Matt16

Oh, one more quality, though unquantifiable, makes our Toyota's part of a special groups of cars. Charisma.

The only other 4x4 which has the same charisma is the Land Rover Series.

bigt

yeah i seen some old military land rovers at a british car show i was at today getting some parts for my austin healy and they almost made me want to sell a few yotas and lookinto one... they even had the camo tarp to cover it up from, the enemy!

stockyotadriver

my YOTA found me. i was 15, had been working all summer and saving up. i wanted a mustang or something like that. and then one day my dad came home, towing a 1989 toyota pickup that had been hit in the corner. the interior was full of mold and the back was full of trash that had been there for who knows how long. the fender, bumper were crushed and all the steering arms were twisted to crap. fixed all those problems. tore the carpet out, and scrubbed it all down. took the "old man's canopy" off.

immediatly fell in love the day i got it driving again. the first second i started it actually.
since then every weekend im tinkering away on my truck always adding something.

ill never sell this thing

HELIFUN

I got my 87 4Runner because they last last last and last.

I have to say the older Toyotas have to be some of the best autos in the World.

georgiayota

I have a 82 4x4. I LOVE my toyota words just can't explain. I am in the middle of restoring it and have it tore apart and I miss it so much. Sometimes I just go out and sit in it and remember all the good times in it. Yeah, some people think I'm crazy, but it's somehting that I can't explain.

Oh yeah and it has 35's and got 20mph!

Matt16

Auto as in automatic transmission? I had a 86 2wd truck and the automatic never slipped, made noise or complained even though I hauled around a full tonne of gravel once in a while up some 15-25% grades. I was impressed.

olharleyman

For me they are like old HARLEY'S the older they are the better they are and people will always go out of there way to come check out the older not a cookie cutter TOY over the new no personality same as the next guy trucks , not that I need someone to validate my truck for me but it never ceases to amaze me how many people come over and strike up a conversation about how they wish they had never gotten rid of the 4runner they had back in the day. Jeep people really hate to admit the mistake they made getting rid of there TOY'S but it happens all the time

blackspyder

why mine? $500 cash in hand bought mine, minor fixes made it legal, its not over a 90 model (have too many issues with 90+ vehicles), it's not an S-10 (never doing another clutch in one, never again). Other than that I just like it for all its quirks and bad days (Kinda like my C-10 3 motors, 2 trannys, and a lot of work but it's my baby)

deines97runnah

Ok, my grandfather loves MG's....LOVES THEM. Never understood it. Small, crapped, slow, Ect. But upon further review its something that just HAPPENS. You cant control it. My mother started looking for a new car. She got it down to two suv's on the lot. A chevy blazer with retarded running boards, ect. It was ugly. Then the one i picked out, the 4runner. Looks were sooooo much better. Knew nothing other than that. i was still in highschool and i would drive that thing everywhere. Fell in love with it. I originally wanted to put 22'' rims on it and such. (I know I should be shot everywhere that wont kill me then put in a tub of tabasco sauce.) Then time came for ma to get a new truck ( a 2005 xterra-i had a hand in picking this one as well) and she sold me the 4runner. i found this site one day when i was ordering parts, and it all began. Started to learn more and more about what she is and whats she can do. Love the look of them lifted, loved how they werent a HEEP, Loved how they have a strong almost CULT following. Now i laugh a people with there 20'' rims and nerf bars, what a waste of money. But this yota i will never get rid of, the bond is too strong to be broken, i'll take care of her as long as she takes care of me!
Oh yeah i've put more money into it than i paid for it

chorst294

I bought my first Toyota from my uncle 1 year ago. He sold me his 1991 pickup 4x4 v-6 5spd. w/ 122,000 miles for only $3,500. It had a new paint job and needed absolutely nothing. He had the truck since it was new and felt bad for selling it, until he bought his new FJ. I enjoyed the truck so much, I bought a 2004 crew cab 4x4 TRD Tacoma to sit next to my 91' in the driveway. I love them both, but still prefer the older truck. There's something about simplicity. Manual windows, transmission, t-case lever, hubs, etc. I plan on driving it till the wheels fall off.

toyospearo

This thread is so good I felt compelled to reply!
I drive Toyotas because I grew up working on our cattle ranch in rural Utah. All my family would ever buy/drive were Fords and GMC's. The trucks were powerful and comfortable but unreliable as hell. We would drive them for a year or two and that was about it. Blown motors, suspension problems, electrical... none of which you could fix on your own. I have been stranded so many times I cant count. This was before quads. In fact the possibility of breaking down was so common I use to bring extra food and water. The worst was being stranded 26miles from anything human. I was out counting a heard we put up the mountain and I made my way up this relatively easy rocky old road. When I got to the top I heard a thumping sound and the Ford F 350 4x4 came to a crippled stop. I had broke the front axel. It took me all night and the next day dodging rattlesnakes and mountain lions to walk to the nearest road which was 26 miles. This is just one example in countless stories of breaking down.
I bought my first Toyota used 1991 4x4 22re. I had just been accepted to college and I was as poor as you get. That truck is the reason I made it through college. I had to drive 60 miles everyday to get to school and two jobs. Not to mention all the offroad driving during hunting season that lasts 3 months. Not a single time did that truck leave me stranded. I graduated from college and swore I would never buy anything but a Toyota. Three years ago I sold that truck with 397,000 miles same motor on the original clutch! I took the money and bought an ext. cab 94 22re.
below is a picture of that old 1991 4x4. I miss that truck! It is often my eyes well up thinking about it.

bxlt

I Love my Toyota. I bought my first one when I was 19, an 86 xtra cab 22re on 35's I have never tinkered with another truck more then that, new stereos, under the hood when ever I could be, the only thing I didn't actually do myself was rebuild the engine but I loved to work on it and that is why i put a lot of mods on it because it never needed to be repaired.

Sold that truck and never really thought about it. I went from a 4banger to a V8 Chevy and loved having all that power but was too afraid to take it a wheel it (1 because when they get stuck you are STUCK and 2 because I owed to much money and didn't want anything to happen to it)

Couple of years ago I was wanting to find a little truck to fix up and work on, just a little fun weekend project truck so I bought my current 86 and ever since then I have been kicking myself for selling my first one! But I love it I can take it up in the hills, I have something to work and tinker on and I enjoy it so much that I sold my full sized truck and now its my daily driver. In fact if I don't drive it for more then 2 days I start to miss it.

The only bad thing is now I need to buy another one because I have so many mods that I would love to do but don't want to take this truck of the streets for that long!

No one understands but another Toyota owner. Why would I pay $1500 for a rusted out piece of junk? Because for the $2500 total I have into it now, new tires, bed, hood, cowl and other minor repairs, and some TLC this truck will still be around for my 6-month-old son to drive, and hopefully he will get the same enjoyment out of working on it that I do!

oatmealwine

If any of you haven't already seen it here is Top Gears (a british car enthusiast show aired in the US on BBC America)attempt to destroy a Toyota Hilux Pickup! Enjoy! http://videos.streetfire.net/video/T...roy_105017.htm

99SR5

iTrader: (1)

yes! that and i can take my roof off in the summer

87LVRunner

Boy, where to start?? I was eight years old. I remember sitting in the kitchen with my father playing with my Stompers. (dating myself!) Anyway, had a blue hilux and it was my favorite toy. Then, that same year, family friend shows up with an 81 Toyota 4X4 in BLUE! It was my truck!! It was REAL!!! I don't know what happened to that truck, but my next encounter was on the Rubicon Big Sluce. I watched an 89 Toyota 4X4 make it through and nobody could believe it. I remember that guy with his blonde girlfriend in white short shorts. They had A/C while we were sweating in the Jeep!!! I was 12 and I knew I would get my Toyota. I saved and saved and got $2000 together. My dad matched it and at 14 years old I bought my 85 LooongBed. Haha! I worked on it for a year before I could drive it. LOVED that truck. It was stolen and I don't think I ever fully recovered from that. So, a few trucks in the middle I now have my 1987 Toyota 4Runner. The only truck that could take my 4Runner away would be that blue 82 4x4.

Someone else said it though. The real big BIG reason I drive what I have is because NOBODY else has one and with all the aftermarket options, MINE is the ONLY one like it. There isn't another one out there, anywhere that is exactly the same. Are there better ones?? Sure. But they are not mine. The car is mine! I did this...

AWorth

I bought my first yota a little over a year ago. 85 supra, knew basically nothing about toyotas I just thought the supra was a pretty sweet deal for 1500 bucks and running strong at over 260k miles. I love that car great toyota, a blast to drive. Then I decided I needed a truck. I was already impressed with my supra so I settled on buying a 4runner. Got an 87 basically stock no rust, appeared that the previous owners never really went off roading cuz its really clean. I like these older trucks because theyre reliable and look a heck of a lot better than most small pickups and suvs from the 80's.

bxlt

Wow taking a trip down memory lane I had Stompers too! And I have always loved those 1st gen Toyota's when I was 16 and had the money to buy my first truck there was one in town. A red 82 and I wanted it like no other truck but mom and dad wouldn't let me have a 4x4 (probably a wise decision at the time but still made me mad!) But as soon as I could have a 4x4 I bought my first 86, I still want an 80-83 but it might be the 3rd one I buy because my next Toyota is going to be a trail rig and I need a little more cab room because those cabs are SMALL!

stagger_lee

I have been wanting an 84 4runner since they came out when I was 5 years old. Finally got her 24 years later. Burned the pink slip with my kid last weekend, as it will be his. I stare out the window to make sure I'm not dreaming. The wife cant understand the relationship. She drives an H3! lol Of course she doesn't understand.

bigt

your will have to pry my 91 hilux surf outta my cold dead hands!!!

my mom and dad gota 87 4runner in 89...we took that truck all over canada and the u.s. I LOVED THAT TRUCK.. THE canadian rust claimed it..

my 93 22re could be replaced by a sfa first gen runner but thats it..

I GOT 2 CLEAN YOTAS. one left and one right hand drive.. one diesel one the kickass 22re and they are MINE!

they maybe older but i get asked so many questions and compliments on my trux!

phildelfino

When I was living in Las Vegas (1990 to 2004) my friend had an 87 x cab P/U, 5 speed, SR5, everything worked good on it and he had that thing for over 15 years. I always liked the look of those year Toyotas. I always thought the P/U and 4Runner of those years (1984 to 1988) was a good looking vehicle, but with no power. So I bought an S 10. Loved the 4.3L motor and 5 sp. in that thing. It was a good enough truck. Got 28 MPG hiway.
Always in the back of my mind, I was thinking of buying one of those 4Runners though. Got this one in Aug. 2007 for $1700. Figured the V6 would be better than the I-4. It's a little better. Thought it would be close to the S 10 4.3L. Wrong. Wanted one for so long. Bought it. It's a dog in the power dept., but I got something I've wanted to buy for a long time, say it with me, 1st Gen 4Runner. 1st Gen 4Runner.
I can afford to buy and drive anything I want. I chose this. I want to learn about this truck. I want to mod this truck for fishing and wheeling. That's why I joined YT. Great site for repairs, info, opinions etc., etc.
Something appeals to you about the look of these 80's trucks and or 4Runners. You have to act. Like many I acted years later. It was cheaper to wait it turns out. Even though I got a high mileage 4Runner (226,941 and counting), I am happy and will fix and mod till my hearts content.
Many things in life are not really explainable.

Someone else here said it well, "It's like faith, it just is."