I’m the proud owner of a 1991 FJ80 Land Cruiser that I absolutely love. Unfortunately I find myself needing a truck, as I hate sliding 2x4s and plywood into the great condition interior of my FJ80. I’m looking at the Tacoma and T100, neither of which really have the space for kid hauling duty even in an extended cab. So, that brings me to the 1st generation 4Runner. At least in my mind it’s a good fit, as it has a full backseat but also a cargo bed. I’ve always loved the look, the removable top is cool, and the improvement in MPG would be welcome. Has anyone owned both an FJ80 (not the FZJ80) and a 1st gen 4Runner? I’d love to hear a comparison, both good and bad. Thanks!

 

4Runners are not that big. You won't be sliding any full size sheets of plywood into them. And full length 2x4's are going to stick way out the back

 

I expect anything I haul to hang out the back, I have the same issue with the FJ80. I also expect any sheet goods to go in at an angle and not lay flat. Fortunately both the FJ80 and T4R have a tailgate, which helps. Doesn't the 4Runner bed have the same width as the trucks of the same era?

 

The issue is the roll bar in the 4runner. Otherwise the bed is the same width AFAIK.

 

IMO, the 3Fe always needs more gear... I was even gonna do mine 5:29's with 33's... But it never came about...


Anyway, you got the torque, get a trailer.

The 4Runner will be leaf spring and ride nowhere near the 80, and the axles won't be as beefy. Not to mention the 2 door Vs. 4 door...


Trailer for the plywood... I'd never give up an 80 for a 4Runner... I'd have both but never give one up.

 

I have never hauled sheet goods inside my Runner, but have hauled plenty of 2x4's and 2x6's back to the house.

I am always amazed by what you can fit in the back of it with the seats down. Last weekend I took a ton of equipment to a cabin in the middle of nowhere for a sweat equity maintenance weekend. I had my chop saw on a folding stand, an air compressor for the nailers, my bag full of brad, stapler, finish, and framing nailers, two toats full of electric hand tools, my home electrical tool box, all of my drywall knives, drywall T square, folding saw horses, etc, etc.

Loaded to the gills in there with equipment, drove it 5 hours to get there, unloaded it, worked for four days straight, shot a bunch of ground squirrels, caught a bunch of trout, and then loaded it all back up again and drove 5 hours home.

They are a versatile rig.

Mike

 

4 door Tundra.

 

The issue is that I'm tired of hooking up a trailer, hence the desire for a truck or truck-like vehicle. If I need to haul a trailer I'll use my wife's Armada, the 3FE leaves a little to be desired in the power department. My thought was that the T4R would give me the back seats with a truck bed, and the ability to carry tall stuff by removing the roof. In a perfect world I'd buy a new Taco crew cab, but that isn't gonna' happen on my budget. Plus as I said before, double the MPG would be nice as a DD. Basically I'm going to sell my FJ80, I'm just trying to decide if a 1st gen T4R be a feasible alternative to a Toyota pickup.

 

On a $6k budget? I wish.

 

Another plan would be an FJ60 or FJ62 Land Cruiser, which also have a big truck like back. Unfortunately they don't have the removable top cool factor, and still get crappy MPG.

 

What's the gas mileage on your 80?

 

About 12 MPG on the highway thanks to the 33" tires. It was more like 14 MPG with 31"s.

 

and it's not in the cards for you to just buy some beater pickup for hauling things and keep the cruiser?

 

Probably not, I'm too budget constrained to keep multiple vehicles.

 

You say "kid duty" and you want to go to a 2 door, in through the one front seat, 4Runner?

And tell me again what the difference in putting plywood in the back of a 4Runner and LC is?

Are you planning to keep the top of the Runner off? Do you still have your 3rd row seats in?



it's too bad the A440 didn't have a lock-up torque converter... And that you don't like pulling a trailer...

You want power? Throw a 2F-e in it... And/or the proper gears.

Mileage? In the real world you'd prolly only see 15 unladen in a 4Runner anyway... And they hate when you throw bigger tires on them.

 

I just think you'll be disappointed. The 4runner only has the bed of a pickup if the back seat is removed. And with the back seat in place, I would think you would have less room than the 80. Ive never owned either though, just my opinion. Good luck!

 

x2, your LC mileage looks worse than it is with the 33's, regear and pull whatever you want.

 

and oh yeah... The 4Runner would have slightly less space of a short bed pickup...

Seeing's how it's a SWB frame.

 

You guys ruin all of my fun. I've also just always wanted one, but that's a little tougher to justify. Thanks for the dose of reality, a truck probably does better suit my needs.

 

2f-e?