Hey yotaTech, new here to the forum! Happy to be here too.
So about a week ago I got my first 1991 toyota 4x4 pickup and I love the thing.
Though I want a camper shell so I can take her out and sleep in the back, but finding a shell thats in any sort of decent condition under $1000 seems hopeless.

Today I found a 1st Gen 4runner hardtop for sale at $350, which leads me to my two questions:
Would the hardtop fit on my pickup? The 4runner and my pickup are both standard cab so I know the angle should be fine there.
Is $350 far too much for a hardtop? I live in Southern California and I see prices for shells vary greatly.

Thanks in advance for any advice or info, its much appreciated! Also, please direct me to any threads my dummy self could not find.

 

you would be better off finding a canopy. There are differences between the 84-89 1st gen 4runners and the 84-88 2nd gen trucks. Your's in a 91 so you would be looking at more issue, even though they are both single cabs.
Also what would your plan be for the rear roll up window that 84-89 4runners had? Gonna some how convert a 4runner tailgate to your truck's bed?

several years ago there was an article in 4WD Toyota owner's magazine for just such a conversion to get the 4runner bed to work on a truck. He basically rebuilt the entire bed and cab to make it work. It took him a very long time. It came out good but it cost significantly more that $350...it's not a bolt on the 4runner canopy deal and call it good.

 

Ah perfect, I was clearly not aware of these issues. The most experience I have with these older 4runners is through pictures so I did not know about the tailgate issue. Could not find any info online about it, this is a perfect response and what I was looking for.
Thanks a ton!

 

We pick-up a beat fiberglass camper shell from a fella for $20.00. It had been sitting in his yard for years...
My kid went to work on the cracks with our surfboard ding repair kit (wrapping the cracks with fiberglass cloth).
Sanded it down and painted (Krylon Plastic/fiberglass paint)
Purchased the following:
carpet liner for interior (speaker carpet)/3M spray on adhesive
new locks/handles/with keys
new rubber seals for rear
camper shell "hold downs" for installation

With all of this, we still have under $200 invested in parts/materials.
Cheers

 

Thats a swell idea, I'll be on the lookout for any old and cheap ones. Appreciate the information, Ill be using it.

 

The other thing to remember is that the 4runner top has no front wall. And the roof of the 4runner (It originally was manufactured as a truck and was modified by an independent but Toyota approved company.) is taller than the pickup. There's really no way to make this work.

 

For many years I've toyed with the idea of fabricating a back cab plate to convert a 4runner to a pickup when it's needed. I even sketched a design at one point. Could use the original bolt pattern along the roof and the first couple along the bed rail. Where it meets the floor is where things would be tricky, and ideally the whole thing would be weather tight, but that would be quite a chore..

Ehhh... seems like a lot of work. Owning a 4runner and a pickup seems like it's the best way to go.

 

Where the heck did you come up with that?
I think you are confusing a 4Runner with a trekker! Where the trekker is a modified body and the 4runners was 100% OEM. The 4runner was originally imported under a sub clause with no rear seat it was very much a finished product..

 

Canopy is better, too. No stupid roll-up window that relies on electricity and adds around 25 pounds to the tailgate.

 

I think the 4Runner cabin is slightly taller than the pickup cabin. The hard top does not even fit correctly in the pickups of the same years. Is that correct?

 

I came up with that based on the sticker on mine that says so. (though there's not much of it left) The same is true with the Camry Solara convertibles. They were all made as coups and the convertibles went to an independent builder who chopped the top and made it a convertible. Was still sold as a complete toyota vehicle with warranty but was edited after original completion.

 

The Celica convertible went through that chop process described, but not the Solara. Yes, Toyota partnered with another company for the Solara convertible installation, but at this point Toyota was keenly aware of some of the build issues that happened with the Celica. Toyota had the contracted company build a factory right next to the Solara plant. Toyota would build the Solara all the way to the point where the convertible was needed, then ship the unfinished vehicle to the convertible plant nearby. They'd get the top done and functional, then ship back to the Toyota plant for the final build. nothing was retro'd in.

I was at the meeting when Toyota told the dealers that they were going to release the convertible Solara. The whole room groaned at the same time. It was pretty f***ing hysterical. The Toyota presenter jumped to the mic in a panic, waving both arms and saying, "No! this time we're doing it differently!".
Toyota customers had fairly high expectations, and the convertibles always fell short. The Solara convertible was an improvement, but when Toyota decided to discontinue the line very few were sad to see it go.

I think trying to make a 4Runner shell fit a pickup, and making it look like it belongs there, would be time-consuming and expensive. I'd get a nice shell that's the same color as the truck and be a lot happier in the long run. Probably a lot lighter in weight, too.