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The '80s certainly weren't short on great pickup trucks. Many of the coolest '80s trucks sported boxy designs, burly V8 engines, and classic styling that modern trucks simply can't match. Some even roped in famous names from the motorsport world for a little extra showroom appeal — take the Dodge Shelby Dakota, for example, which received unique graphics and a body kit, along with a 175-horsepower V8 engine. Even the cleanest examples of the F-Series trucks and square body Chevys from the era can also now command significant sums among collectors, and enthusiasts are all too aware that many of these trucks aren't as affordable as they once were.
If you're looking for a rarer classic truck than an F-Series or a square-body Chevy, there are plenty of options out there that remain attainably priced for collectors with modest budgets. If you can find one for sale, you could get one of the surviving Shelby Dodge Dakotas, which usually sell for less than $30,000. Alternatively, you could opt for one of these cool cult classic trucks instead, all of which can be comfortably found within a $30,000 budget.
Toyota Hilux/Pickup
Toyota
Although it's best remembered by film fans as being Marty McFly's pickup truck in "Back to the Future," the Toyota Pickup — or Hilux elsewhere in the world — is a cool little package in its own right. In 2023, it was cited by Hagerty as being a rising star in the classic vehicle world, with values for the cleanest examples of the Pickup SR5 more than doubling since 2019. A rising number of owners are also under 40, according to Hagerty.
In addition to being a movie star, the Pickup also has a hard-earned reputation for durability. In particular, its 22R 2.4-liter engine is the pick of the bunch, although other powertrains were also offered. In the U.S., the truck was only sold between 1984 and 1988, but it was popular enough that finding a clean example under $30,000 today shouldn't be too difficult.
While some enthusiasts claim that the '80s Hilux/Pickup is overhyped, it isn't difficult to see why it's earned such a great reputation among off-roaders and buyers looking for workhorse trucks. In a now-famous test, "Top Gear" tried to destroy one by drowning it, crashing it, and subjecting it to all kinds of other abuse, but it steadfastly refused to die. Rust might have claimed plenty of American market examples in the four decades or so since it was new, but if you can find a relatively tidy example, it has as much potential as any to remain reliable long into the future.
Chevrolet El Camino
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Ask most enthusiasts to picture an El Camino, and they'll likely think of the third-generation truck of the late '60s and early '70s. It's easy to forget that the truck remained in production for long after its peak popularity, until it was finally discontinued in 1987. By that time, El Camino sales had been in decline for several years, but its relative rarity makes the '80s El Camino a cool alternative to the model's most famous generation. Plus, it's affordable too, with models available for significantly less than $30,000.
The El Camino of the early '80s was available with a range of powertrains, including a 3.3-liter V6, a 4.4-liter V8, and a 5.0-liter V8. In 1983, a 5.7-liter diesel V8 arrived, although it wasn't available for long. By the middle of the decade, it was clear that the El Camino didn't really have a place in Chevy's lineup anymore. It had been effectively usurped by the S-10, which was a better all-rounder, and so it was unceremoniously discontinued. Despite years of rumors suggesting a comeback, a new generation of the El Camino has never been announced by GM.
Land Rover 90/110 Pickup
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Even in SUV form, the classic Land Rover Defender is a relatively rare sight in the U.S., and the pickup variant is even rarer. Nonetheless, examples do occasionally surface on auction sites, and when they do, they often sell for less than $30,000. Technically, the Defender name wasn't adopted until 1990, with the 1983-1990 models sold as the 90 and 110. However, most of the earlier models are grouped under the umbrella of being "Defenders," so don't be surprised if you see both names on examples in auction listings.
Land Rover generally has a less-than-stellar reputation for reliability, but the Defender is considered to be pretty durable. Examples that haven't been maintained will be less reliable — and plenty of surviving examples have been badly maintained — but if you get a well-looked-after example, it could be as dependable as any other pickup from the era.
Despite Land Rover relaunching the Defender at the start of the decade, the British brand still hasn't launched a pickup version of the current generation model. Boutique manufacturers like the Chelsea Truck Company have built surprisingly cool six-wheeled restomod Defender pickups, but they'll cost an awful lot more than $30,000.
Subaru BRAT
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A weird but fun truck that's unlike anything sold today, the Subaru BRAT gained a number of celebrity fans during its production. One of the most notable was former President Ronald Reagan, who used one on his ranch. Reagan kept his ownership of the Subaru mostly under wraps at the time — Japanese brands were drawing a lot of backlash from American auto producers — but reportedly ended up keeping it until the late '90s.
Aside from its most famous owner, the other thing that the BRAT is known for is having a pair of seats in the truck bed. These were only fitted to exploit a loophole in import regulations, since the Chicken Tax only covered pickup trucks. By fitting the rear seats, the BRAT could be legally classified as a car, and so was exempt from the extra levy. While Subaru might have claimed it was a car to skirt taxes, the BRAT was still good for doing typical (light) truck stuff. So good, in fact, that relatively few survive today. Those that do remain are affordably priced, with only the most pristine examples fetching $30,000, and most others fetching much less.
Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup
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America might be the home of the pickup truck, but Volkswagen doesn't currently sell a truck in the U.S., despite doing so elsewhere in the world. Back in the '80s, it took a swing at the U.S. market with the Rabbit Pickup, which, as its name suggests, is essentially just a Rabbit with a pickup bed. It's a simple design, but one that's arguably aged well over time, much like its passenger car sibling. Rabbit Pickups remain cheap and relatively easy to come by, with the lowest-priced examples selling for less than $10,000.
Since the Rabbit and the Rabbit Pickup share proportions — and parts — from the cab forward, they can be easily modified with GTI engines and various other engine swaps. Unlike some of the other trucks here, the Rabbit Pickup isn't particularly known for its durability or all-terrain capability. However, as a fun, affordable project truck that's very different from most other '80s classics, it's a great option.
Our selection methodology
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Since there are far too many cool '80s trucks to fit into one article, we chose to spotlight a few of our favorites that have become cult classics in the four decades or so since they left the factory. Each of these picks has a distinct fanbase in the U.S., a unique history or set of features that set it apart from its contemporaries, and can be bought for less than $30,000. To establish current pricing for each model, we used data from leading auction sites like Bring a Trailer.
