Even Closer! 1985 Toyota Pickup, 4×4 w/ XtraCab

DT’s Editor-in-Chief Vince found a sweet 1981 Hilux and scheduled it a few days back, and I don’t want to rain on his parade, but… this one is better. It’s a faithful reproduction of the original movie truck, down to the black paint, front and rear tubular bumpers, show bar with KC Daylighters, and the wheels & tires. The seller shows a bunch of BTTF celebrities posing with the truck (I believe that’s Claudia Wells aka Jennifer in the pic below). Find this 1985 Toyota (Hilux) Pickup for sale in Hill Valley, CA for $16,900 via craigslist.Tip from Safety Fast.

The seller doesn’t show many good photos of the truck itself, but from what is visible it looks like a clean build. The Statler Toyota banners are a nice touch.

The craigslist ad shows “V6” as the engine, but the Hilux was only available with 4-cylinder engines until the 1988 debut of the 3.0L 3VZ-E V6, colloquially known as the “3.slow.” If that’s truly what is in this ’85, then it’s been swapped. Or perhaps this isn’t an ’85 model year at all. Do your homework, prospective buyers.

As long as it runs well and the paint & restoration work is decent, the drivetrain isn’t really important. It’s the overall aesthetic of the thing. Sure, you could likely build your own replica for less than $17k but clean ’85s are getting difficult to find – and quality paint & body work isn’t cheap.

Considering (if it’s true) that this particular truck was used in some 30th anniversary festivities such as a Las Vegas parade and a Hollywood Bowl movie showing, it’s likely good enough to pass for the real thing. By the way, the real thing was found in 2013 and restored…see its facebook page here. I’m just glad it’s not festering in that hideous orange paint job anymore.

Apart from the possibility of watching the Chicago Cubs winning the 2015 World Series, this is about as close as the rest of us can get to living the in ’80s future dream world with Marty, Doc, and Jennifer, especially since the Lexus hoverboard requires a special magnetized surface to work.

See a better campaign vehicle for Mayor Goldie Wilson’s re-election? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com