Miss your 1st Gen?

RiverRat37 · Dec 28, 2011

Any of you guys miss your 1st gen 4runner? I drove my 1986 4runner every day for over 12 years and although I love my 99 Limited and know it's 10x better than the 86 I can't help but to miss and want another 1st gen. Anybody else felt like that?

awdjunkies · Dec 28, 2011

I was just telling my wife this a few days ago too :lol: I miss the manual transmission, the inclinometer, the fact that we could take the top/roof off in the summer time(Which led us later in life to purchase a Toyota Supra Twin Turbo Targa). Yeah I miss it, even though the power was a little bit on the slow side... :whipping2

Hepar · Dec 28, 2011

I've never owned a 1st gen, but grew up around two of them. It's where my love of Toyota 4wd's came from. I'm hoping one day to do a frame off resto of a 1st gen.

RiverRat37 · Dec 28, 2011

Yeah man I just got the ok from my wife to buy a 1st gen as long as I could find a fairly nice 5speed in good shape without a million miles. She gave me a budget of around $2500 give or take so I might look around. I told her she could drive my 99 Limited some if she'd let me get another 1st gen and she jumped all over that. I also don't like putting 60 miles on my 99 going to and from work every day. I'm gonna see what I can find....

SCRunner12 · Dec 28, 2011

I miss my 87 all the time. I like my 2000, but there was nothing like driving the 1st gen. It just felt like a 4wd vehicle. I don't miss the power of the 22re and auto trans, but my 4runner had character. I keep telling my fiance that I will be getting another one in a few years to fix up and wheel with. It was the perfect High School vehicle IMO.

A.Wilson013 · Dec 28, 2011

I totalled my 1st Gen 14 months ago today. I miss it every single day.

Singtoe · Dec 28, 2011

I miss my 99 limited. It has been like 2 weeks since I last drove it.

88xtraSR5 · Dec 29, 2011

Wasn't a 4runner, but I miss my old 88 pick-up...
3.0 L 5-speed, power mirrors, power locks and power attenna... the dang thing had everything. Miss that old 4 wheel drive.

Stick Figure · Dec 29, 2011

I think if I had a 1st gen I would want to trade the 3rd gen for something in the 80 or 100 series LC size, to have more difference in my vehicles. Right now I'm basically living out of the 4runner so more room seems very appealing, however the fuel efficiency decline in the LC line isn't very appealing. If I had a 1st gen to beat up in the rocks and drive when I needed a truck but wanted better MPG I would do it in a heart beat.

the great him · Dec 29, 2011

it too never had a 1st gen 4runner, but i had a second gen pickup, well have(x2) and i wont ever sell them, they are both 85s with EFI, extra cab and 4x4 5spd. they are the best vehicles i have ever owned, you can drive them into the ground and they keep asking for more. some days i just decide im driving it over the runner, and i love it, its so old school and you feel so apart of the rig. its most defiantly a drivers truck, no ABS, no power windows, or door locks it has power breaks and steering but that is. its so nostalgic to drive, makes me think back to highschool

RiverRat37 · Dec 29, 2011

yeah Kid I miss that feeling - thinking about looking at this one http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2762045250.html

98OzarksRunner · Dec 29, 2011

Here's a nice one fer ya:

1989 Toyota 4runner 77,000 original miles

RiverRat37 · Dec 29, 2011

Yeah that one looks good... If I wasn't all the way here in NC I'd ride over and check it out

Martinjmpr · Dec 29, 2011

Not a 4runner...

...But I did own an 85 4x4 pickup, regular cab with the 22r (carbureted) and a 5 speed.

This is me in late 1985 rocking some flared cords and a cheesy mustache!

Do I miss it? No, not really. Low power, tinny doors, plastic-covered bench seat and no AC. My 4runner is 10 times the vehicle my 85 was.

Dad had an 87 4runner with the 22re and a 5 speed. Fun to drive and decent MPG but otherwise, nothing special. Still very rough around the edges. He bought it new and kept it until about 1998. It had over 200k on it and was still running fine (though I think he went through a couple of clutches.)

BTW, I Tried to recreate the above photo in December of '07 with my '04 Taco.

But it's true what they say - you can't go home again!

brian2sun · Dec 29, 2011

My first "car" 18 years ago was an '86 4x4 Yota pickup. I only had it for 2 years, but I have always missed that truck since the day I sold it. Since then I've had two 2nd gen 4runners, a '93 T100, and my current '97 4runner. About a month ago I bought a '98 regular cab Taco 4x4 and I love it. It's a 5 speed and a base model so it has crank windows, manual door locks, no ABS, manual hubs, no tach, ect.. But the coolest thing is, when I'm not looking at the interior, it really feels like I'm driving my old '86 again.. only the 2.7 has a lot more power than a 22R! I feel sorta like I got my old truck back, but better!