My next-door neighbor is adding a second story to her house; and the the masons who have raised her chimney are both driving Curbside Classics. That’s hardly unusual, but that little Toyota with the dually rear axle did catch my eye. Opportunity strikes anywhere, even at your own curb, so let’s give them their fifteen minutes of fame.
The little Toyota is a ’78, and its owner says it routinely hauls a ton, or more. And if you’re wondering about that long rear overhang, there’s a reason.
This was once an RV, a Dolphin, I think he said. The crude roof patch confirms it, as if that was necessary. But it’s nice to see an old RV have a useful second life. The odds of that improve, if it was a Toyota. These old pickups are made for the long haul; there’s quite a few of this vintage still hard at work hereabouts.
The F-150 is a ’77, with a 351. Looks like it has a bit of life in it yet too. It looks positively youthful compared to my ’66.
I do love the “lake disks” on the Toyota. One of my favorite cutom hubcaps of all time and they still work on our modern cars that won’t accept baby moons and trim rings because of the wheel off-set.
I don’t think the moon discs are going to make up for the added air resistance of having dually rear wheels.
I haven’t seen one of those little Toyotas in decades, they melted with rust, kind of like the bad guy’s face in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Moon discs
Racing or “lake” discs – named after dry lake racing
I’ve always been a big fan of those too. I had them on my 66 Caddy and my Dakota R/T.
The one thing you have to get used to when sporting them is that every internet car guy telling you that “you’re going to overheat your brakes with them”..
Yeah, i’ll be sure to pop them off my 4000lb Caddy before hitting Road America. Thanks! 😀
Dan, have a look at the Mooneyes website. Never seen those chrome thingys before but I always thought of these as Moon discs:
Perhaps one of the more experienced members can correct either one of us… but I’m thinking the full chrome moons were invented to make up for the fact that most modern cars can’t wear REAL baby moons and trim rings.
Yup, beats me. I always thought the best hubcaps going were the Mopar red circle dog dishes, but they’re not the best for Bonneville.
Must be in the proper context…. but i really dig these!!!
I see a few early Hilux Toyotas around here the dry climate suits them and replacement Corona mechanicals are easy to find. I used to see many Toyota Stouts in Tasmania which must be their last refuge but those were fairly common along with several shovelnosed Corona utes of the 60s still in use.
I’ve been a fan of the early Toyotas since Back to the Future but the real apple of my eye is that F-150.
Ford hit the nail square on the head with the 73-79 trucks. There was something about those Fords. Chevy finally hit it in 88 and Dodge, well.. Dodge trucks were barely on the radar until 94.
I agree. I’d happily have one, with the 300 six and a stick.
I had a ’76 with the 300 and 3 on the tree. Damn good truck, simple as a hammer, only thing that really failed on it during my time with it was the steering column itself, which a place in Turley, Oklahoma rebuilt for me.
I still miss that truck.