What do you think made an appearance at the dealership this morning?
Nope, it’s not her. Although, I wouldn’t mind at all if she were to arrive dressed that way.
Back in 1980, our President was a natural blonde, Christie Brinkley graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, and Toyota was thriving.
While Isuzu offered a competitive model that masqueraded as a Chevy, the higher price point of Toyota pickups was a challenge that domestic manufacturers struggled to overcome, and this raised alarm for the Big Three automakers.
Especially considering how the leading product looked like this…
Nissan did have a strong rival in the form of the 720 truck. This particular model was arguably Toyota’s toughest competitor throughout the 1980s, were it not for the chicken tax, which imposed a hefty 25% tax on foreign light-duty trucks.
This unfortunate piece of quid pro quo legislation was created to target German automakers in the 1960s in return for the United Auto Workers (UAW) refraining from striking ahead of the 1964 election.
On the bright side, if it can be considered that, vehicles like this Toyota are consistently improved and pampered. The owner even made sure to add cupholders, a CD player, and cruise control.
Some trucks are built to last, and this Toyota from Tennessee has truly earned that distinction.
.
