1980 Toyota Hiace Panel Van

andybiggs · **Joined:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:03 am **Posts:** 4

This is my first old school japanese car. It's a 1980 Toyota Hiace Panel van, originally an Australian van it was imported to New Zealand about 8 years ago. It spent about 7 years just sitting around in Auckland and then the owner before me bought it and proceeded to start restoring it. I believe he works in a panel and paint shop and I have to say he did an amazing job, it's super straight. All that's left for me to do is sort out a few mechanical issues and then it should be purring along. I have a second hand diff head to replace the current one (it's a weird ratio). I also got some new springs for the front, previous owner had cut the original springs to lower it. But it was causing the tyres to rub on the guards when 2 or more people were in the car. I noticed that someone else on this forum is also restoring an older Hiace, awesome!

shane_lxi · **Posted:** Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:24 am

very cool! I love these things. The closest I can get here is the next gen panel van

. We usually get skipped with the cool stuff over here...

andybiggs · **Joined:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:03 am **Posts:** 4

I'm thinking of ditching the bright green wheels for a gray that's the same colour as the bumpers. What do you think?

toji004 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:55 pm

so rad !!!

yeah please ditch the green

93cc · **Posted:** Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:18 pm

very cool.... I like both wheel colors

Robertblake · **Posted:** Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:44 pm

Respect on this bus man. My dad is huge on the VW buses and once I showed him this he wanted one immediately.

RetroMat · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:33 am

awesome! Looks nice and rust free too, I like the green wheels!

mrflibbles · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 4:39 am

looks great! I like the green wheels, but the grey is ok!

toyotamad · **Joined:** Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:22 pm **Posts:** 3

my old van! im living in chch now and im geting another hiace soon will post piks of it in the making. i think u shd keep the green and get some more steel wheels and paint em grey?

seventhskyline · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:04 am

I say find some 70s Ford fitment 14x7 or 14x8 slot mags or similar. Should be plentiful and cheap.

But in the interim grey would be better. That said original wheels would have been silver or black.

toyotamad · **Joined:** Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:22 pm **Posts:** 3

org wheels were silver with silver caps. old coon wheels are hard 2 get

Tofuik · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:37 pm

DAMMNNNNN I always wanted a Hi-Ace. Fucking nice.

the71hiace · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 7:09 pm

slot mags look terrible on hiaces, XD/XF falcon rims work really well, look great, take normal sized non-cheesecutter tyres and theyu cost nothing, i got 6 for free by looking around my neighbourhood

they'd even be relatively cheap in NZ

i love these aces, they look great and i swear i will get one for my next ace, and slam it with an Rb26 haha

good luck!!

sleeker · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 1:53 am

pm sent

Ghetto-lux · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:13 pm

That thing is so cool!!!!!!

andybiggs · **Joined:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:03 am **Posts:** 4

OK so quick update. Had to replace loads of seals around the gearbox and engine, I guess they all just decided to perish at once. But it wasn't too hard. Also fixed up the brakes at the back, one of them had seized. Did those repairs not too long after getting it. Since then I've done nothing and it's gone through its last WOF without any issues (Sweet!)

So I've had gray steel wheels for the last year, but now i'm getting tempted by the idea of some nice 16x8 Mags so it fills out its wheel arches more.

Current Steel Wheels

XXR 521 (16x8)

Koya AE-TEK (15x8)

Superlites (16x7)

Which wheels do you guys like? Or do you have any suggestions that will fit this van?

willhaven · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:50 am

travmac79 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:25 am

This is effin baws! :tu:

1980 Toyota Hiace Panel Van

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