Tamiya Hilux 1981

[mongoose1983]

Hey there,

I was wondering about this. Here where I live I've never seen a 1981 Hilux with a setpside bed like the Tamiya one. I got curious and asked my father to see some pictures of this truck and tell me if he ever saw one of these. My father, he worked with cars all his life. He represented Champion spark plugs and Borg/Warner clutch stuff for about 30 years in here, so I thought he'd have an answer, but he didn't. I looked at the old Toyota brochures and searched the Internet for at least one picture to see if the Tamiya pick-up truck really existed but nothing. Now question is to y'all. Is there anybody out there to confirm the existence of a 1:1 Toyota 4x4 pick-up like the one Tamiya released back in 1981???

Cheers and goodnight y'all!

EB

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[markbt73]

Come to think of it, no. I believe Nissan/Datsun did a step-side version of the 620 and 720 series trucks (the 720 was the Marui Big Bear style), and I think I've seen a step-side Ford Courier (rebadged Mazda B1600/2000), and I saw a handful of step-side Toyota Tacomas from the mid-90s or so when I lived in Los Angeles, but I've never seen the old Hilux (known simply as the "Toyota Pickup" in the States) with that configuration.

That's kind of odd, though; it's not like Tamiya to stray from very specific vehicle details. In the static kit world, I've seen two virtually identical kits representing two trim levels of the same car. So maybe there was one, but it was just far more popular in 1/10 scale than it ever was in full-size.

[B.M.T.]

There might of been.

Here in Australia, we only got the Hilux as what the US call a "Style-" or "Fleetside", like the rest of the 3speed family. BUT,

Before Hilux, Toyota had a ute called the "Stout". These looked nothing like a Hilux, until the very last version of it had the Hilux cab (but 2WD, live front axle). There was one of these getting around my home town, up until I left a year back... and I'm sure it was a flareside.

So, this flareside tray might of been a home market thing, until they exported them - or used up all the old Stout parts.

[mongoose1983]

Mmmm...

The Tailgate Toyota sign is another thing that raises more questions. If you look at all of the other Toyota pick-ups of the late 70's, none has a logo like the one in the back of the Tamiya version. I mean the Toyota sign is OK, but not the rectangle where it's placed over.

[markbt73]

Here's an interesting photo that shows your serif-style lettering:

Maybe there are more styles than we're aware of? I mean, Toyota sold a zillion of those things, all over the world. Every time I go someplace new, there are Toyota trucks in configurations I've never seen before. So I guess a standard cab, short bed, step side 4x4 is a possibility.

(And as a total aside, where did rope hooks go on truck beds? My 1983 Datsun 720 had nice big cast aluminum cleats on the outside of the bed for ropes. They worked, they were always there when you needed them, and they made it look like a TRUCK. My 84 Mazda Sundowner had them too. Nowadays, you can get heated cup-holders and other sissy options, but you don't get rope hooks? What a ripoff. I suppose it's for aerodynamics, but come on; it's a truck...)

[WillyChang]

1981 1:1 was sold as a std tray, long tray and naked cab chassis in the US.

Would the JDM homemarket have something different or did someone 'Stateside graft on a tray from a F100? (Pumpkin style)

[Blacque Jacque]

I had a UK spec 1980 model, straight bed, like the Mounty (longbed ?), serif style Toyota logo like the picture above, same colour too.

I do remember seeing stepside conversion kits advertised in US mags of the time (Four Wheeler I think it was), probably quite popular as the bed construction meant they were awful rust traps & almost invariably rotted out along the floor seams.

One other small difference on UK models, possibly JDM too, the front indicator repeater was above the wheel arch rather than in front of it (when they rusted off & I replaced them, I got the "in front" style)

I remember it also had appalling 50w tungsten headlights (they rusted out too & I replaced them with big 7" 130w / 90w units)

If I can find some photos of my old 'Lux I'll add it to my showroom.

[prplehz]

Funny you ask? I saw a hilux at a stop light, well ok it wasn't a highlux more like a lowlux, lol. But this this was mint. I couldn't believe my eyes.. So I rolled down my window at a stop light and asked if he had had it since it was new. And he said now I bought it last year for $2200 U.S. . My eyes popped out of my head and I said wow what score and even more, what a nice truck. The light turned green the the hilux was never to be seen again. It was orange with all the badging and stickers on it in perfect shape, my gosh it was even shiny! I am pretty sure it was a 2wd version though but still wow, 2200 bucks, a nib original Tamiya hilux goes for that much, scratches his head, lol.... As for a step side though, that it for sure wasn't.