Back in 1982 it was known as just a Toyota Pickup Truck – no longer a Hilux and not yet a Tacoma and this beauty was as basic as they came. The famous 22R 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed (I think) manual transmission, painted bumpers, steel wheels, and vinyl everything inside. Bench seat, radio (I think) and I opted for AC to deal with the relentless Florida heat and humidity.
In 1982 the truck was the third generation (N30) still with no name other than Pickup. “I drove through the desert in a truck with no name, it felt good…”
I choose a beige model to match the dirt road I lived on. I think Toyota called it “tan”. Unloaded the rear end was prone to skidding around 180 degrees or more on slightly wet roads if you hit the brakes too hard. I once did a complete 360 at a traffic light to my shock and the surprise of bystanders.
Photographed with a Canon F-1.
Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan
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Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris 
Hi Chris,
Love the truck, hope it was stick – but have to ask about the Honda in the first picture. Was that a cb450 hawk or am I just seeing things? That was my first ‘real’ bike, so wondering if you had owned one too or just coincidentally included it. Either way, thanks for the ride down memory lane.
More important – thank you as well for helping to keep the Yashica story known. That is so cool.
All the best,
Richard
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Hi, Richard! Thank you for your very kind comments -they’re most appreciated. If I remember correctly, that was my 1980 Honda Hawk which I think was a CB400T. It was my first and only bike and I used it to commute every day to my two jobs. I probably should have had something a bit heavier and powerful but my Sailor budget couldn’t afford anything bigger and I wanted a new bike, not a used one. I also lived on a one-mile-long sandy dirt road and it was hell to maneuver that bike through the powder and then the mud when it rained. I rode it mostly in the dark at either 5 in the morning or at 7 in the evening in all kinds of weather. My first commute was from one side of Jacksonville (Florida) across the river to the Navy base I was stationed at. It was 22 degrees F out and I had to wear a snowmobile suit! At 70 mph the wind chill was around minus 20! I think I put nearly 60k on the bike before I sold it 3 years later and having had nearly 3 near-death experiences. Where did you ride?
Yes, it’s fun exploring the history of Yashica and sharing it with the world. The good people of Nagano Prefecture could never have imagined some dude would be writing about their cameras 70 years into the future!
Best regards,
Chris
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Great story. I got mine (an 82 450T) from my friend’s dad in 94, but the trick was getting it down from Chicoutimi, Quebec to Montreal in April. Thank goodness my friend who had agreed to ride it back for me was an experienced rider (as well as being fearless and/or crazy), because it snowed on the way home and the road was slushy and icy most of the way (your snowsuit would have come in handy, or better yet the pickup truck). We had to stop half way at a laundromat so he could dry out his clothes and she could get her breath back.
I learned more about chain tensioning, spark gapping, carburetor adjusting, engine over-boring and JBWeld with that bike than any course would have ever taught me, and to never ever lock up the back brake and then let it go in the wet (that snowsuit would have been useful that day too, but for its abrasion resistance -lol). But the bike never ever let me down and was a joy to ride and wrench.
I really see the parallels between the workmanship put into those little Honda bikes and the cameras coming out of Japan between the 50s, 60s and 70s. Plus, it’s a lot easier (and safer) to collect and still use old cameras than old motorbikes.
All the best,
Richard
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I really liked the look of those simple(?) Handa bikes and was always attracted to the crazy big Kawasaki superbikes but was smart enough not to ever ride one!
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