>>>It is getting more and more difficult to find manual trannys. I had to replace my 26 year old Toyota pickup last year. There was only 1 mid-sized PU with manual trans in the entire state of Montana! I bought it.
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>>I learned to drive a standard transmission when I was 6, thanks to my dad! I always thought that a standard was the way to go. Then as I got older, the traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area changed a great deal. Stop and go on the freeway is a total pain! Having an automatic at least allows me to save my joints to some extent!
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>>Sounds like your Toyota was one made where I worked, at NUMMI in Fremont, California. My brother had a 1985 model, and he sold it a year or two ago. The older Tacoma's were small and the more recent ones are almost as big as a Tundra!
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>It well could have been. I bought it new in November of '85. I really liked the older, smaller Toyota trucks, and the 22RE engine was bomber.
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>It was a great truck for 26 years. My only mistake was driving it in Michigan one winter. The bed started rusting immediately.


I hate to see that. Salt on the winter road will destroy many cars and trucks. Perhaps Michigan puts extra salt on the road to help the auto industry sell more cars! :)

Also, I have seen lots of cars rust out in Florida. I have never seen a car rust out in California.