what is the best year early mini standard cab (1 Viewer)

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Landpimp

Landpimp

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Kinda have a disire for an early mini, standard cab, wondering which year is best and offers the most options. Looking for a stocker not built or a wheeler.

thinking of like 80- to when they changed the body(83?)

I know little of mini's

John
 
The body change came in 84. 85 brought fuel injection and was the last year for the solid front axles (IIRC). Engine size went from the carbed 20R motor to the carbed 22R to the aformentioned FI 22R in 85. As far as transmissions....I am not real sure on this one...but I think the early trucks may have had 4 speeds...by the time the new body came in 84 they were all 5 speeds. Frame rust finally killed mine...and a friends 83 died the same death a few years prior. As far as options...mine was the SR5 package..which I think was the fanciest of the factory packages at the time.
 
really, 85 is the best year for the fuel injection 22RE, solid axle, and stronger front housing design. 86+ is IFS.

79-83 are pretty much all the same...
 
Sorry to burst your bubble woody, but they weren't the same :D . 79-80 had the 4 speed and 20r, 81 has an optional 5 speed, and optional 22r. Stay away from the 81 5 speed. It was built using a 2wd tranny as a model and the bearings are undersized for the increased load. That makes them whine really loud and come apart earlier. I put a 84 tranny in my 81 and never had a problem. (250k on tranny 300k on truck) The five speed got better in 82 and 83. 82 and 83 also supposedly had stronger axles, but that is just hearsay. I'll agrre that the EFI can be an advantage, but after driving a 22r with a weber in my 81 and driving a 22re in my 94 4runner I would take the carbed engine anyday. I don't belive that you can get a mini of those years with cruise control, but I do know that AC came with some SR5 models. One other thing, the 84+ had double skin beds so stuff rattling around in the back didn't screw up the outside, but tree damage was harder to fix, The bed also made it heavier and therefore slower. Some of the trucks had the dual side latch tailgate, which is stronger and more reliable than the center handle gate, but I don't know which years they were availiable. All had the double cardan front shaft(PITA to change u-joints) and manual hubs. IMHO they are great trucks but there isn't much room for a family in there(hence the 80)
I hope this helps and good luck :cheers:
Dan
 
tonkota said:
Isn't it
79-81 - No gusset diff housing
82-83 - Partial gusset diff housing
84-85 - full gusset diff housing

This is what I've seen, except for a 79-81, which I haven't seen.
Click to expand...


I am not sure of the specifics of the housings but I do know that regardless of year, those axles are pretty much bulletproof. I thrashed mine continuously for six years and didn't ever have a problem. In fact I have never seen anyone break an axle on those unless they were running 35s or bigger.

BUT......................


I haven't seen even close to everything :D
 
KliersLC said:
Sorry to burst your bubble woody, but they weren't the same :D .
Click to expand...

dammit....lol

good info tho, glad someone know's what they are talkin about! ;p
 
My first Toyota was an 84' standard cab 4wd. If I could get one, my choice would be an 83' with that rainbow bright paint job that they show on the cover of the Haynes Manual for those trucks. I love the old body style with the round headlights. I think one could put in a 22RE and a five speed without too much trouble. The trucks with the solid front axle I think are the better option. Good Luck! Oh and please post pics, as you somehow manage to find really good examples of stock Toyotas. I have to admit I am jealous.
 
good info guys :)

I am just looking for a nice stock example of a mini, think it would fit in well with the Cruisers :D

I like the dang goofy decals on the early mini's ;)
 
I guess those are probably decals, if you could get one with a matching blue topper with the tinted round shaggin' windows on the sides you would be $.
 
The best looking ones are the 82-83 with square headlights and round fenders.

The 5 speed was the only tranny after 81(?).

I had an 82 in H.S. wish I still had it...
 
I'm still driving my 90 V6 Short Bed Deluxe. 182K, original motor / tranny / clutch!
 
I like the round headlight beter.........

so it looks like an 81 is the year I will be looking for, even with the trany issue.

I am not gonna look hard.........but one will show up.

there is a pair of indentical twins in town, they both work for the light company, the y both bought brand new matching(including topper) gray 81-2 standard cab long bed SR5 4x4's in 81-1.......they both still have them and they are mint and stock, neither will sell them, one is going to the son the other is just not selling. I can remember when they bought em new

timbercruiser said:
The best looking ones are the 82-83 with square headlights and round fenders.

The 5 speed was the only tranny after 81(?).

I had an 82 in H.S. wish I still had it...
Click to expand...
 
My Dad bought a new ' 81 LB 2WD diesel to put next to his '80 Corona in the garage and he babied it. When the glow plugs kept burning up he finally sold it in '89. To this day I raz him that if he would have bought a '81 SR5 4X4, I would have bought it from him long ago and now it would be cherished. The US built bed would have long since rusted out, but it might still be my dd w/ a wood bed.
-Mark
 
Buy an late 80s-early 90s and do a solid axle swap.
Most kits make it pretty easy.
Getting ready to do the all pro sas on my 94-$runner, looks pretty straight foward .
Most early 80s trucks are pretty ate up with rust depending on where you live .
 
'85. I say '85 cause I just bought one home as a new project.
Pics comming soon.

:beer:
 
Landpimp said:
Kinda have a disire for an early mini, standard cab, wondering which year is best and offers the most options. Looking for a stocker not built or a wheeler.

thinking of like 80- to when they changed the body(83?)
Click to expand...

It seems as though a lot of you are missing the point...If the Pimp wanted an 85 or merely a solid axle truck he would have said so.

So if I may, i would like to direct your attention to either the quote above or the first post in this thread :flipoff2: :D :flipoff2:
:cheers:
Dan
 
Landpimp said:
I like the round headlight beter.........

so it looks like an 81 is the year I will be looking for, even with the trany issue.

I am not gonna look hard.........but one will show up.

there is a pair of indentical twins in town, they both work for the light company, the y both bought brand new matching(including topper) gray 81-2 standard cab long bed SR5 4x4's in 81-1.......they both still have them and they are mint and stock, neither will sell them, one is going to the son the other is just not selling. I can remember when they bought em new
Click to expand...

Swap in a later tranny-I believe any until Tacoma will swap in easily.
Besides, you're putting in a marlin crawler? Right?
 
I apreciate the comments and thoughts but thats is NOT what I am looking for, I want a STOCK early mini, its not gonna be a wheeler, just a nice clean stocker.

I see some cherry early mini's running around town, we just don't have rust issues like many other parts of the US

No power said:
Buy an late 80s-early 90s and do a solid axle swap.
Most kits make it pretty easy.
Getting ready to do the all pro sas on my 94-$runner, looks pretty straight foward .
Most early 80s trucks are pretty ate up with rust depending on where you live .[/QUOTE
]
Click to expand...
 
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