Like they said, depends on where you live. Around here, $3k you're lucky if it runs. I have well over 300k miles on mine, driven daily, and wheeled hard. The guides aren't much of an issue. They do wear out, but are fairly easy to change if you know what you're doing. As long as you keep up with it, and not overheat it, head gaskets are hardly an issue. If you can see oil on the back of the engine, its the valve cover gasket. Rear main, it would look like the bellhousing is leaking. For the money, I upgraded my timing set. I went with a dual row with metal guides. Kit included a new cover, oil pump, water pump, all the gaskets and hardware. Problematic areas are actually the frame (beside gas tank, above rear axle, crossmembers), bed, cab corners, cooling fan, and rear springs. You can tell a lot about how the previous owner took care of it, by the valves. If it ticks loudly, he just did the basics. Those who care, will readjust the valve lash.

 

The guy that owns it is an old Mexican fellow that has a small used car lot. Him and his brother also have a small time mechanic shop. So I assume they did the typical needed maintenance, no idea after that.

-Josh

 

Update. Went and looked the truck over today in the sun. Couldn't find any rust on frame, or anywhere.



Truck has been repainted. Here's something that caught my eye. On the rear bed panel, there is a seem that looks like it's either been filled with bondo or paint. The paint job looks like they did it, so maybe they layed the paint thick there, or it is body filler.

Driver side is partially filled, and the passenger side is completely filled.



Any thoughts?

Truck has A/C, but he states it doesn't blow cold? Recharge a common thing on these, or compressor?

Also, I think he's been driving it in 4h thinking it was in 2h. Not a lot, but a few hundred miles. Think that messed anything up?


-Josh

 

Who knows what's under that paint, you could have bondo bubbling up in three months and two blown crank seals. Needs springs too. Shouldn't even make an offer without seeing some good compression numbers at 370k, IMO. Definitely a gamble, and a big one at that.

 

id say pass. there's nicer ones out there in your price range.

 

Yeah,I'd pass on that truck.I know the feeling,you get an itch and try to convince youself this is the one.I bought an 86 about twelve years ago for $ 3500 and the thing was down more than any vehicle Ive ever owned.Finally just took it off the road after sinking a bunch of doigh into it.On the bright side,I ended up raping that truck for parts on my current truck.I still use it as a parts truck.Pretty expensive parts truck though.You can probably get twice the truck for half the money if your patient.I paid $ 2000 for my current truck and I love it to the point of obsession.

 

it looks nice but for $4k you can find a truck with half that mileage...unless everything bearing wise (axles etc) and drivetrain has been rebuilt recently with documentation it is a $2k truck at best IMO...

 

Be paitient, i've got 1/2 that in mine...

$400 for this gem

needed some work but worth it.

$1700 for the one in my avatar, it needed work.

They all need something, you have a better chance of winning the powerball jackpot than you do finding an older Toyota that doesn't need something done to it. Don't overpay and you'll be happy... i'd also offer about $2,000 and haggle from there.