Hooniverse Classic Toyota Weekend – A 1970 Toyota Hilux Pickup

Jim Brennan

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Welcome to Classic Toyota Weekend. We are going to get started with this 1970 Toyota Hilux Pickup that I found for sale on Auto Trader Classics. Remember when you could buy small pickup trucks? Not anymore….


According to the listing:

You must check out this one owner 1970 Toyota Hilux pickup. Powered by an 85 horsepower 1.9 liter inline 4 cylinder (8R SOHC 14) with a 4 speed manual transmission. Repainted in the original light green with a new gray interior. Includes original invoice & owner’s manual! One of the original “mini trucks.”


A couple of problem I see with this truck. 1) The front indicator lamps are aftermarket units, and are located under the headlamps. If I remember, the Toyota indicators were free-standing units on top of the grill. 2) Get rid of the aftermarket tool box. Otherwise, its perfect. Asking price is $9,900, which I think is all the money, but what do you think? See the listing here.

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Jim Brennan

Jim Brennan

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  1. facelvega Avatar
    facelvega

    Those wheels look ridiculous to me, but otherwise I agree on all points, and the color is great. Too bad about the price, though. I don't begrudge people wanting a bit more for cars that have cost them a lot to restore and maintain, and I think the days of the worthwhile $2k car are over unless you don't mind ripping off retirees, but still ten grand for a hilux just seems kind of cheeky.

    Reply
  2. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    My first professional job was a soils/survey tech and field inspector for an architect/engineering/survey firm and we had '72 and '77 Toyota pickups that I would drive all over Central Florida. Amazingly sturdy little trucks that handled tons of abuse and stood up as well or better than the Chevies and Dodges in our fleet. Downsides? Well, droning engines, a fairly hard ride, not a lot of cab room, and the bench seats got rather uncomfortable after awhile. Also, without any ballast in the bed, there was next to no traction for the rear wheels. You could get stuck on wet grass in a level field and a few times I had to shovel some dirt into the bed just to get moving again. One curious quirk in both trucks was that you could hear the brake light switch click as you pressed or released the brake pedal.
    I wouldn't pay $9,600 for this truck – nostalgia isn't that strong of a pull here and that amount of money would by a much newer, better-equipped, and more drivable Toyota pickup. Don't like the mint green, either.

    Reply
  3. ZomBee Racer Avatar
    ZomBee Racer

    I remember the first time I saw one of these as a kid in the early 70's, and remember scowling and thinking it was the ugliest thing ever.
    How I would love to go back in time and kick myself in the ass. What a stupid kid.
    I'd absolutely kill for this truck now. 10 grand places it outside my sandbox, but I'm digging the underdash 8-track!

    Reply
  4. jeepjunkie Avatar
    jeepjunkie

    Took a trip thru the west Texas desert in one of these once……jack rabbit hunting in west Texas….of course Jose was with us and 'he' rolled that little truck about five times…..ended up on the driver's side with tools and other assorted adult beverages from the bed scattered over about 1/2 an acre….pushed it back on it's feet, gathered up our refreshments-medications….drug it about a half a mile and continued on with the weekend 'hunting trip'…..good truck that took one hell of a beating that weekend…..it probably is still sitting in a junkyard in Midland somewhere…..wish I would have made that turn….

    Reply
    1. Meep Mann Avatar
      Meep Mann

      Aww, dang. 'Tis a great, little truck. I got one October 2009, it ran then. Didn't get it running again 'till about 4 months ago. It's really nice, for a 33-year-old truck. Imma never rid of it. It'sa orange, faded from time, and it's got a great 20R that was well maintained. In fact, the engine was the best-maintained part of the truck; there's a separate push-button for the starter and another for the horn. The wiring's crap. It is a great $500 truck, at least in 2009.

      Reply
  5. Adem Avatar
    Adem

    When I was in high school, my buddy had a red one of these – it was a late 70s or early 80s model. Same formula, at least – Toyota, mini-pickup, bench seat in the single cab and a 4-on-the-floor. I believe it had a 20R under the hood.
    It was a fun little truck that was quite useful, but if they sold one just like it today – a mini truck with zero options – I wouldn't pay more that $17K for it. So paying $10K for a 40 year old one seems like a little much…

    Reply
  6. Alex Kierstein Avatar
    Alex Kierstein

    I think that's about $4000 more than event the nicest example should fetch, but if he can get it, well-sold. These are great little trucks, and at some point I think they'll become the "usable/functional classics" that the Falcon Rancheros are now. I see a lot of those running around to Home Depot in my area, picking up stuff for work around the house. What better way to have a classic than to actually use it for the light duty work it was intended for?

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  7. jjd241 Avatar
    jjd241

    I had one of these in the lat 80's. After it was retired from DD status it had many miles of gravel time. Here in Olympia WA we have a large state forest just outside of town, Hundreds of miles of gravel and dozens of gravel pits for a veritable hoon paradise. When the door hinges rusted to the point that the doors almost fell off we came up with the only solution: weld them shut and take a sawzall to the roof. It was especially fun to drive on snow days. It was quite capable for a 2WD and never left me stuck. And yes the turn signals belong on top of the fenders.

    Reply
    1. Meep Mann Avatar
      Meep Mann

      Aye, good snow handling? Do you know what the capabilities of a later, automatic version is? (1978)

      Reply
      1. jjd241 Avatar
        jjd241

        I've never driven one of their automatics, but that vintage should be similar in its handling characteristics. With some extra weight in the back and a good set of skins they do pretty well in mud and snow.

        Reply
  8. Dean Avatar
    Dean

    I just bought one of these trucks this week not as nice as this one but for $700 I could not pass it up. My dad had one of these when I was 10 living in Winlock, Washington. My dad would let me shift the truck when he pushed in the clutch.I guess It was the first truck I kind of drove.At 48 I had to buy one when this deal came up on CL. Hope it will look as nice as this one when I am done fixing mine up.

    Reply
  9. Austin LIZAMA Avatar
    Austin LIZAMA

    Still for sale ?

    Reply
  10. R Henry Avatar
    R Henry

    Ah…back when a truck could be had with manual. RIP manuals…..

    Reply