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As the desire to chew up the world’s unbeaten trails grows, so too do the prices in the overlanding marketplace. Luckily, there are still bargains to be found out there for those who want to dive into the trail-tackling life. Early-model 4Runners, like this 1987 Toyota 4Runner SR5 currently on Bring a Trailer, can be a modest entry point into the off-roading world.
The 4Runner SR5 comes from some of the toughest off-roading stock the world has to offer: The Toyota Hilux, one of the most indestructible pickup trucks in history. These first-generation 4Runners are little more than a dressed-up Hilux with a camper shell over the bed and, on SR5 models, the addition of a backseat and upgraded upholstery. (The SR5 models also scored a super-cool instrument cluster on top of the dash, which shows pitch, camber and altitude.)
This particular first-generation 4Runner comes with an impressive 197,000 miles on the odometer, which is the sort of figure liable to make any potential buyer’s heart skip a beat. Given the truck’s legendary solidity, however, its 2.4-liter 22R-E inline-four cylinder heart likely has a ways to go yet.
The current owner, who bought it from the family of the original owner in California last year, had spent a good deal of time and money getting the truck’s odds and ends sorted. In its last 3,500 miles, it’s had a few upgrades; the brake light lenses and side-view mirrors have been replaced, new Bilstein shocks have been fitted, and new Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires have been mounted on the chrome 15-inch wheels. The master cylinder as well as the rear drums and front pads and rotors have also recently been replaced. There are a few typical spots of paint bubbling from surface rust — but hey, at least the rust hasn’t affected the original (and very Eighties) splatter-paint decal.
As of this writing, bidding on the truck sits at $2,600 with five days left to go. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy way into the overlanding life, this Toyota seems likely to do right by you.
