I'm getting a free pickup

[Dave-T]

Hello all,

I am soon getting a 78 2wd pickup for free from a friend. It has the 20R engine and 5spd tranny. The plan is to fix it up as $$ allows and then pass the deal along to a friend. Right now it needs minimal mechanical work but a major interior overhaul.

My first question is, will you let me onto this board even though it's a 78 and 2wd ?

My second question is, what are the years adjacent to this that parts are interchangeable? Are all other stock 20R's basically the same, or are there differences?

Thanks.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

You can stay if you post up a pic of yourself in a tutu!

I don't know much about the old old trucks, but I'm sure someone around here does! Welcome to the truck forum!

[Dave-T]

Thanks, I was going to mention that once I got it that I would indeed post a pic. But with me in it? My, that's a lot to ask.

Personally I think it's uglier than . But the price was right.

[Bear80]

as for parts, a lot of stuff of a celica will also work. Some stuff off celicas up to 85 will work with a little modification.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Alright..... just a pic of the truck...... But if you screw up..... ohhhh man!

[trevdawg]

Haha, How about theres a compromise and you manage to get the Tutu around a wheel of the truck!

And take a picture.

We will all be a happy family then.

[Dave-T]

As promised, here are the pics.

[Dave-T]

More.

[D'Animal]

Man that thing looks good from the outside. Even if it does have a (dirty old man) camper shell.

Put the 60 drivetrain under it.

[Dave-T]

Originally Posted by D'Animal

Man that thing looks good from the outside. Even if it does have a (dirty old man) camper shell.

Put the 60 drivetrain under it.

Yes its not bad, considering it sat for over 3 years recently. A friend and I went to go look at it the other day and had quite a laugh. After sitting for 3+ years the battery had enough juice to turn the headlights on! We hooked some jumper cables to it, took the air cleaner off, and with a bit of starting fluid started right up. It was running and idling on its own within 2 minutes. It was holding temperature and had oil pressure. We then proceeded to drive it around for a while. All the electrical works, shifts through the gears nicely, and clutch is strong!

So I got to pay some late registration penalty fees (wasn't non-opd) on it, and get it smoged. Need to clean up the interior too. Camper shell is coming off.

[beatdown83fj60]

You know its sad, I've had several toyotas that I drove daily, park under a carport, wash, bondo, paint, por15, herculine, and watch them still rot away with rust. There is a scout about a mile up the hill from my house (not on any road mind you) that is just sitting on a neighbors property. I have 4 acres of property my house sits on, and there are about 20 acres above me then national forest, nothing but forest, and this scout is sitting in the middle of the woods uncovered, no doors, back hatch open etc. It's been there since I moved into this neighborhood about 15 years ago. It has a checkbook sitting in it with the last check written in 78. It has less rust than half my toyotas have had and the oldest toy I've owned was an 80. Some vehicles just don't want to rust even if they sit in the elements, and Scouts are not known for the ability to shove rust away. Nice score. Have fun with it, toyota 2wd trucks haul ass if youre used to a 4x4.

[Spud]

I have a 22r motor cannot kill it. I'm guessing the 20R is similar

I got my 84' 4runner from the PO. It was sitting in a garage with piles of rust that had fallen and collected around each wheel. The engine was covered top to bottom in a coating of oil and caked mess about a 1/2in thick. The knuckles had puddles under them.

It started and ran....I gave em' $400 and drove it away.

Since then I have used it to build a cabin on top of a 2000ft hill. Hauled all the materials up the hill that nobody would deliver to. Drove back and forth every weekend for 2 years, (350miles round trip).

Tune it up and it will go forever...

[r0nin89]

Get a junk body 4x4 roller out of the junkyard and do what you know you want to do.