
I have always wondered what goes through someone’s mind when they decide to paint the outside of a vehicle a wildly different color from the original, but leave the inside alone. They must have not liked the color to make the change, so why leave the unpleasant color untouched in the place where you will still see it every day? I daresay the yellow paint underneath that blue is in at least as good shape as the dying dark blue topcoat.
I have zero firsthand experience with these, but a decent bit of wheeltime in a slightly newer Datsun. I like these minimalistic old trucks. No matter what color they are.
That’s a good point, about the paint. Maybe some outer parts were changed and the owner wanted a uniform paint job, choosing to use whatever paint he already had.
It’s too bad – that zany yellow is the color for one of these.
The truck that Toyota built their street reputation on.
Several generations of loyal Toyota buyers followed in step.
I bought a 1978 SR5 new. I wanted a cheap truck and the local Toyota dealer had a used Chevy LUV. I was mildly interested. The salesman said new Toyotas were discounted because they got an increased allotment of new revised 1979’s for every 1978 they sold. He said the new ones would sell easily at above MSRP
Mine was white.. Very stout mechanically. I lived in Central Ohio, and the road salt quickly took its toll. Because of the :Chicken Tax”, Japanese pickups had a 25% tariff. To avoid it, trucks were shipped without beds. There was a sticker on the front of the bed which read “Long Beach Metal Fabricators.” I think they made the bed from old 55
gallon drums. It soon began to rust. I decided to clean up the bed sides and sell it. I then discovered rust bubbles in the right side A pillar. I did get a good price.
My friend had a similar truck. It was brown and didn’t show the rust as quickly. Toyotas weren’t alone, my new 1977 Honda needed new fenders in less than 2 years.
They assembled the beds flatpacked from Japan and shipped separately from the trucks. I’d assume the painting process was not up to the main factory’s standards although given the volume it was probably a step above an Earl Scheib operation. IIRC just from what I saw on the streets as a kid Datsuns were the worst for bed rust.
On my blue ’84, the bed paint held up and the Japanese cab started peeling. Toyota stood behind its product and authorized my dealer’s body shop to do a complete repaint, even though the warranty had expired.
That Ford truck would be a F-100, not a 150.
I live in a suburb of Toronto. Toronto is in the rust belt. Cars like these have all disappeared. I look to cars like these as rolling pieces of artwork today. I will stare at them more than a Monet. I wish I didn’t live in a rust belt zone.
A friend had an ’85 Toyota Pickup this same navy-blue color. Rust turned it into Swiss cheese more than 15 years ago. Too bad because everything mechanical worked perfectly. He replaced it with a neglected ’90 F-150,with a good body, but a mechanical money-pit!
As for this one, I think I prefer the yellow mustard color.
There’s at least one of these Toyota’s in my town with a large flatbed that’s doing commercially hauling and dump runs. Not many trucks here that old still working hard!
This generation was very significant, in my eyes, because of the SR5 version. The earlier mini trucks, Datsun, Courier etc had a certain “lifestyle” aspect inherent in their low price and practical appeal to surfers, dirt bikers etc beyond their purely utilitarian uses. But once Toyota added the 5 speed, and the stripes and extra trim these really started to stand out from the other mini trucks. I had two professional colleagues with blue SR5’s as their only vehicles and I never considered them (the trucks) utilitarian … they seemed more upscale than my new 1982 Civic hatchback.
Although the Chevy LUV was offering 4wd on their pickups near the end of this Toyota’s life, the whole lifestyle thing took off hugely with the next generation of Toyota which also offered 4wd. In fact those ‘79-83 Toyota’s are known as first-gen trucks in the 4wd community, even though Toyota mini’s were sold here since the Stout days.
“because of the SR5 version”
Just when did “SR5” stop meaning a Toyota equipped with a 5 speed stick shift? I know that it happened at some point in the distant past, but never noticed when it did.
1st gen Hi lux probably the Stout was a grade tougher stronger bigger mostly, but that model Toyota was the first 4×4 Hi lux we got, they improved measurably with later generations untill they got to the stage you dont want to get them dirty,
I had to do a driver rescue in this utes great great great grand son on Monday the difference is astounding the newer one rides fairly well though you know youre in a ute it goes well but you can tell its diesel and for a ute it handled quite well, no I dont want one but Ive driven worse 2wd pick ups.
My first car when I turned 16 was a ’77 Toyota pickup. This was in 1992. It was white & rust colored with whitewall tires and in slightly better cosmetic shape than the one pictured. Mechanically it was a different story. It was the most miserable vehicular contraption I’d ever personally experienced at that point in time. It was woefully underpowered, noisy, cramped, rode hard and had skittish steering and outlandishly touchy brakes. All of these qualities might’ve been endearing if I were driving a ’32 Ford highboy or a MG TD. Instead it made for a miserable experience in a vehicle with zero “cool factor” for a 16 year old. In retrospect I can say it made me a marginally better driver at that early stage since it was a truck that kept me constantly and actively engaged in the driving process just to keep the d*mn thing on the road. I realize my experience was quite contrary to most peoples’ Toyota pickup stories…but even to this day I loathe the contraptions and have harbor ZERO positive sentiment towards the sight of a similar vintage ‘Yota truck. Rant over!
You obviously have never driven an old VW bus.
“There were a number of mid-generation changes to these, starting in 1975. The cab was lengthened just a bit, to give big Americans a tad more space.”
I never realized it before, but a quick look at some pre-1975 trucks confirms it. Mazda did the same with the B-Series/Ford Courier around the same time, something like 75mm/3″. How much of a stretch did Toyota give?
Addendum: I’ve looked at some brochures, and both the pre- and post-stretch trucks are listed as having a 101.6″ WB (short bed). But if the beds remained the same length after the stretch, and the frame wasn’t lengthened, where did the extra cab length come from?
If you’re sure all the stats are right and the beds didn’t get a bit shorter, I don’t know.
I’ve looked at as many side views as I possibly can, and I’ve come to the conclusion that yes, the beds must have gotten a tiny bit shorter after the cab stretch–kind of like the 2002 Ram giving up 3″ of bed space to make the Quad Cab longer.
THIS is the kind of truck I would buy, if they still made ’em. I don’t need or want a big behemoth mega-horsepower pickup. I need something economical that I can use to haul things on occasion.
But I guess there’s no market for them now. Oh well.
2021 Ford Courier. Ford is slowly getting the message. At first, no new Ranger for us because every American wants an F-150, right? Then the Ranger is re-introduced and is selling well, but is still on the expensive side with only one high horsepower engine offering. Meanwhile, at least around here, fleets mostly, are buying up basic stripper low powered Tacoma’s such that you cant find them in stock. Ford has captured the high margin pickup business and is now ready to compete in the low end as well. Or, you could buy the Tacoma I just mentioned, if you can find one.
Plenty of people still drive the older Rangers–older or newer–every day, me included. Several businesses still have them along with base-model Tacomas & Frontiers as fleet vehicles too. As a reliability testament, my dad’s ’08 XL with the 2.3L I4 has gone 215,000 miles in 12 years and still starts right up & runs every day. My 2011 is equipped very similarly; both are white. They’re not disappearing anytime soon.
That would be a real find here a roadworthy original Toyota of that era, they simply didnt last long, these were usually bought by forrestry companies farmers or govt depts and hammered into the ground quite quickly survivors sold off as used rusted beyond roadworthy long ago, the odd one surfaces now and then for sale but not as a road vehicle usually a farn ute still in going order but bring a trailer condition,
That one appears quite solid and has probably led a fairly gentle life.