1977 Toyota HiLux 77K Mile Pickup – Sold?

January 12th Update – we just noticed the listing “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” We’re sorry this one got away, so feel free to reach out either by email or call Rudy directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

December 29th Update – The private seller just entered another price reduction on their restored ’77 Hilux pickup.  Lowering the price another $400 now brings the revised price in at $13,500.

December 10th Update – It only took several days for the private seller of this nicely restored 1977 Toyota HiLux Long Bed to lower their asking price by $600 from $14,500 to $13,900. Time will tell whether this reduction will help increase the chance of this truck selling quickly.

Rising fuel prices and a strong-dollar-to-yen ratio made it easy an easy sell for Japanese auto manufacturers to import their compact pickup trucks to the U.S. despite the Fed’s hefty “Chicken Tax” import duty dating back to the Johnson Administration.  As economical and durable as these small truck’s powertrains proved to be, their common Achilles Heel was the poor quality, rust-prone steel used to build them.  Consequently, rust-free examples such as this White Mint 1977 Toyota HiLux Long Bed in December 2020 on Craigslist in Annapolis, Maryland have all but disappeared on American roads.  The current caretaker of this nice restored and tastefully upgraded example currently has it listed at $14,500. While this ask is much higher than the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool’s #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $9,825, we predict this truck will sell quickly as Seventies-vintage HiLuxs this nice do not come up for sale that often.

For the 1975 model year, Toyota redesigned its HiLux pickup with increased content and a larger overall size earmarked for the North American market. This larger truck also featured Toyota’s 2.2 Liter 20R inline four-cylinder engine mated to an optional five-speed manual. Coinciding with this mini truck’s North American launch, Toyota phased out the “HiLux” brand name and simply call it “Truck.”  Enthusiasts today readily call the survivors by their true name.

If you watched any television in the 1970s, it was hard to get away from hearing a “You Asked for it, you got it: Toyota” commercial.  Here’s one from 1977 featuring a similar Toyota Truck:

If you follow us long enough, you’ll see how much we pine for right-sized trucks such as this Toyota rather than the monsters all of the automakers, both foreign and domestic, insist is what truck buyers want. If you’re like us, based on the seller’s excellent description below, we would be very tempted to daily this compact truck, as long as we only did so in dry, salt-free road conditions.  Good luck with the purchase!

Here’s the seller’s description:

“Possibly the nicest 1977 Toyota Hilux left in the country. Rust free and excellent interior, glass, and chrome.

Purchased out of a collection in North Carolina. 77,195 original miles!!! Original Stock 20R Toyota engine with a Weber carburetor, LCE headers, performance distributor, and new exhaust. Upgraded 3/4 ton, 8″ rear-end from the factory. Professionally resprayed original white/mint about 10 years ago. Bed has spray liner and new tool box. All gauges work and comes with the original Toyota tool bag and owner’s and repair manuals. Bluetooth head unit mounted under the dash. Nearly new tires and original stock wheel caps with chrome trim rings. Three-layer sound deadening/absorption system installed under original vinyl mat.
Professionally upgraded to a 5-speed with receipts, great on the highway! Runs and drives like a brand new truck.Serious inquiries only. No urgency to sell. No trades. No disappointments. Clear Florida title in sellers name. If interested, email me through Craigslist and leave a name and telephone number for a response.“

Show or Go: what would you do with this Toyota pickup?  Comment below and let us know!