Pre-Gen1 Toyota 4X4's

Does the forum have "designations" for the models of 4X4 Yodas that came before Gen 1? I know the first year in the US for a 4X4 was 1979 because I bought one that year. They were REALLY hard to get then. I remember having to pay a $500 deposit just to get on the waiting list. The truck came in loaded with everything possible including a in dash CB. Drive out total cost was a few dollars over $7600.
I know this is a Gen 3 forum but I had to ask the question somewhere.

 

Back then $7,600 was alot of money wasn't it? I remember these early Yoda trucks but I was 10 or 11 years old then.

My dad remembers paying $500 advanced down payment on a Honda. Those were crazy times and the domestic companies were making crap cars.

 

This is Tacomaworld.

 

There’s a section in the index portal :

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/toyota-trucks-suvs.20/

 

Yes it is. However it would sure seem that the earlier trucks, regardless of designation, form the origins of present day Tacomas. That would make it relevant to Tacomaworld.

 

Thank you! I had not followed that link, but I will.

 

You are right on all counts. To get the 79 Yoda I sold a nearly new GMC 4X4 that got 11 mpg on the hwy going 55mph.

 

Owned a Zero Gen 1989 “Xtra Cab” 4x4 w a 5 speed manual & “shift on the fly” 2 to 4WD w a small donkey penis next to the stick shift. It didn’t have the small suicide doors of the current Access Cab. Damn Thing was bullet proof. 3.0 V6, 150 HP, 180 torque; it lacked power but the truck was light.

 

I had an 81 20R carbureted 2WD that I bought new then sold and bought a new 86 4 X 4 SR5 long bed w 22RE EFI. Turned out to be the first year of the IFS. I hadn't bought a '85 since I had heard rumor that there would be a V6 in 86........not to be so. The 86 I just sold a few months ago after having it 31 years. I put it up on craigslist and got 8 calls in 10 hours and the first guy that made it to me bought it at my asking price. Was a good truck that went many many miles over those 31 years. I think those trucks (Hilux, etc) were a good backbone that evolved into the Tacomas.
I'd be willing to bet that the majority of us on TW that are a bit gray, and long in the tooth, all had generation zero Toyota trucks that made a good enough impression on us.

 

I never owned a Toyota 4x4 because I was too young then. But my aunt had an access cab Toyota 4x4 Back in the 80s.

She would just drive us around in the back of the access cab, I don't think there were seats or even seat belts. Sometimes we would just sit in the truck bed while she would drive around-- again with no seat belts.

Different time back then.

 

Different times, yes. I drove up to Ft Collins from Castle Rock in the 81, they had two 4 X 4 '86 SR5s on the lot, one was silver with power everything and extra cab, the other was red with essentially power nothing. I swapped in the 81 for the red one, the salesman asked if I wanted to test drive it, I said no, I'd just drive it home......paid the balance in cash. I musta been rich or something back then.
Drove The Dragon Lady to the hospital in it to poop out our first son........later here in HI he learned to drive in it as did both other sons. Things did go wrong with it, but I managed to fix everything it ever threw at me. It always started up.

 

Bought my first one in 76, brand new sr5....netx was an 88 4 wd sr5 extra cab...200k miles later, sold to a young guy couldnt wait to get it home...
So ya, long in the tooth gry beard.....Toyotas have always been good to me....except this new one, but thats another story..

 

There were more than one Gen zero styles. I believe, but someone can kick in and augment my memory, that there were three Gen 0 models. That would be 1979[Gen 000], 1985[Gen 00] and 1990 [Gen0]. These would fit body style changes. Lots of stuff happened within these Gen model changes mechanically.

 

I am referencing the 4X4 model Hilux trucks here as obviously the 2wd models have been around much, much longer.

 

"Dragon Lady"

 

My 85 SR5, I bought when I was in high school was the best of all things Toyota. 85 was the last year for the solid front axel & the first year for the EFI 22re (only available in SR5). I sold it in 94 after my son was born and bought a 4Runner, but that’s a different story

 

That is as fine of a Taco as there ever was. I have had friends look far and wide for a 1985 because, as you said, it is the only one to have a rigid front axle and EFI.

 

A very popular mod on post '85 models is to do the SAS on previously IFS Trucks.