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Hey All,
Longtime Land Cruiser lover here ( ‘84 FJ60, ‘97 FZJ80, and the wife’s got a ‘14 GX460) but fell in love again with a 1988 Regular Cab Pickup, short bed. 1 owner local truck (technically 2 owner, but 2nd was just transferred from estate will unfortunately), blue interior/exterior, 22-R, 5 speed manual.
It’s amazing and I love it, it’s quick, fun to drive, great gas mileage, a little do all truck….havent driven the 80 in a month haha.
Learning as I go with it, and that’s why I’m here…good to take a little break from ih8mud too
Did some thread searching but no solid answers, so can you all fill me in on what exactly I’ve got in terms of the model name I should be calling it ?
And I spent a couple hours on the wheels and tires thread, lots of 4Runner and 4wd threads, but any links or advise on what size wheel and tire I can put on what I think is a stock 88 2wd truck?
Thanks all and looking forward to joining the community!
Well it’s exactly that an 88 Toyota “Pickup” 2wd I don’t think a model came until the Tacoma in 95 1/2 years and up. As far as the tires go someone may chime in as I have a 4wd.
Welcome to Yotatech! Technically, Toyota referred to these pickups as Hilux, but Toyota USA quit using that name in marketing after 1978. Stopped having the "Hilux" emblems put on the vehicle, too.
All vehicles were built in Japan back then. With the trucks, it was common for the STD trucks to be shipped with Japanese beds installed(exterior lip and tiedowns), while DLX and SR5 got shipped without beds. They got USA-built beds(flush lip like yours) installed once they hit the US port. But there are exceptions, especially in the later 1980's. I can't tell if yours is a STD or DLX. It could go either way. If it's a STD it most likely got a package added along it's journey from port to the dealership that added the chrome package and decals. AC was probably added in the USA, either at the port or dealer, but it is factory.
That plate on the firewall has your model number, with that much can be deciphered, and is very useful when looking up parts online.
If you post your model number I can break it down for you.
If you're really curious you can go to vehicle spec at Toyota.com and enter your VIN and get all the data they have. Kinda useful to have. It'll show how it was built from the factory, selling dealer, selling date, etc
I’m in the right place Thank you @Discombobulated and @Jimkola for the great responses, love that info, super Toyota nerdy and helpful.
I do have a/c on the truck, but I’ll get model number off firewall tomorrow for full details…as I’m curious now if I have STD or DLX.
I’m open to all wheel/tire options right now…from what I have searched thru here, there are more tire options on a 15in wheel, and probably more 15in wheel options too. And a 195 75 r15 will fit with no rubbing issues far as I’ve read…
But I like the stock steel 14in black and silver wheels a lot too…and aside from slight mods on my 80 series, I stick to stock on my other rigs.
Sorry no good answer there for ya haha.
Excellent pics!!!! Personally I like the 14’s on a 2wd, although they are getting harder to find at tire shops they are so so much cheaper and I love old steel wheels. I’m going to ditch my aftermarket wheels next tire change and get old steelies with hubcaps
Thanks much ! You have probably been on that trail from the 80 series picture, that’s up north of Idaho Springs on those trails off Fall River Road (I lived out in Denver for about 15 years).
Do you know where you will get 14 inch steelies when you’re ready ? Aside from asking here and randomly searching facebag marketplace, the only place I’ve seen them is some site called “stockwheels”dot com…
Thanks much ! You have probably been on that trail from the 80 series picture, that’s up north of Idaho Springs on those trails off Fall River Road (I lived out in Denver for about 15 years).
Do you know where you will get 14 inch steelies when you’re ready ? Aside from asking here and randomly searching facebag marketplace, the only place I’ve seen them is some site called “stockwheels”dot com…
I’ll be going 15 inch but I’m not sure yet, it may be a while as I stopped daily driving my truck and my BFG mud terrains are almost new.
I do believe I’ve been on those trails but man it’s been a long time, I will have to admit I haven’t wheeled that much lately, Colorado has turned into a Cluster F in the mountains. A lot of trails have closed cause people are idiots. We used to go out to left hand canyon all the time but people were trashing it so they closed it. But it may be back open by now not sure. Me and my wife have been saying we need to go camping but when we look at our options we used to camp at you now need reservations…
Anyhoo
Last edited by Discombobulated; Mar 28, 2025 at 04:40 AM.
Welcome to Yotatech! Technically, Toyota referred to these pickups as Hilux, but Toyota USA quit using that name in marketing after 1978. Stopped having the "Hilux" emblems put on the vehicle, too.
All vehicles were built in Japan back then. With the trucks, it was common for the STD trucks to be shipped with Japanese beds installed(exterior lip and tiedowns), while DLX and SR5 got shipped without beds. They got USA-built beds(flush lip like yours) installed once they hit the US port. But there are exceptions, especially in the later 1980's. I can't tell if yours is a STD or DLX. It could go either way. If it's a STD it most likely got a package added along it's journey from port to the dealership that added the chrome package and decals. AC was probably added in the USA, either at the port or dealer, but it is factory.
That plate on the firewall has your model number, with that much can be deciphered, and is very useful when looking up parts online.
If you post your model number I can break it down for you.
If you're really curious you can go to vehicle spec at Toyota.com and enter your VIN and get all the data they have. Kinda useful to have. It'll show how it was built from the factory, selling dealer, selling date, etc
Hey @Jimkola here is a pic of that model number RN50L-LRA…wondering what you can (or where I can) decipher from this ?
RN=22R truck(hilux)
5=2wd
0=short bed
L=left hand drive
-
L=no idea
R=STD
A=built for USA market.
oddly, it’s listed as having been built 100% in Japan(cbu) but it has a USA built bed. Maybe not original? You’ll notice in the image below the one SR5 is listed as having been “IV” incomplete vehicle, meaning it got shipped to USA without a bed.
Welcome to Yotatech! Technically, Toyota referred to these pickups as Hilux, but Toyota USA quit using that name in marketing after 1978. Stopped having the "Hilux" emblems put on the vehicle, too.
All vehicles were built in Japan back then. With the trucks, it was common for the STD trucks to be shipped with Japanese beds installed(exterior lip and tiedowns), while DLX and SR5 got shipped without beds. They got USA-built beds(flush lip like yours) installed once they hit the US port. But there are exceptions, especially in the later 1980's. I can't tell if yours is a STD or DLX. It could go either way. If it's a STD it most likely got a package added along it's journey from port to the dealership that added the chrome package and decals. AC was probably added in the USA, either at the port or dealer, but it is factory.
That plate on the firewall has your model number, with that much can be deciphered, and is very useful when looking up parts online.
If you post your model number I can break it down for you.
If you're really curious you can go to vehicle spec at Toyota.com and enter your VIN and get all the data they have. Kinda useful to have. It'll show how it was built from the factory, selling dealer, selling date, etc
Hey Jim,
i tried that vehicle spec link, created an account, but it keeps telling me my vin is invalid. Does it work for yours?
Hey Melrose …FYI, I just did the Toyota vehicle spec link and it took my vin (did all my trucks actually) and gave back some basic model/code info. Know that doesn’t help but it did take my 1988 Pickup and 1984 Land Cruiser
Make sure all your letters are in upper case.
I needed to replace my missing VIN plates(door jam and dash under windshield) , and Toyota has a process for doing it (pain in the ,,,, though). This document helped considerably in getting the replacement. So worth downloading and saving.
The one unique info off this spec sheet is knowing where the vehicle was sold.
I’ll be going 15 inch but I’m not sure yet, it may be a while as I stopped daily driving my truck and my BFG mud terrains are almost new.
I do believe I’ve been on those trails but man it’s been a long time, I will have to admit I haven’t wheeled that much lately, Colorado has turned into a Cluster F in the mountains. A lot of trails have closed cause people are idiots. We used to go out to left hand canyon all the time but people were trashing it so they closed it. But it may be back open by now not sure. Me and my wife have been saying we need to go camping but when we look at our options we used to camp at you now need reservations…
Anyhoo
Yeah I get you on Co…like I said “lived” there, but had to get out a few years ago now, way too much last 5 or 10 years. But enjoy it, beautiful place!
Wanted to ask you tho , how much tire research have you done ? I’m looking for closest to factory size , as I might be onto some 15 inch steel wheels I like.
Mar 26, 2025 | 03:19 PM
Thank you @Discombobulated and @Jimkola for the great responses, love that info, super Toyota nerdy and helpful. 
