What year truck to buy ??

Discussion in '1989-1995 Pickup Discussion' started by Broghan smith, Jun 13, 2017.

  1. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    Hi im new to the site and want to know what year truck i should buy.i want to get a truck that has a spuare grill like this 98b5067b634c879e2564644ced5621ee.jpg

    But have a fuel injected 22R-E if that's a thing. I heard 22R-E is a good platform to hopefully tune and build. I want to Build a shakotan tyle mini truck but don't what year or engine platform to start my build/tune . Any suggestions on model year and engine? P.s. sorry if the picture i attached didn't work.
     
  2. Tuhd The Troll

    Tuhd The Troll Veteran

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    that's a gen 5 (88-97). You can also find it in a V6 for more go. Or, swap in a different, more powerful engine, such as a 1GZ
     
  3. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    Do you know what version of the V6 in the 5th gen is probably the best platform to build on that has the most aftermarket performance parts?
     
  4. YOguyDA

    YOguyDA Addict

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    89-95 pickups only came with the 22re and the 3vzfe...both pretty lame platforms to modify, unless your expectations are realistic.

    The early Tacoma 1995.5-1996? Came with square headlights and better platforms to modify.

    Do some research and come here with more specific goals?
     
  5. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    If you come across a 3VZE V6 truck id suggest swapping a 5VZ into it. Otherwise pick up a 22RE truck, theyre all fuel injected.
     
  6. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    Basically I want to build a street drift truck you know converted over to coilovers if I can and and something know I can build on that can least push a little bit over 200 maybe even three hundred horses I'm not trying to do an engine swap because I don't have the world's biggest budget here you know I just want to get something that can you know have the motor and work on that's already in the truck and do my cosmetic and suspension upgrades in tune the motor like an air intake exhaust maybe cam the motor and then eventually build the engine to take a turbo or something like that
     
  7. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    I have been doing research and not really getting any results so I found this website when I was looking at pictures and f DSC04719.jpg ound my neighbor's truck that he had I think his usernames litneon all I remember is that you just got out like a bright orange 95 Toyota pickup that's what he told me and I remember he worked on a thing non-stop ahead of the air lift suspension it was really nice
     
  8. yotarip

    yotarip Veteran

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    I think the early tacoma would be best.

    I've really been considering trading my 87 toyota pickup for a clean 5speed first gen 2001-2004 facelifted) tacoma. Better steering due to the steering rack, coilovers can be fitted in the front and bolt in rear fourlink setup is available. It would be hard for me to let my mini go but the right Tacoma could make it happen.

    [​IMG]

    I really want to build this with a 3uzfe!!
     
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  9. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    Im going for a body style like this 98b5067b634c879e2564644ced5621ee.jpg
     
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  10. Tuhd The Troll

    Tuhd The Troll Veteran

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    The money youre going to put into getting 200-300hp out of the 22re is about the same as an engine swap

    If you can stretch your budget a little, there are kits to mount a 2JZ and R154 in them trucks. That way you start with the hp you want, and when money becomes available you can upgrade to 500+ hp significantly cheaper than with the 22re.
     
  11. Broghan smith

    Broghan smith Newbie

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    You make a very good point I'll probably end up doing but you know I'll start off small with a few upgrades to the engine I have already in the truck just to give a little kick in the rear but probably get a 1JZ or something like that
     
  12. yota4life

    yota4life Grand Toyotaholic

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    89 came with a 22r aswell
     
  13. BatryOpratedBoy

    BatryOpratedBoy Enthusiast

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    Man.... I hate to say it, but I'm right there with you. I've had/have 3 toyota pickups, single cab/4cyl/5 speeds... and loved them all (even the one I got free, totaled, not running from a backwards distributor) but I always find myself wanting for a Tacoma. Not the new ones... they fugly. 99-04 like you... updated coil-packs, OBDII, electronic HVAC, modern mid-hp motor and actual coil susp.
     
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  14. Orlando Muniz

    Orlando Muniz Veteran

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    if you get one with a 3vz you can always swap a supercharged 5vz like I did. I cannot get the tires to grip at all til I get my LSD in. Guess that is a good problem to have.... Really cannot go wrong with these trucks, 3vz will not have much of an aftermarket as the 22re and the pre- Tacoma's won't have as much after market as the Tacoma's
     
  15. Ezy

    Ezy Newbie

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    I'm actually in the same boat. You guys are saying the early Taco's are a better chassis overall? I'm not looking for big power just reliability and good gas mileage.

    Not sure If I'm allow to post CL ads but I've seen a couple on craigslist that look pretty clean that I may just go check out.
     
  16. Orlando Muniz

    Orlando Muniz Veteran

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    Pretty much cannot go wrong with any of the toyota trucks
     
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  17. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

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    I don't know anyone with a 2wd 5spd Tacoma but in my experience it's the previous generations of 2wd Toyota pickup that got a little better fuel economy than the Tacoma. Tacoma hovers in the high teens to low 20s in auto trans form (my inlaws have an 03 2wd auto) whereas the pickup 2wd I've seen people get up to shy of 30mpg. 4wd are pretty much the same when you compare 4cyl to 4cyl mpg, slight advantage to the Tacoma due ot more power. If I had to pick one truck between my 1993 4cyl 5spd 4wd pickup and my inlaws 1998 4cyl 5spd 4wd Tacoma, it would likely be the Tacoma - that trucks' got WAY more power with the 3rz, steering is much better, brakes are better, overall drives better, has airbags, same size truck and interior is pretty similar too.

    I'd say Tacoma has better IFS - has coil suspension with rack and pinion steering, pickup has torsion bar suspension with parallelogram steering

    But like said - can't really go wrong with any generation of the Toyota pickup, they all have their pros/cons, just depends on what you need it to do and how modern you want to get. I've owned or regularly driven every generation of Toyota pickup except the pre-75 hilux, the 79-83 and the current gen new Tacoma
     
  18. Erwin Merida

    Erwin Merida Toyotaholic

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    As long as it's decent, and you have fun.. it dnt really matter what chassis you go with. A donor vehicle comes in handy when doing swaps!
     
  19. StorminMatt

    StorminMatt Newbie

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    If HP is what you are looking for, you pretty much NEED to swap. Yes, you can build a 22RE. But upgrading the 22RE involves spending LOTS of money for relatively small increases. Realistically, you probably won’t see much more than 140HP from a street build. A better head casting (rather than merely a ported stock casting, which tries to improve a head that seems designed to prevent HP production) could improve things further. But nobody seems to want to step up and make one.

    Regardless, any 22RE build is going to cost you ALOT more than just going with, say, a 3RZ. And a bone-stock 3RZ will give you significantly more power and torque along with better gas mileage than you are likely to get from a 22RE build. Of course, you can get even more from other engines, such as a 5VZFE or something else. The same is true for the 3VZE, which produces more power stock, but has fewer build options.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2022
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