I have a 90 4runner right now but if I could find one of the older toyota trucks, one with a solid axle in front, I'd rather have that. Are these trucks pretty rare to find? Are they generally in good condition still(engine and suspension and drive, body dont matter to me)? Do they take alot of maintenance since they are old? If I found one for sale, do they have anything specific that I should look at or inspect, like things that commonly go wrong?

I like the look of the old trucks but I've only seen a few out here in Santa Fe.

 

There not rare to find, but solid front axle toyota 4x4 trucks havn`t been made since 1985, so that makes them harder to find, if you look around you should be able to find one in good condition, but the nice thing about these truck is that you can find parts for them almost anywere. If you like the
4Runner you have now, you could always put a solid front axle in it.

 

Easy to find, yes and no, I spent nearly two months looking for a straight axle rig 79-85, but most I found were butchered, modified and beat up. I did not want to buy someone's headache.

Easy to find

Yes if you willing to deal with someone else's headache that has been wheeled and butchered to death

No if you want a clean stocker.

I found my 85 after looking for two months.

 

I looked off and on for about 8 months. I wanted a stocker and I pretty much found it...flat bed and a smittybilt front bumper. Those were the big mods. You can find them for less than a thousand out West but most folks are beginning to realize what these are worth so they are holding out for top dollar. I'd say anything between $800.00 to $3,500 is fair.

Stuff I looked for before purchasing were:

Does everything work?--lights;interior&exterior. 4WD, Brakes, Tranny, Windows, Seat tracks, seatbelts...etc

Do hubs engage/disengage freely?

Any grease or oil spots under truck, around birfields?

Look under the oil cap and rad cap for junk or foreign fluids.

These are just a few places to check but you get the idea, don't get so stoked that you buy the first or even fourth truck you look at. Just be patient.