Hello! I've been looking for people who understand the older Toyotas- there aren't too many in Eastern Washington! I have a 1971 Toyota Hilux, purchased by my father from a Portland, Oregon area junkyard in '75. It had been rolled, but my dad pounded it out and converted it to 4 wheel drive using parts from a '52 Willys. Over the next few years it was everything from a family car to a farm tractor, and was the truck my mother drove to the doctor when she learned I was on my way. My dad taught me to drive stick in this truck (well, taught might be a little loose- he put me in the truck and told me to drive it home). This truck has been used, abused, beat, bashed, and rebuilt several times, to the point that the only parts we know are original are the engine, frame, and rear springs. A few years ago, my dad finally got tired of driving it and passed it on to me. I use it for commuting mostly, and would really like to keep it going for the foreseeable future. I'm hoping my experience with this truck gives me something worth contributing, and I'm really looking forward to picking other people's brains for ideas! Then: Now:
Mostly, future plans are just to keep it going. I do have a pto and hydraulic cylinder that I plan to add in order to make it a little dump truck. I have toyed with the idea of changing out the drivetrain (we've thought about a V6 or even a little diesel), but at the same time I am curious to see how long we can get the 8RC to run (theoretically, it should have died years ago). I would really love to put in a 5-speed but haven't found one yet that will fit.
