Confession of a die-hard Land Cruiser guy......I bought a Trekker and I love it. (1 Viewer)

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Does your driver's visor have an informational card in it? If so, could you post a pic? Thanks!

It didn't have any info. I bought new ones. The original ones were bloated and beat down. New ones still in stock!
 
The 3/82 truck I used to have didn't come with it from the factory but the 6/82 I have now did but is missing the card. A midyear change.
 
The 3/82 truck I used to have didn't come with it from the factory but the 6/82 I have now did but is missing the card. A midyear change.

I believe my truck is a late 81....10/81 maybe.
 
What was the source for the radio knobs and speaker kick panels?
 
Radio knobs came from the place that was trying to repair the radio. About the only thing they did other than ding my card for telling me they couldn't fix it after having it for 5 weeks. Ha.

Kick panels come from this guy: 4Runner

Check out his Trekker....it's super cool!
 
Found my seats today....86 pickup/RV at a local yard. Should be perfect for what I'm going to do. I think the headrests have been covered since new....they're perfect. Plastics are good too. Passenger seat's mounting tabs succumbed to old man rust....will swap over the Trekkers seat sliders maybe? Maybe find new ones? Maybe just build new brackets and weld to rail.

Only thing I need to figure out is how the passenger seat will mount....Winnebago installed a really goofy tilt deal on the passenger seat so you can get into the back of the truck. It's great if you are a contortionist, magician and/or a skinny 8 year old. It's not so well engineered.

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The Trekker got some love over the holidays....found a Celica stereo, swapped it in the Trekker(Celica and Trekker head units were different....which I didn't realize until after I bought the unit.....Celica's volume control is not on the radio...was on a an equalizer or something ....so the shafts were different size and wouldn't work with the Trekker units knobs).....so....we swapped some stuff around between them and now I have a non-working but lighted display. Kind of a dumb and expensive way to go about getting it but it makes me happy to see it lit up.

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And we stuffed the Out of Sight Audio bluetooth unit behind the dash and ran some speaker wire....all setup now for kick panels to go in so I can install speakers. Going to work on that and getting my seats recovered in January I think...

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Also picked up what might be one of the cleanest used cars I have ever bought.....completely unmolested 1988 4Runner...V6 manual. What a neat truck.

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I know I speak for the entire platoon when I say... we’re going to need some details on that 4Runner.
 
I know I speak for the entire platoon when I say... we’re going to need some details on that 4Runner.
What he said. Lots of pictures. We like pictures.
 
Well it's a good thing I take a lot of pics. Haven't had the 4runner long....still kind of getting a feeling for it. It has 151k miles, 2 owners from what I can tell, time spent in CA and WA....then PA and VA(not really much time on the road in either of those spots fortunately). Aftermarket alarm and the Smittybilt rear bumper are about the only mods(we removed the nerf bars yesterday).....it's clean. Super clean. Everything works. It's pretty shocking how something can stay this nice.

I had an 86 white 4runner in college. The nostalgia and memories with this one has been hitting me hard over the last week.....from washing it to putting down the rear window to the way the doors shut.....funny how much I remember that 86 I had. I loved that 86 like nothing else...I was so careful with it. Took me all over the place. Most importantly though, that truck set me on a path that would get me heavily involved in auto industry and ultimately allow me to build a business that I love more than that 86. Amazing how cars can have such an impact.

Maybe I should do a build thread on this thing.....go back and find some old pics of the 86 to mix in. Not much to do on this 88 though...might be a boring thread.

The pics....

Interior is almost too good to be true. I changed out the shifter boot today....the one that came with the truck was looking a little worn. Radio works. Seats are like new. Car smells great. Purists would approve of this interior.

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The guy I got it from said he purposely left the engine compartment as-is....no power washing or detailing. I kind of think that's cool. My OCD side(and business side) always wants to clean and make new....but not so on this one. Going to leave as is.
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Nerf bars off. This truck was an SR5 but no chrome package and steel wheels. Not many options. I have a set of aluminum wheels for it(on a Cruiser)...I may put them on. Maybe some 30s. I love that Toyota aluminum wheel.....BUT.....my 86 had these steel wheels...so I think they might stay. They bring a smile when I see them.

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Off to a good start if I want to start a 4Runner museum

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Trekker is really a neat truck. The rear end is super interesting.....need to get a bumper on it. And a bumper for the 4runner. The tube bumper isn't working for me. Maybe tube bumper on Trekker would be cool....chrome plated. Pretty period correct.
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I love my ‘89 4Runner. Nice score on your new one!
 
Great trucks.....and I think their values are going to continue to go up.

I read a story in one of the respected motor news publications that ran through the various options for a vintage convertible 4x4, and the author figured the same. He was comparing 1st gen 4Runners to 1st gen Broncos as far as potential for price increase. I think that might be a bit of a stretch, but I sure don’t plan to sell mine any time soon. My 100 will go before the 4Runner, and it’s the vehicle I’ve owned the longest in my 35 years with 60+ vehicles.
 
I read a story in one of the respected motor news publications that ran through the various options for a vintage convertible 4x4, and the author figured the same. He was comparing 1st gen 4Runners to 1st gen Broncos as far as potential for price increase. I think that might be a bit of a stretch, but I sure don’t plan to sell mine any time soon. My 100 will go before the 4Runner, and it’s the vehicle I’ve owned the longest in my 35 years with 60+ vehicles.

I think as the 1st gens of all the various vintage 4x4s become priced out of the range for most enthusiasts(FJ40s, Broncos, Scouts), people looking to spend $20k on a toy/project that is still capable and useable, these trucks become very attractive and thus the prices go up. 4Runners are kind of unique....long wheel base, removable top, legendary Toyota quality, generally easy to work on and a great user/owner community. Good aftermarket upgrades too. It's a great platform to have some fun with.

Hagerty had a pretty interesting article on 4Runners
The rise of 1984–89 Toyota 4Runners can’t be ignored
 
I think this may have been the article I read:


Maybe “respectable motoring publication” is a bit of a stretch, but I liked reading it since I had a nice first gen parked in the driveway.
 
I think this may have been the article I read:


Maybe “respectable motoring publication” is a bit of a stretch, but I liked reading it since I had a nice first gen parked in the driveway.

The guy makes some good points for sure.
 

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