It's been more than two decades since homegrown icon Barry Crump left this world, but his legacy shines no less bright.
Beyond his work as a much loved author, Crump's commercials with Toyota also helped grow his fanbase. Each would perfectly hook into the Kiwi psyche of the time; no doubt playing a massive role in helping the Hilux become such a popular device over the following decades.
It was the first two 'Crump and Scotty' commercials (the latter role played by noted broadcaster Lloyd Scott, who retired from the industry in 2017) that were the most memorable.
You might think that seeking out a solid Hilux from that era would be quite the challenge, but anything's possible if you shop around.
This yellow 1984 example is not only a survivor, but it's also likely one of the cleanest vintage Hilux models in the country. And, it's for sale in the Manawatu.
Painted in the same yellow hue as the 4x4 wellside single-cab from the second Crumpy/Scotty commercial, this 1984 walled flat-deck sports just 116,800km indicated on the odometer. That's an average of just 3435km traveled per year, over the course of 34 years.
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It's difficult to tell from images, but the old-school pick-up looks to be original from top to bottom. It comes equipped with a '3Y' 2.0-litre diesel linked to a manual transmission.
It's priced at $15,000; no doubt a tempting figure for prospectors that have been keeping an eye on the rising prices of Toyota Landcruisers of a similar vintage.
"I purchased this gem for around the lifestyle block but it's far too good to be using for the things I want to be doing," says the seller.
"Would love to keep it and store away but that's just not practical at this stage. Would be great to see this go to a Toyota dealer, collector or Hilux enthusiast."
Click here to view the full Driven listing and picture gallery
