Hot Wheels 1987 Toyota Pickup




Previously I introduced one of my favorite Hot Wheels castings to collect variations: the 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 and the Mad Propz plane.  But nothing equates to my personal favorite for this casting ever since it first came out:  the 1987 Toyota Pickup.

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It's cool to me a mini truck!

Toyota, along with Nissan/Datsun, Isuzu and Mazda, entered the US market with small cars, so it was only a matter of time when the small trucks appeared.  It wasn't until the gas crisis of the 1970's that import small trucks, along with US automakers looking to rebadge one as their own, increased the popularity of these vehicles, along with a custom cult that started in southern California creating Mini Trucks.  This fourth-generation Toyota Truck, from 1984-1987, has cult status for a few reasons: aggressive looks, live front and rear axles (1984-1985), and the adoption of a small SUV called the 4Runner.  Lest not forget the cool status look of lifted 4x4 mini trucks no doubt idolized by the Back To The Future franchise!  The square lines look good and macho than the previous generation, accented by flared fenders for 4x4 versions and wild '80's style side graphics.  The interior was more car-like with a simple dash with easy-to-read gauges and easy-to-use controls.  The engines were even wild with turbocharged and diesel versions offered, but nothing is more trusty than the 2.4L SOHC fuel-injected I-4 producing 105 hp. and 136 Ib-ft. torque through a 5-speed manual and part-time 2-speed transfer case in a truck weighing 2800 Ib's.  The next generation continued to share those aggressive looks, now smoother, with a new optional V6.  In 1995 the Hilux and US Tacoma split ways design-wise (and i'll get into more of the Tacoma line later on this year).


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Hot Wheels Versions

I remember it back in 2012, the Hot Ones list for Hot Wheels come out with a lot of cool new castings, most Japanese vehicles:  82 Supra, Subaru BRAT, Dodge Rampage, Chevy Blazer 4x4 reincarnated.  What a cool year for that series!  The mystery was this so-called '87 Toyota.  Toyota what???  Rumors fly around about what it could be, but I knew what it was:  the Truck!  Sure enough when the picture came out of a lifted red truck I almost fell out of my chair and knew this was a gotta-have-it-now! deal for 2012.  Two years and five variations later i'm still satisfied!

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The red introduction has silver graphics with Toyota on sides and TOYOTA on tailgate with detailed taillights.  The exterior is stock except for a few custom mods like flared fenders, tubular running boards, side window rain guards, roll bar with lights, and dual exhaust.  The return of the classic off-road tires of the 1980-1990's looked awesome, so did the metal base and, despite the trend to plastify the bed floor on most Hot Wheels trucks, all-metal bed!  The interior is nicely done and you can make out the seats, shifter, dash, even the 2-spoke steering wheel!  I got this red one online since I knew retail stores would not offer this one (and they sure did!), and now it's a hot commodity to have for any Hot Wheels collector so i'm glad to have this one in my collection.


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After stumbling blocks of cancelling new series with new castings, Hot Wheels decided to introduce those potential castings in the mainline to allow those who never got a chance to own one to get it easily now.  Toyota 2000GT, Greenwood Corvette, and the '87 Toyota Truck were a few examples in the 2013 line.  Painted black with red interior it still looks cool, though the base is now plastic and the wheels are the modern 5-spoke wheels.  Later on the tan version appeared with a black interior; a few hard-to-find variations include the blacked-out 6-spoke off-road wheels.

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For 2014 a return to the premium line was in order, first is the Cool Classics version in my favorite shade of orange, spectrafrosted.  Here the metal base and wheels of the 2012 Hot Ones version returned, but the graphics are new.  Finally is one that was a long time coming and I knew it was bound to happen:  The Back To The Future '87 Toyota Truck.  Painted black with black base, black wheels with the first use of rubber tires and white lettering on the tires, detailed headlights, taillights, roll bar lights, and front California license plate, it looks almost spot on with a few flaws (it's an 87, not an '85 and it's a regular cab, not the extended cab like the one in the movie, and it's missing the front bumper guard), but who cares it's AWESOME!!!


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I'm a person who tries to avoid multiple variations of a certain casting, but with the '87 Toyota, along with the Ram and Mad Propz, I make a few exceptions.


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