1985 Toyota 4Runner

SUV

2.4 L I-4

Manual

JT3RN65W4F5095686

Clear

Gasoline

For sale is my Japanese army tank aka 1985 Toyota 4runner 4x4 SR5 with many factory options, excellent condition inside and out. This ended up being a long-winded listing but I am passionate about these old Yotas and I want to communicate everything I can about this rig so the prospective buyer is fully informed as to what they are looking at along with the pictures. Please look over the entire listing and pics and if you still have questions please ask through ebay and I'll post all answers here, or you may call me. This rig was originally delivered in the Sacramento area to a veterinarian where it resided for its first two years until he moved it to western Montana in 1987 and has since spent the rest of its life here. I am the 4th owner. Given the winters and variation in seasons we have and the stuff that is put on the roads, plus the penchant for the natives to wheel the rugged mountain roads found in this area, this vehicles overall condition is nothing short of miraculous. I have painstaking built or rebuilt this rig not to make it some fancy off road crawler or thrasher rig, but to make it a reliable and livable daily driver suitable for all seasons and conditions here in Big Sky country. Factory options include: AC (blows ice cold and handy for defrosting in the winter) SunroofAisin manual locking hubsCruise control SR5 stitched bucket seats front and rearPower windowsDash mounted altimeter2nd Row seating heat/fan control I purchased (rescued) this rig from its third owner who had stuck on an awful ProComp suspension with 33 inch tires. The suspension was of such poor quality that the vehicle listed to one side a full two inches. So after purchase I had installed new Northwest Offroad 2" lift springs throughout with the specified Heckethorn Nitro 9000 shocks. NWOR springs are often panned for being harsh and oversprung but I can tell you the suspension is of a very high quality that has really transformed the rig, it sits "just right" and rides like stock to me. I kept the ProComp/American Racing 15x8" rims and put new BFG 31x10.5-15 AT tires on them. The ProComp adjustable dropped drag link was retained and that completed the setup. Next was the engine. The original 22RE fuel injected engine had a head gasket leak and used a bit of oil, so upon the advice of one mechanic (tested with good compression) I had the engine pulled, added new head gasket and rear main seals, valve cover gaskets, etc. Added a new clutch while we were "in there". Upon reinstallation of the engine, the engine used...even more oil (lesson learned, when you have a motor that uses oil and you make it "tighter", it uses more oil...complete waste of money). So I tried a few tricks like Seafoam in the cylinders and Marvel Mystery oil and other tricks but to no avail, the truck still burned a quart of oil every 500 miles. Not acceptable. So I ordered an engine from Jim and Jerry at Putney Custom Machine www.22reperformance(dot)com If you are not familiar with them they are the firm that was contracted to rebuild the engine for the 1985 Yota from the movie Back to the Future. They are big time. The engine was spec'd as a Stage 1 engine, check out the specs on their website. Nothing fancy, just an upgraded and stone reliable engine that uses the factory stock fueling system. Additional options ordered were: Double roller timing chain upgrade (just like the 79 -83 motors!) No more worrying about the timing chain!Intake and exhaust port pockets in the head hand machined to match the valve seats for improved airflowEngine was fully balanced The engine was installed by our very competent local mechanic (not the same one who recommended I "fix" the original engine) and every hose, belt, fitting was examined and replaced if necessary. A new radiator, thermostat, and fan clutch ensured things run cool and the motor would never be exposed to overheating. Per instructions, the motor was driven 400 miles with Joe Gibbs break-in oil and had Valvoline 10W-30 standard oil for the first 10,000 miles. Motor has just over 11,000 miles on it and currently switched to synthetic oil. My experience is that a 22re Performance motor makes peak power and mileage at about 25,000 miles (yes I've purchased them before). This rig gets over 20mpg right now even with the lift and 31 inch tires and doesn't leak or use oil and runs like top. Mission accomplished. The 5-speed transmission shifts and functions as it should, as does the transfer case and manual locking hubs. No surprises there, the drivetrain at 156K has maybe half its life used up. The Birfield joints had messy fluid leaks at each front wheel so Trail Gear brand Trail Safe inner axle seals and synthetic wiper seals were added and they work perfectly. The rig brakes and steers as it should. No leaks with the engine, transmission, or either differential. The transfer case has a slight weep from the top of the case that after 6 months of driving you can still open the filler hole and touch the fluid. No big deal at all. The exhaust is a freer flowing style but quiet, no obnoxious growl or angry hornet sound at the pipe or in the cab. The rear tailgate is a replacement painted to match, the previous owner backed into a concrete filled metal post at a convenience store and did a number on the rear bumper and tailgate, the rear window goes up and down with the key and goes up with the in cab switch, but not down using the in cab switch. The rear bumper is a beefy custom unit that is securely welded and bolted to the frame and you could pull a house down with it (not that you would want to do any heavy towing). The rear license plate reader and trailer lighting plug work flawlessly. Battery is good, and alternator was replaced about a year ago. A small detail, but I can say this rig has had nothing but non-ethanol premium fuel in her in the few years I've owned her. I do not believe in ethanol in old rigs like this even if they are fuel injected. The top of this 'Runner has never been removed in its 30 year existence, that is a good thing. I had the truck painted in the factory "sabre gray" metallic, the original paint and decals were very faded and oxidized. The paint looks classy and really sparkles in the sun. 5% window tint was added all around except for the front driver and passenger windows which are the legal 30% tint. Two brand new headlights were added last week, one headlight burnt out but we went ahead and replaced both to eliminate having to remove the grill anytime soon (those plastic retainers get brittle with age!) The grill is nice and tight. The interior is in nice shape, with all original factory carpeting and driver side rub pad. The seats are in exceptional shape, as is the cargo area. Some old stains here and there but nothing out of the ordinary. All interior and exterior lighting work as they should, as does the wipers, heater, and power windows. The rear wiper and rear wiper washer work but the spring on the wiper arm is old and stiff and does not push the wiper blade against the rear window like it should. The original complete jack and the original owners manual is included as well as receipts for all work done since I've had her. One original key. Original owners manual with "California only" supplement included! I've taken lots of pictures and if you need anymore just let me know. Now, lets point out all known flaws with the rig. Keep in mind this is not a museum piece, so there is some wear and tear. This list looks long and discouraging but I'm being real nitpicky and I can tell you from my perspective none of the below has detracted from my enjoyment of the vehicle. From front to back:The right front bumper cap is broken. It stays in place, but it is not attached at it's rearmost fastenerThe left front parking light reflector has a rock chip/hole in it, it is not in a portion of the headlamp assembly where the bulb receives moisture so I've never worried about it.The windshield has a fresh rock chip in it (grrrrr this happened just a few weeks ago. Automobile glass specialists do well here in Montana). Otherwise the windshield is a recent replacement and is very clear. The factory antenna is broken off. The in-dash switch that raises and lowers the antenna does indeed work and makes a racket when you push either raise or lower on the antenna. I just used the aftermarket CD player for tunes.The cruise control does not work. This is a puzzle as everything under the hood seems to be there and in good condition. The little green light in the dash lights up when you push the cruise button but nothing happens when you use the stalk mounted controls. The closest Toyota dealer said they would be glad to look at it and if I kept the rig I would followup on this. The cloth cover for the stick shift and transfer case shifter is in sad shape. But it conceals a couple of pristine shifter boots :+)The dash on the passenger side of the rig is cracked. I read this is a common problem but I've never owned an old pre-'86 Toy that did this. A dash cover may be in order. I have taken pics to show the extent of it.The headliner, while being in wonderful shape, has about a half dozen small cracks/cuts in it. I received the rig like this and never touched the headliner so they are not getting any worse.The interior top cab light works fine when you open the door, but its manual side switch is missing so you can't turn it off.The rear window defrost switch lights up but the elements on the window do not seem to workThe rear window has very noticeable vertical scratches on its exterior, as does both driver and passenger side windows. They are smooth to the touch but show up in bright sunlight. Not sure if it's old brittle inner window seals or weatherstripping causing this or what. The rubber parts of the rig are indeed old and the window seals on the side windows of the top show some shrinkage.There is a horizontal dent/crease on the lower side of the passenger door. See pic. It's the only real flaw in the body. It was just painted over.Small dent on the roof ahead of the sunroof. The gas tank skid plate has a nice dent in it. It was like that when I bought it, the plate did its job and protected the tank and there is no issue with the tank whatsoever. Rust - the frame and undercarriage has been undercoated multiple times and are well taken care of. Other than surface rust there is nothing to speak of. Please see the pics. It's a always a battle keeping this in good shape, but for a 30-year old Montana truck it's pretty darn nice.Body rust - there are two small bubbles over the right front wheel well that formed over the winter. There are two very thin strips of oxidation at the rear edge of each rear wheel well. That's pretty much it. Free and clear title in my name, which will be signed and notarized and express shipped to the winning bidder upon receipt of funds if the vehicle is being shipped or handed to the new owner if it is being picked up. This is a NO-RESERVE auction starting at a penny, no games or crazy opening bid price here. PLEASE DO NOT BID if you don't have the ability to pay, or can not gain the ability to pay by auctions end. The goal of this exercise is to sell the rig, not see what my rig is worth for my own personal gratification. Payment: I am NOT going to require a deposit via PayPal "as a show of faith". Your winning bid is your bond. I do expect a certified or cashier's check in US dollars in seven (7) calendar days from auction end. Of course cash works too.....No trades, please. This vehicle is NOT listed for sale locally, so I do not expect to end the auction early, but I reserve the right to do so for any reason. I have been selling online for a long time and have about 900 combined A+ feedbacks on Ebay, Gunbroker, and Auction Arms (now GunAuction). I am here to help you with your purchasing decision. Shipping: Buyer is responsible for insurance and all shipping costs. I have a flexible schedule and can meet a truck driver on short notice, I will make it as easy as I can for you. You may also fly in to Spokane WA airport and drive the rig home. To answer a couple of questions in advance, first, from a reliability standpoint, yes I would hop in this thing and drive it across the country, it is reliable and well sorted out. It has NEVER let me down. Second, the reason I'm selling is I am recently divorced....got to keep the rig but have bills to pay. It is one in a line of upcoming tough choices I will be making. Not getting rid of the rig for any other reason. Sorry if TMI but there is no other logical reason to sell such a fine piece of machinery!! Thus it is a fair question in the minds of the prospective buyer. Ebay only lets me upload 24 pictures I have 60+ photos if you need something just ask if I don't have a shot of it I will take the picture for you!!!! Thanks for looking, I think the winning bidder will be very pleased with this nice, clean, good looking and well cared for rig with an average of just over 5000 miles a year on her! Love those old straight axle fuel injected '85 Yotas! Hope she goes to a good home!! GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BIDDING!! ********IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK BEFORE BIDDING YOU MAY CALL MY CELL 406-544-3829 OR CALL 406-827-4012 ASK FOR SCOTT******** PS - After listing I see that the "AutoCheck" score is "only" a 16. I will include the same report when I purchased the vehicle that shows a score of 22. The score dropped 6 points only because of a new owner (me). As for the accident listed, I mention this in the description and I purchased the rig with the damage unrepaired, damage was to tailgate and rear bumper only, not a high speed impact, no frame or rear quarter panel damage or anything else I would never buy a vehicle that had that type of damage I am too picky. I replaced tailgate and bumper and you see the result, no other work needed.