I got bored and read the 4Runner history (http://www.top4runners.com/ja/runhist1.html). It says on there that 88 was the first year for split folding rear seats... is that wrong? Mine has split folding rear seats, as has every other 1st gen runner ive seen that was a passenger model... or... does that statement mean something else?

 

the 85 i just got has split folding rear seats. Pretty sure it's all original, even the gear oil seems original.

 

Sounds like you like your new toy Brian... hurry up and get it done so we can go wheelin again!

 

My 87' had split seats too.

Erich

 

my 84 has them same with the 88

 

Got the split rear seats in my '87 as well.

 

well, that history looks wrong. they also say that the vent windows went away in '88, but my '89 has them. my guess is that they meant that the rear seats became standard, since the early 4runners came without rear seats.

 

I thought from 84 you could get the utility model (no rear seats) or the passenger model... maybe that statement means:

From 84 to 88 the utility version was the base vehicle, and you could "option" for the rear seats. in 88 they made the passenger model with the rear seats the base model

 

My 85 has a 1 piece, vinyl rear seat. It's a strippo model though, no carpet, no nothing (perfect for my wheeling buildup)

 

All the Factory Toyota rear seats were split. They were available from day one (1984 models.)
Those who have the single rear seat have a Runner that was imported as the utility model, then had the interior done with aftermarket parts "in port." They did this to beat the tarriffs.

My father says he still has the dealer manuals (big 3 ring binders with all the sales training info and details for ordering, options etc) for the 85s. He has promised to dig them out one of these days, been 'promising' for a while... When he does we'll make copies available.

There's lots of errors in that history....

 

Sweet, thanks Phil.

 

[QUOTE=Flamedx4]My father says he still has the dealer manuals (big 3 ring binders with all the sales training info and details for ordering, options etc) for the 85s. He has promised to dig them out one of these days, been 'promising' for a while... When he does we'll make copies available.

QUOTE]

Man, I would love to get a look at those manuals.....

 

Workin on it! He has a short attention span, unless he's fishin'....

 

My 87 has spilt seat.

88 you could not get the 2 seater 4runner. base DX did not come with the spilt seat. SR5 did and Op on the DX.

This is my 2cents my not be right. I have sold cars for 5 years. I have order cars for people and seen op that you can get and not get for a base model to the fully loaded one.

 

Just for clarification, the DX was not the base model.
There were 3 models; Base, Deluxe, and SR5.