Hi all! I posted over in the new member section but I figured as I'll be spending a lot of time in this section of the forum, I'd post up here.

I'm starting to look for a solid 1st gen runner as that has pretty much always been my "dream truck" if you will. I've loved these things since high school and am finally preparing to act on that dream.

I won't make this a long post right at the moment, but I'm sure I'll have several questions along the way if you don't mind helping. the first questions that come to mind are:

- 22re or the 6cyl ones? Which is the better to go with if I plan on doing a resto and making a dd out of it?

- All the clean one's I seem to run across are automatic tranny. I've always preffered manual. Any pros to the auto?

Thanks and I hope to be contributing to this fine site soon.

Welcome!

The 22RE is the engine of choice here. The V6 is only slightly more powerful but much more thirsty.

I don't know anything about the automatics...so you will have to wait on someone else to chime in...

If you plan on wheeling it, and you can afford it, try to find an 85. It is the first year of fuel injection, and last year of solid front axle. This is the coveted year of 1st gens.

Good luck!

i agree with topdown, the 22re is probly the best engine toyota has made. as far as the tranny you want to go with a stick shift. ive heard to many stories about the auto dying on people. thats what my dad had and after 6 years of running 31's the tranny no longer would shift into the 3rd gear. "i want to hear about it from people on here and see if they agree"
plus there worse on milage. but my vote is on a n 85 22re. garrentee you that you will outlast alot of other vehicals with that truck.

22re is the end of that story

my auto tranx is 23 years old it started slipping about 5 years ago so I added some Transmedic, its been fine ever since. Havent changed to fluid or the filter. The auto transmission is just like the 4 runner, it thrives on abuse.

For a daily driver I would look for a efi 22RE with ifs up front. It will fit 31's with no lift, throw some good shock absorbers on it and roll.

Look for an SR5 model so you get a sunroof and the cool incalimeter on the dash!

Awesome. Thanks for the quick replies! I was kinda leaning towards the 22re and now that I see it was pretty much the consensus so far, that's what I'll be looking for.
I kinda figured the manual vs. auto trans would be pretty much a varied opinion subject. I'll likely aim for the manual since that's what I'm used to and IIRC they are easier/cheaper to work on.
I am a little confused on the solid axle vs ifs front suspension topic though. Cometobanks, why would the ifs make a better dd? Conversely, why would the solid be better for longevity? (I'm sure there's a post on this somewhere on the forum already so if you don't want to rehash I understand and will scour for it at some point).

Thanks again,

Welcome.
If you don't plan on doing rock crawling right off, don't worry about a solid axle 1st gen (84, 85). If you find one, great, but you will most likely pay a premium that you don't need to pay.
I currently own an 84 SR5 and I have also owned an 89 SR5 with the V6.
I am the exception here, but I had very good luck with my v6. The truck had 31" tires, 5spd, and 180K when I sold it, and I would get 20 MPG on the highway. It was the exception, and I did hear that 2 owners later, the engine had problems.
On the plus side, it had every creature comfort, Power windows, locks, mirrors, and antenna, along with a manual sunroof and inclinometer.

My 84 is a story too. I have owned it twice. Once in stock form in 1995, and then by chance, I found it on another forum after it had been lifted, regeared, new engine, lockers, etc...so I bought it back. This one has a modified 22r and with 35's on it, it would get 20 mpg. It bogged down on the highway after about 75, but it had more acceleration than my 89 with the V6.
Being an 84, it had a carb'd version of the 22r series and I think there are advantages to that as well. The guy I bought it back from had a Weber 38 on it, with an upgraded cam and headers, and it ran like a bat out of hell. I am currently putting oversized valves in, along with an offenhauser intake. I can't wait to get it back on the road.

The problem with carbs is that they can stall on hills, but you really have to be vertical, and I have. However, with a pressure regulator, and fuel dump, you can fix that problem. My point is that unless you get vertical, as in almost flipping over, it won't stall.

Use every resource you can when shopping. Don't settle and don't be afraid to fly out and drive her home if you get a really good feeling about a truck. I drove my 84 back to Texas from MN!

Rust is usually going to be found on these rigs somewhere. Check behind the trim around the wheel wells.

IFS is just plain better on the pavement. Solid axle rides like a truck, IFS rides like a car. Dont be ashamed of IFS, I put mine through hell and never came close to breaking it, hit a stump so hard once with my tire it jammed my shoulder and wrist and bent the frame of the truck, no steering parts damaged.

austin taco: I read over your travel adventure getting you truck back to Texas the other day. Pretty cool that you found it again and brought her home, I loved that story. Thank's for the info on the suspension differences, trim level, and fuel delivery differences too. Sounds like these 22r's can be pretty beefed up huh?
Carbs don't scare me that much at all. Heck, after having a 4cyl/4 carb motorcycle, one carb would be a dream

cometobanks: Thanks for that! Sounds like the ifs is pretty sturdy too. It'd probably be fine for what I'm looking for at the moment. Both the rangers I owned were late models with ifs, but only 2wd.

I don't plan to go rock crawling or mudding in the too near future, I just want a good truck to find good kayaking spots, fishing spots, mountain biking areas, take camping, and handle fire roads and trails to get to trail heads for the above.

IFS is fine for general offroading, and the A340 auto has been around for decades behind 4 and 6 cyl engines in Toyota cars and trucks.

So, it sounds like I'll be holding out for the 22re for sure. IFS seams like it's fine for what I'm looking to do, but the SAS would be preferred, and the auto vs. manual is about the same...auto would be fine, but manual preferred. Awesome!
You all have given me a great starting point. Thanks for the input.

One final question for now:
What resources are there other than ebay, craigslist, carsforsale, and random googling?

There's this thing called a newspaper. It has a section where local people advertise things For Sale.

there are several really nice t4r on joplin mo craigslist right no. a real slick 1st gen too!

Hmmmm....

There is this awsome publication called Auto Trader. They also have an online version. Very cool and easy place to look for a used vehicle.

Okay, sorry for the dumb question...I do know of a thing called the newspaper, and auto trader is a great source too. Just did not know if there was any special place people had luck with. Thanks

You could also find local 4WD/Offroad clubs. Most have a board like this with 4sale forums.