For most handyman jobs or off-road adventures, a compact truck will do the trick just as well as a full-size pickup – and Toyota trucks from the 1990s are notoriously bulletproof. Here’s a great example.
The Pick(up) of the Day is a 1991 Toyota 4WD pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Grants Pass, Oregon. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Super clean, one owner Toyota 4WD that I purchased from an estate sale. The previous owner purchased it new at Longo Toyota in southern California. He was a mobile diesel mechanic. As such, he took meticulous care of all his vehicles.”
Toyota is no stranger to building pickup trucks, and its popular compact Hilux model dates back as far as the late 1960s. In North America, the Hilux was marketed simply as the “pickup” and remained known as such until 1995 when the Tacoma replaced it. This truck comes from the fifth generation of the Hilux and has reportedly been California and Oregon-owned since new.
The truck looks well-kept for being over 30 years old, and even the interior of the cargo area has been protected by a rubber mat. Toyota pickups from this era were known for their pin striping, and this regular-cab truck has a blue metallic paint finish topped by subtle turquoise and pink graphics – how very 1990s!
Inside the cab, we are greeted by a blue cloth bench seat. Amenities are simple, but the important stuff is all there: cruise control, cold air conditioning, and a radio. Forget about power windows, though. You’re going to have to exercise your arm muscles to crank those babies up or down.
Even with 179,000 miles on the odometer, it is likely that this truck has a long life left to live. Power comes from a 3VZ-E 3.0-liter V6 paired with a five-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. This drivetrain was rated at 150 horsepower when new, which wasn’t enough to compete with the full-size big dogs like the F-150 or the Sierra, but it provided ample power for the everyday driver. This truck even comes with a Draw-Tite tow hitch mounted underneath the rear bumper. The seller says that the timing belt, water pump, and idler were replaced 18,000 miles ago.
“The value of the older Toyota pickups keeps climbing,” the listing concludes. “Don’t be afraid to invest in this little gem.”
The asking price is $15,950 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Interested in your truck,,,I am looking for my wife.
You have to follow the links in the story to get to the sale ad. On that page, you can contact the seller.
These small trucks are gems, so useful! Too bad they aren’t sold in the United States anymore.