Good morning! On today’s Shitbox Showdown, we’re looking at two examples of one of my favorite categories of vehicles: old beat-up pickup trucks. But before we do, let’s settle the score on yesterday’s British cars:
Looks like Sprite beats 7-Up, and also Land Rover. This would be my choice as well. I love the idea of Land Rovers, but the reality scares me off. The little Sprite, however, isn’t fundamentally different from my MGB, so it doesn’t scare me.
Speaking of scary, what is it about the swamps of Louisiana that inspires so many people to tell creepy stories about it? Whether it’s tales of vampires from the Civil War, or songs about monsters coming out of the lake, something about that place just gives people the willies, and they feel compelled to write about it. I get it; my grandparents lived in Louisiana when I was little, and I remember the palmetto bugs, and the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, and not being allowed to play in the yard because of the cottonmouths. To survive such a spooky place, you need a good sturdy truck (how’s that for a segue?). We’ve got two cheap old trucks with a reputation for surviving damn near anything; let’s check them out and see which one is the better deal.
1984 Toyota Pickup – $2,800
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4 liter overhead cam inline 4, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Marrero, LA
Odometer reading: 185,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep
Here we have quite possibly the least imaginatively named vehicle of all time: the Toyota Pickup. In other parts of the world, this truck is known as the Hilux, but for some reason, Toyota dropped the Hilux name in the US after 1973, and until the Tacoma’s introduction in 1995, Toyota’s small truck was nameless. Nevertheless, this little marvel gained the same reputation for durability and reliability here as everywhere else.
That reputation rested on the shoulders of Toyota’s R-series engine, a stout unit with a chain-drive overhead cam. This carbureted 2.4 liter variant, 22R in Toyota-speak, only put out 97 horsepower, but it was enough, in its chugging, tractor-like way. This one is going to be even more sluggish than most, with an automatic transmission, but it will keep on going until the end of time. Provided you replace the plastic timing chain guides with proper aluminum ones, that is.
With only 185,000 miles on it, this little Toyota should have plenty of life left in it. The number-one killer of Toyota pickups is rust; this one has some, but it seems to be confined to the bed area. Somewhat worryingly, the ad contains no photos whatsoever of the interior. Old trucks tend to be treated unkindly, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s pretty rough in there.
This truck runs and drives like it should, thanks to a new battery, new fuel filter, and some carb adjustments. The front brakes are also new. Apparently it needs a muffler, but otherwise it’s mechanically solid. These little Toyota trucks are going for some silly prices these days, and this one would have been overpriced a few years ago, but now it almost seems reasonable. You just have to put up with a little rust and an automatic.
2000 Ford F150 – $2,200
Engine/drivetrain: 4.2 liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Odometer reading: 154,000 miles
Runs/drives? Sure does
This truck doesn’t really have a name either, I suppose, just a letter: F. The numbers following it typically refer to the truck’s carrying capacity: 150 for half-ton, 250 for light-duty three-quarter ton. Anything larger or heavier-duty had been moved to Ford’s “Super Duty” line by the time this truck was built. This tenth-generation truck is a divisive design, even around these parts, but it carried on the Ford truck tradition of toughness and reliability.
This short-bed single-cab F150 is a basic XL model, so it will have a bench seat and rubber floors and crank-up windows and all those other wonderful things that make a truck, you know, a truck. It does have air conditioning and an automatic, so someone checked a few boxes on the order form, but not many. Its front bumper has also been replaced by a big honkin’ steel structure. It looks like the truck was in a minor accident which damaged the right front fender and also took out part of that big bumper. I wonder what the other car looks like?
Despite the cosmetic shortcomings, the seller says this truck runs and drives beautifully, and is ready to drive anywhere. The front end components are all new and freshly aligned, and it has good tires. The pushrod “Essex” V6 doesn’t have quite the indestructible reputation of its inline six precedessor, but it’s still a solid engine, and it puts out considerably more power than the old 300 six. It’s backed here by Ford’s 4R70W overdrive automatic, an ancient design refined and improved over the years until it got to be pretty damned good. Yeah, I’d rather have a stickshift, too, but it’s what we’ve got to work with today.
Despite being a short bed, this truck is ready to get some work done, with a bedliner and a nice locking toolbox in the bed. It’s rust-free outside except for the big bumper. Again, we don’t get any photos of the cab interior, but we can imagine how it looks. But it’s a truck; if you want a nice fancy interior, look elsewhere.
I know beat-up old trucks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s all right; you’re allowed to be wrong. And we’ll do something different tomorrow. That’s the beauty of this little endeavor – there’s always tomorrow. Today, this is what we’ve got to work with. What’ll it be?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I voted Ford. The family work truck is also a 10th-gen F150 so I’m a bit biased. The only memories I have with that era Toyota pickup is the dead one that sat in the backyard with moss in the bed and spiderwebs in the cab (went to the scrapyard around 2007).
If the ‘yoda was a manual, I might be tempted just for the nostalgia, but as it stands I’ll take the Ford. That thing seems perfect to do every godawful truck thing I’d ever want to do with it, and I kinda dig the Mad Max front end treatment. I also have a soft spot for that 4.2 – the family had a Freestar that was optioned with that engine. We finally retired it last year with 240k, and it still had miles left in it.
Back in the 80s I was a fan of small Japanese pickup trucks, and I have never really cared for any of the domestic trucks, so easy win for the Toyota here. Not that I’d ever buy a pick up of any sort for any reason (borrow or rent, sure–buy, no way).
Ford. I love a basic Toyota truck, but in a 2wd automatic, I’ll take the V8
Shhhh. It’s a V-6
How is that Toyota bumper still in existence???
I could put that F150 to work today. Those Toyota Pickup prices are too inflated for me.
My Camry needs a scruffy pal to hang with in the carport. Make mine a Toyota (anudda one).
If you just need a work truck, the Ford is probably the better bet. If you want a vintage project to clean up, the Toyota is still a little expensive and beat up.
Toyota for me. Had an 84 that I put headers and Thrush muffler on. With the automatic trans. That thing would stay in 1st gear until 70 mph if you kept the fast pedal to the floor. Totally indestructible. Except for the rust…
Actually I have a friend who bought 7-8 Toyota Tacos out of Florida after the last hurricane. Each had been underwater to the roof or better. He is slowly repairing them and retitled them thru Oklahoma. The smell out of them is beyond terrible, not to mention the mold. BTW this guy is from Baton Rouge. Enough said.
Deep South interiors usually don’t look good at all, a combination of sun-baked and swamped at the same time.
But the Toyota is the official vehicle of the Lost Coast, so yeah, whatever.
If you picked the Ford your name is Matt Hardigree and you are wrong.
I really don’t like the styling of the 10th gen F150, but they have built a very good reputation and are orders of magnitude more capable than a tiny 80’s Toyota. This Ford is ratty, but ready to work.
Sorry, no Louisiana purchase for me.
Comedy Gold.
Yeah if I wanted some rust, I would just email David Tracy.
Besides I know people from La., and can almost promise you at least one of these turds has spent some time swimming during one hurricane or another.
“But wait! There’s more!”
Having sent a rusty-chassis Tacoma off to the Great Scrapyard in the Sky not long ago, I’m pretty much off all small ‘Yota pickups.
I like the looks of that generation of F-150s. Certainly — to me, anyway — classier than the flat-front monstro-trucks of today. Moreover, Ford built enough of ’em that finding the missing/bent bits ought to be simple. During your visit to Pick-Your-Part you’ll probably walk past some piles of iron oxide that came out of Toyota City.
Whoopsies, the Toyota seller accidentally hit the 2 key while entering the truck’s price. Happens to the best of us! I’ll skip the Toyota tax and buy the beater Ford that doesn’t look like it will snap in half if I hit a pothole.
Toyota. If it were anywhere close to me, I’d be tempted to check it out. I need to haul some lumber soon and finding a rental truck is becoming a pain in the ass or way too pricey.
Toyota, please.
It’s noticeably older than the Ford, but probably has more life left in it.
One thing that concerns me from the Ford ad: “Front end is rebuilt and aligned.” Is it rebuilt in the sense that it has new bushings, or was it rebuilt after an accident? With the available pictures, we can’t determine if the shop-project front bumper sustained damage or if it was simply never finished.
There is also a mismatched wheel at the left front corner. Overall it looks like the Ford has had a harder life.
“Rebuilt fromt end” typically means new ball joints, tie rod ends & sleeves, drag link, pitman arm, etc. And of course all that new stuff has to be aligned. I don’t think it’s related to the sheetmetal damage.
Hi Mark – I probably should have been more clear. “Rebuilt” can mean many different things, ranging from minimal (e.g. bushings) to full-on (what you described), and a seller is likely to have a more charitable interpretation than a buyer will.
My concern – which I think you may share to some extent – is that ad doesn’t give us enough info to make a determination regarding the work that’s been done or any damage that might have occurred.
However, the original front bumper is completely gone. This is probably not the result of something good happening. 🙂
That bullhead bumper is the replacement after the accident took the old one out. Even project lovers dont replace a perfectly good front end with steel pipe until the front end aint no good anymore.
The Toyota has some red flags (see the original ad; Mark’s description of this vehicle is a bit optimistic). It isn’t registered and probably isn’t drivable in its current state (the ad says it runs, drives, and stops; that isn’t the same as a vehicle that is fully functional). I’m not sure why an indestructible truck with collector appeal isn’t worth the owner’s time to fix. Also, it comes with an out of state title. There could be a good explanation for this (maybe they moved to Louisiana recently and found they didn’t have space for the truck?), but it makes me think it has been sitting for some time. I also worry about flood damage whenever I see a non-operational vehicle from Louisiana.
I don’t have any concerns for the F150 beyond the fact that it is one of the wretched 10th generation trucks. I guess I will take the F150, but only because I’m not looking for a project.
Picked the Toyota only because these are now unicorns in the rust belt. The little bit of the interior I see in the through windshield shot is encouraging, this truck was loved.
I’m a big Toyota fan, but I’ll take 16 years newer, a lot less rust, and no carburetor today.
And, I DO like the looks of this gen F-150/light 250.
Hit it on the head. The only additional point I would add for the Ford is its overall capability.
I really didn’t like that generation of the Ford. I’m going with the Toyota, but I’m scared the rear frame is rusted out
“Needs a replacement muffler” is the code for “a David Tracy class rust heaven.” No, I’ll go with the Ford, thanks.
Even with the automatic, the Toyota is the automatic vote here. For those keeping score:
rusty old Toyota > jellybean Ford
If it was the 8th or 9th generation F150, I might have spent my Internet Money differently.
Both are decent, Toyota wins for me, but I’d have to manual swap it.
Either of these would be a winner. I like the 10th-gen F-series (though it looks best in high-end trims), and at those prices I don’t mind a few extra creases, but an extended cab Hilux with perfect patina is hard to beat. Now, to pull that stupid brow off the roof …
Toyota for me. A 1JZ engine swap, a 5 or 6-Spd. tranny swap. Add Work wheels. Lower the truck by 2 inches. Get rid of the bumpers. And paint it black….