Back to being tacomatosed with the purchase of this 1981 one owner!!!

I sold my 2004 Tacoma in 2014, miss it like crazy. Been driving a full size GMC Sierra. Just bought this 1981 yota the other day!!! One owner with 138,000 original miles! I'm back to being tacomatosed!!! Can't wait to start working on her!!

 

Awesome! What are your plans for her?
Let's see some more pictures!

 

agreed. that's not enough pics

 

This is the dream list: (will take some time)
5" lift
35x12.50 General grabber tires
Hy-steer crossover steering kit Frame Reinforcement Plate t Bilstein 5100

 

Friday March 11th my son and I removed the seat and floor liner from the 81 pickup! The floor pans are toast in a few areas, but for 35 years they're not horrible! Some cutting, sanding and welding in the near future!

Going tonight to take off step rails and degrease the front knuckles!

 

For a yota from that era that's not bad at all. Looking forward to your progress!

 

Last night went to the farm to work on ol' red. Removed the grandpa step rails (ground clearance more noticeable) and sanded a lot of the surface rust in the floor of the cab!! In talks with a sponsor for the build! Praying they say yes!!! Will share as soon as I found out more!

*whats the beast way to remove the tar in the floor?

 

Friday my son and I went to the barn and work on the 81 Hilux!!! We took off the front tires to expose the axel. Ground down the wheels gave the front a clear coat to keep the old patina look and painted the backside white. Also took the grinder to the axel housing, steering arm and frame... So excited - just surface rust!! We also removed the rusted out exhaust pipe!

next: take the bed off the frame; grind and sand everything; then paint!!!

 

Your thoughts:

1. Topper with safari rack?; or

2. No topper? (all pro bed rack with Safari rack?)

 

If you still need to remove the tar from the floor, buy a few pounds of dry ice and a rubber mallet. Place the dry ice in one spot for a min or two(move dry ice to another spot) then hit that spot with a rubber mallet. Comes off clean and in solid chunks. When I was building race cars that's what we would do.

 

No topper!

 

IMO, get rid of the shell. Doesn't seem to fit there.
Nice truck Good luck.

 

138,000 on a 35yo truck I'd love one of the older yota's if I was able to find one with low mileage for the age...they were built like tanks back in that day

 

I say no shell or rack, I think it would look best with a clean bed. Wheels came out great!

 

Cool truck!

 

Nice truck !! I had a 1980 4x4 ,22R w/ 4speed,Manual Hubs, Long bed. - Go ANYWHERE !

 

I just sold my 89 and bought a 96 Tacoma, kind sorry I did. The old one was a better built truck with less to go wrong.

 

Another vote for no topper. That truck will look awesome just cleaned up.

 

Awesome find, and I agree with the rest of the guys; lose the camper shell. Tacomas (every generation) IMO look great with toppers, any Toyota pickup pre-Tacoma looks better with a clean bed....especially the '80's trucks.