The 4Runner House
Member
So for years I used to see the cleanest white 1st gen running around close to my neighborhood. I would always try an chase it down just to see if the guy would sell it. Was so clean it looked as if it had less than 100k miles. I was certain that it was a one owner truck. The guy was in his 60’s, always wearing a suit, kept it whistle clean at all times and it was bone stock. Sometimes when you see an original owner truck you just know it. I was so close to catching it in traffic so many times over the years but never could. I eventually quit seeing it last year and figured the guy probably finally let it go.
A few months ago I get a call from a customer saying he has an 86 4Runner that needs engine work. He tells me that he’s lived down the street from The 4Runner House for many years and never knew the place existed. He told me his truck had only ever been serviced at Toyota of Richardson since new. Right away I thought to myself, no freakin way is this the guy I’ve been chasing for years?! So I asked him if it was white and he says, “yes it is and I bought it brand new at Toyota of Irving”. He proceeded to tell me that it had been kept in the same garage down the street from the shop for 32 years. I just about fainted LOL. I couldn’t resist, I had to ask if he’d sell it. Ofcourse he says “I’ve had this thing forever and it’s never once left me on the road”. I left it at that and told him I could get to it as soon as I finish the long list of repairs that I needed to get out.
A few months after that I call him back to see if he’d like to bring the truck in the following week. He picks up the phone and says, “Hey Joey I’ve been waiting on your call”. I was thinking To myself, you ready to sell it? LOL. So he says I really wanna fix this truck but I should probably sell it. Then he says no I really should just fix and keep it. After 45 mins of back and fourth about selling it on the phone he says well come on over and check the truck out. Didn’t have to ask me twice, I was over there in 10 mins. When I saw the truck up close and in person it was just as clean as could be, I had to have it. He told me everything about it since new and all the history on it. Turns out it had 295k miles on it but he took unbelievably good care of it. I’ve got a 52k mile 84 SR5 that’s nowhere near as clean as this one. We eventually worked out a price and he said he will drive it over the next day.
So he shows up at the house in 2 white 4Runners gets out and says “i’ve washed and waxed it for you”. Hands me the original keys with the Toyota of Irving tag still attached then pulls out a stack of records dating back to the 1980’s. Every service receipt was from Toyota and even one for $5768.42. He says, “now if you part this truck out I’m gonna come back from the grave to haunt you” LOL. I told him there was no way I could part this thing. It’s pretty cool to think I’ve lived within 10 mins of this truck my entire life and I must of seen it so many times growing up but wouldn’t remember. It’s so rare to find an original owner 1st gen anymore let alone one that’s super clean and 100% stock. The whole time it was so close yet so far. The owner is an old school kind of guy, never knew about the shop because he never gets on the internet and still has a flip phone. He only found out I existed because Toyota of Richardson referred him to me for parts. This is one of those once in a lifetime deals that I don’t think I’ll personally ever see again.
Now that the torch has been passed on to me it’s time to give this truck the attention it deserves and fix it up. It is super clean and almost as nice as they come but it does have its share of little things I need to address. Since it is 100% stock I will leave it that way and continue to perfect the truck as much as possible. I want it to look as if it just came off the showroom floor with zero updates or aftermarket alterations. If your wondering about the stripes, those were added at the dealership and the owner told me he watched the guy put them on when he purchased it.
A few months ago I get a call from a customer saying he has an 86 4Runner that needs engine work. He tells me that he’s lived down the street from The 4Runner House for many years and never knew the place existed. He told me his truck had only ever been serviced at Toyota of Richardson since new. Right away I thought to myself, no freakin way is this the guy I’ve been chasing for years?! So I asked him if it was white and he says, “yes it is and I bought it brand new at Toyota of Irving”. He proceeded to tell me that it had been kept in the same garage down the street from the shop for 32 years. I just about fainted LOL. I couldn’t resist, I had to ask if he’d sell it. Ofcourse he says “I’ve had this thing forever and it’s never once left me on the road”. I left it at that and told him I could get to it as soon as I finish the long list of repairs that I needed to get out.
A few months after that I call him back to see if he’d like to bring the truck in the following week. He picks up the phone and says, “Hey Joey I’ve been waiting on your call”. I was thinking To myself, you ready to sell it? LOL. So he says I really wanna fix this truck but I should probably sell it. Then he says no I really should just fix and keep it. After 45 mins of back and fourth about selling it on the phone he says well come on over and check the truck out. Didn’t have to ask me twice, I was over there in 10 mins. When I saw the truck up close and in person it was just as clean as could be, I had to have it. He told me everything about it since new and all the history on it. Turns out it had 295k miles on it but he took unbelievably good care of it. I’ve got a 52k mile 84 SR5 that’s nowhere near as clean as this one. We eventually worked out a price and he said he will drive it over the next day.
So he shows up at the house in 2 white 4Runners gets out and says “i’ve washed and waxed it for you”. Hands me the original keys with the Toyota of Irving tag still attached then pulls out a stack of records dating back to the 1980’s. Every service receipt was from Toyota and even one for $5768.42. He says, “now if you part this truck out I’m gonna come back from the grave to haunt you” LOL. I told him there was no way I could part this thing. It’s pretty cool to think I’ve lived within 10 mins of this truck my entire life and I must of seen it so many times growing up but wouldn’t remember. It’s so rare to find an original owner 1st gen anymore let alone one that’s super clean and 100% stock. The whole time it was so close yet so far. The owner is an old school kind of guy, never knew about the shop because he never gets on the internet and still has a flip phone. He only found out I existed because Toyota of Richardson referred him to me for parts. This is one of those once in a lifetime deals that I don’t think I’ll personally ever see again.
Now that the torch has been passed on to me it’s time to give this truck the attention it deserves and fix it up. It is super clean and almost as nice as they come but it does have its share of little things I need to address. Since it is 100% stock I will leave it that way and continue to perfect the truck as much as possible. I want it to look as if it just came off the showroom floor with zero updates or aftermarket alterations. If your wondering about the stripes, those were added at the dealership and the owner told me he watched the guy put them on when he purchased it.
