Seeking used long bed, not long cab.

Hi Gang:

Just discovered this forum after weeks of research. I picked this channel because I think 2nd gen Tacomas are more likely to fit my needs. I hope someone here can help with my very specific quest:

Long bed Toyota pickup, 2wd, not long cab, not wide body. 4 cyl preferred, will take V6.

I once had a 1985 Toyota long bed basic 2WD. Regular cab, no extras, didn't even have a rear bumper. I loved it because I could lie down in the bed under my camper shell with enough room for a pillow and not hit my feet against the gate. But I also loved the fact that it was not a behemoth otherwise, and I could fit it into my limited San Francisco garage space and I was able to walk around it. Mileage was pretty good, too. 20 years later; it got old, it was loud, it wasn't befitting my station, etc. I sold it and bought an Odyssey.

That was a mistake, and now I want to get a newer version of my old truck, only to discover that it seems to be impossible to get a long bed without an extended cab, or 4WD, both of which are deal breakers. (I could deal with one of the slightly extended cab versions, if I could find accurate info about the dimensions.) It doesn't help that a lot of websites are incomplete or have questionable information, such as overall vehicle length.

So I ask: What is the most recent Toyota that is most like the pre-steroid vehicles that used to be so common?

I don't need someone to find the actual vehicle, I'm just trying to narrow down the make/model/year that fits.

Thanks.

 

Try a Wikipedia search

 

Cars.com

If I remember correctly, it has pretty detailed information regarding what the different models had.

Used Tacoma’s are sought after and don’t stay on the market for long. If you find one that suits your needs, run to go look at it. Don’t spend too much time thinking about it, it’ll get sold. They all have issues with frame rust so look there first.

I haven’t kept up with what’s going on with the chip shortage. It must not be as bad now because I see vehicles in the dealerships again. It might still have an indirect effect on used prices and availability.

There’s several different models, something like 20-30. When I looked at new models in 2019, the dealer had a 3 page long list of models and what each came with.

 

I forgot to mention: I am seeking used, around 2015 or earlier. Can't afford new, and wouldn't buy new if I could. It also seems that the newer models are far from the smaller vehicle I'm seeking, based on what I read.

 

Sounds like you want a regular cab 5 lug 2nd gen. Wikipedia gives the overall length at 190.4 inches, so it’ll still be longer than your 84 pickup. I have a 1990 pickup and it’s only about 175 inches long.

 

Thanks, all, for the tips. After hours of research, I am now certain that the compact long bed pickup I want does not exist. The last small pickup that Toyota issued with a long bed was 1993, and I am not willing to adopt one of those from the shelter. I do have another plan, however, which I will detail in another post because it is fundamentally a new project.

See you on the flip side....

 

Sad. You should adopt one from the shelter! It’s the right thing to do…..

 

Got it, you wanted a full size 8’ bed.

These days in Tacomaland a long bed is 6’ and a short bed is 5’.