Ryan Kennelly was living in San Diego, California, when he purchased this 1980 Toyota pickup sight unseen. The truck was in Wyoming, where it had served as a shop vehicle. It needed some work, but it ran and drove. Ryan picked it up for around $2,500, then boarded a plane to Cody, Wyoming, to bring it home. But he wasn’t about to point the truck toward San Diego and stick to the pavement. That’s not his style. Instead, he spent five days wrenching on the truck at a friend’s shop before embarking on a 2,400-mile adventure that included hundreds of miles of dirt.
Prepping For Travel
Ryan is a realist, and a long-time off-roader, so he knew better than to hit the trail without giving the truck a thorough once-over. Before leaving Wyoming, he bolted on new wheels and tires, changed every fluid, and repaired a fuel leak. He also installed a Softopper to stay protected from the elements while sleeping in the bed along the way. The Toyota’s chalky paint got the old-school Comet treatment, bringing the finish back to life. And since he was already improving its appearance, Ryan topped it off with a set of vintage exterior decals for a little extra character.
A Variety Of Terrain And A Couple Fixes Along The Way
His route took him through Montana, Idaho, and Nevada, reaching elevations topping 10,000 feet. The trip actually went pretty smoothly, but a couple of repairs were necessary along the way. For example, the master cylinder gave out, and a heater hose split. Ryan replaced the master cylinder at long-time journalist and off-roader Harry Wagner’s shop, and he repaired the hose along Highway 395 in California.
Since then, Ryan has made more upgrades to the rig, and here’s an overview of how it’s it now.
Upgraded Five-Speed Transmission, Lower Low-Range Gears
It may come as a surprise, but Ryan has not replaced the original engine, even though he says it “hates hills and headwinds.” The truck is still running its bulletproof 20R four-cylinder, complete with its original carburetor. However, he did swap the four-speed manual transmission for an L52 five-speed unit he sourced from Facebook Marketplace. He notes the L52 was a direct bolt-on and didn’t require new or modified driveshafts.
He also turned his attention to the rig’s RF1A two-speed transfer case. During its rebuild, he installed Sumo Gear low-range gears, giving it a 4.703:1 low-range ratio that vastly improves crawlability over the stock 2.280:1 ratio.
Air Lockers, Chromoly Axle Shafts, And More
The stock 8-inch solid axles are still pulling duty, complete with the factory 4.10:1 gears. Ryan did beef up the front axle with 30-spline chromoly axle shafts and Birfields, while ARB Air Lockers replaced the factory differentials at both ends.
Old Man Emu leaf springs and Bilstein 5100 shocks handle suspension duties. Ryan fine-tuned the spring packs by removing leaves to strike the right balance between ride quality, handling, and enough lift to clear larger tires. The result is about 3 inches of lift.
Filling the wheelwells are 31×10.50R15 Milestar Patagonia M/T-02 tires mounted on 6-inch-wide Toyota Land Cruiser steel wheels sourced from Cruiser Outfitters.
Features Galore
The Toyota is built for long-haul off-road travel. Supporting those adventures is a Victron 12-volt DC-to-DC charging system and a 100 Ah lithium battery that powers a Smittybilt fridge and other electronics.
Ryan also addressed the truck’s limited fuel capacity by modifying a five-gallon jerrycan. He plumbed it into the fuel system and can switch to it remotely using a 1970s Chevy dual fuel tank switch mounted on the Toyota’s dash.
Additional gear includes an ARB air compressor and dual five-gallon stainless steel water tanks with a hand pump. One of Ryan’s favorite additions is the Warn Axon 55 winch, which is tucked neatly into the front bumper on a custom mount.
Small, Light, And Efficient
Why this Toyota? Ryan’s answer is straightforward: “It’s small, light, and efficient.” Those are three qualities that make an excellent 4×4. As an added bonus, he ended up with a rare vintage rig that’s as cool as it is capable.
Photos by Ryan Kennelly
You might also like
Toyota And onX Offer New Truck Buyers Six Months Of Complimentary Elite Access
Toyota and onX give new vehicle owners premium off-road mapping tools. The partnership funds active trail maintenance across public lands.
