[RMW]

i'm looking for an 85 toyota 4runner or pick up.

does anyone have any suggestions on where to look in the north (dallas/ft. worth area) texas to central (austin area)? i've tried looking in the classified for people selling them - but there are too few and they want too much for them. so i thought about trying to find one in a junkyard (as complete as possible) and rebuild it. all the places i've called so far only carry parts, and one guy that had complete vehicles said that they "didnt carry anything that old". am i looking in the wrong direction or what? any help would be appericiated.

 

[Pazuzu]

Ya only got two choices, keep looking, or spend the cash. Expect to pay at least $2500 for a good one, more if the person knows what he has...

 

[eviltwin]

Vehicles 4 Sale:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=36&daysprune=

 

[GRMhick]

i looked for about 6 or so months for the "right" truck.. I wanted an 85 4 runner or a half way built samuari.. either way it had to be street legal and daily drivable if need be... i found mine 750 miles away.

Garrett

 

[Kyron]

What about just converting an IFS truck?

All you need to do is just get the front axle. Everythig else you would have changed anyhow while doing crossover steering and putting longer front springs in.

Also right after you buy an IFS rig you will stumble across a sweet 85 EFI low milage 4runner 1 owner rig that the owner wants to trade in and got pissed off at the $500 that the dealer will give him/her so they now only wants $600
Been there hated it

 

[RMW]

yeah been checking the "for sale" section alot. most are pretty built rigs, either that or they are a few thousand miles away - i'd like to start from as close to stock as possible - so i can do all the mods and work myself. i already have a DD so i'm just looking for something for the trails, and i'm not in a rush. it just seemed like, with as few 85 toys that i found, that maybe i was looking in the wrong place. i knew they wouldnt be abundant - but damn, didnt think they'd be this scarce. thanks for the input, and yeah garrett, i have a feeling i'll have to drive quite a ways to get what i want.

 

[RMW]

thought about converting an IFS truck. and that is probably the next option if something doesnt turn up by the end of the month. i just wonder about finding the axle - need to call and see if these places just have the axle for sale and then see how much they want for it.(i'm guessing they will want quite alot for it, given the rarity of the vehicle itself. but i could be wrong) i had a guy PM me with an 85 runner for sale - so we'll see how that works out.

 

[GRMhick]

Front axles are abundant.. plus with an IFS rig you have a wider rear axle to boot.

Stock is hard.. tho awhile back i found a real clean 85 pickup for 3200.. tried to get the dealership to take low trade in on my volvo, and sell me the 85 for high blue book, then i would pay cash for the difference.. damn dealer wouldnt budge

Garrett

 

[RMW]

thanks hick. that will be the most likely course of action. i'm glad to hear that the axles are readily available. like i said - i really havent been looking for them, so i wouldn't know. also, i know it differs by area, but what might you expect to spend for a toy front axle (knuckle to knuckle) ?? i'm gonna call tomarrow and find out what the average is, but it would be nice to get some feed back from you guys.

thanks in advance.

 

[GRMhick]

thanks hick. that will be the most likely course of action. i'm glad to hear that the axles are readily available. like i said - i really havent been looking for them, so i wouldn't know. also, i know it differs by area, but what might you expect to spend for a toy front axle (knuckle to knuckle) ?? i'm gonna call tomarrow and find out what the average is, but it would be nice to get some feed back from you guys.

thanks in advance.

$250 used... $175 for a real beat up one.

Garrett

 

[RMW]

much cheaper than i thought. thanks hick.

 

[eviltwin]

I found my 85 4runner in the back of a small used car lot. It had 116,000 miles on the original engine, but the timing chain had worn through the timing cover so the engine was in bad shape. A little persuading and I picked it up for cheap. I rebuilt the thing myself and now it is on it's way to being a nice rig.
Anyway I digress.
I thought 85's were hard to find too but every once in a while, someone doesn't know quite what they have and end up getting rid of it for cheap. I say just keep looking or go with the SAS. I almost went with the SAS before I found my 85, they look killer.
Anyway happy trails.

 

[SilverZuk]

I've got one for sale.
Frame up, no springs, axles, or d-shafts.
$100 it's yours.

You'll just have to come to WV to get it. (yeah right)

 

[Priest]

An 86-88 can probably be had for less than an '85 and will make up for the added cost of doing an SAS. Watch the for sale section and axles are on there all the time for $200. Regardless of what you buy you are going to want to go through the front end anyway and have gears/locker done. By going with an IFS rig you get a wider rear axle and you will already have the proper steering box to go crossover steering (you have to use an IFS box with crossover steering). If you want to spend a little more you can look at something later with a V-6.

Depending on how much time you have an even cheaper route is to look at an IFS 2WD truck. If you going to go to a dual case set up and change the entire suspension anyways, it's isn't a bad option.

 

[TXLUGNUT]

I'm in Irving and in the last month, bought an 85 runner stock with 150,000 on it with the chain just replaced and almost an 86 runner at auction for $800. They are around, you just have to SEARCH long and hard for them. (all these were local too!)

I might think about selling the runner cuz I already have a trail truck.

 

[RMW]

yeah silverzuk..heh cant quite make the drive to west virgina.

priest - i have pretty much decided to go with an 86-88 ifs runner/truck. i knew that you needed an IFS steering box to do cross over - it just didnt really hit me that by getting the ifs vehicle, that it would already have the box. duh - stupid me. thanks for pointing that out.

the wider rear axle, and the fact that i'd have to go thru the whole front susp. anyways pretty much leads me to buying an ifs truck and doing a swap. got a good deal being offered to me now....gotta see how it works out.

pretty much, the only reason i wanted an 85 and not doing a swap on a later model ifs truck, was i didnt know what toy axles went for. i always looked at danas and others with a drivers side drop for my taco, so never really paid attention to toy fronts and how much they were worth. thanks for all the input guys.

 

[yotayard]

In about a week i'll have one for sale....................in Cali