31 years later...

[GTSSportCoupe]

...and Japan is still using the same shifter. Was browsing random adds, and found this 2021 Isuzu NRR cabover uses the same shifter handle (albeit LHD version) as my LJ78. Haha, gotta love the Japanese. If it works good, don't change it!

2021 Isuzu NRR

1990 Toyota LJ78

 

[cruiserpilot]

Crazy!

 

[franken60]

theres a lot of parts that look very late 80s/90s in that cab!

 

[cruiserpilot]

And just like the Tundra, same door handle design, internal mechanism hasn’t changed at all.
I think interchangeability of parts is far greater than we know

 

[seapotato]

Lots of mechanical parts get repurposed too. I forget the details but axle shafts out of some little cars are the same as steering column bits in cruisers.

I suppose the designers have access to all the electronic parts catalogues, you'd think they'd be encouraged to reuse lots of things that aren't cosmetic to save on retooling.