Just picked up this 1995 Tacoma/hilux?

My first Toyota truck. Has 180k miles. Frame is rust free, body has rust but this will be my Minnesota winter daily driver. Just here looking for advice on what kinda stuff I should do to get her running reliably. The guy I got it from was great and had done tons of work. Is it the Hilux or Tacoma? It's got a V6 ,auto trans and 4x4.

 

Welcome to the forum.
Sharp looking 1st gen. Congrats.

 

You have a beauty there, but it is a model prior to the launch of the Tacoma. Some call the first year Tacoma "1995.5" due to the launch timing. The model change significantly changed the look of the entire truck.

Here is a picture of one of mine, which is also known as a 1995 model, but this is a Tacoma.

 

Very nice, it brings back memories....and welcome!

 

It's a hilux

 

Yup, thats just a "Toyota Truck" in North America nothing wrong with that.

Biggest thing is start by making sure all the fluids are clean and topped off.

Those engines have timing belts and they should be replaced around 7 years or 100,000 miles. Sometimes the repair shop will leave a sticker to indicate when it was performed last. If the belt breaks, the cam and crank will spin free of each other causing a no start.

 

As far as winterization, check battery strength (Autozone/O'Reilly's can do it), check coolant ratio, 4 wheel drive function, consider treating the underbody with POR-15 and/or Fluid Film, and put on some A/T tires.

Edit: BTW, I'd kill for those vent(wing) windows. Those things were so great on the older cars and trucks. I don't like driving with AC except on long 55mph + trips.

 

You're 0/2...Not a Tacoma and not a Hilux.

It's a "Pickup" but that doesn't mean it's bad. Those trucks are pretty great too, just different than Tacoma and Hilux models. There are some parts compatible with two (or all three) models, but still good to know what truck you have when you go to find parts for it.

 

Unless he bought it in europe or Australia, it's not a hilux.

It's a Pickup. I know, super glamorous name, but Toyota didn't actually give the US pickups a "name" until the 1995.5 Tacoma. I believe this is a 95 Pickup. Not a Tacoma

 

Believe that's a 3.0L V6, too, which means the head gaskets are notoriously bad. Make sure those have been replaced

 

Thankfully the 3.0 wasn’t continued in the Tacoma line.

 

Hilux/truck/ pre-Tacoma works. Great basic truck, wish they still made a version. Head gaskets are biggest watch point. Enjoy your 'beater' that may become your adopted child.

 

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think that is a 1994, not a 1995. 1994 was the only year that had the raised rear brake light like that on the cab. I remember because I had one. They did it for 1 year only and then stopped.

 

If it's going to be your winter beater and you want to make it reliable, first thing you want to do is rustproof (or fluid film if you want to DIY) your frame (if it's not too badly rusted already)

Only takes a few years of exposure to winter salt and chemicals to turn a frame into swiss cheese and have the truck end up like this:

 

Hey awesome thanks for the info. Timing belt was just done, and new battery. I'm getting new tires for it and will look into the head gasket and rust proofing the frame.

 

Welcome to tw. As a fellow minnesotian Dont drive it in the winter u will destroy it. Its a beutiful Tacoma. Unless its a early 95 than its a pickup. I got a 93.

 

I'm going to rust proof the frame best I can. It's super clean besides the body rust. Got some new tires to start things off!

 

Corrosion X spray can

 

3.0 and the 3.4 essentially share the same block. Head design was changed and I've heard of the bhg issue on the 3.0's as well. Look into this and you'll never have a frame rust issue:

 

Welcome!

Here’s the MN thread

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacomas-in-minnesota.16179/