Toyota Builds Full-Size Tonka Truck from HiLux SR5 Pickup

Tonka, the brand of die-cast toy trucks, bulldozers and fire engines that has been given as a birthday present to countless youngsters over the past seven decades, just got a gift of its own.

To mark Tonka’s 70th birthday, Toyota’s Australian division converted a top-of-the-line HiLux SR5 double-cab pickup into a driveable Tonka truck with custom sandbox-ready components.

While the re-done bumpers, hood and tailgate are nice, the real star of the show for the four-wheel-drive concept build has to be the black-and-yellow truck’s 35-inch Tonka wheels, which were given an extra six inches of room to operation thanks to a modified suspension.

Tonka (2 images)

Powered by a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, the one-off HiLux can generate 174 HP, 309 pound-feet of torque and approximately 1,001 flashbacks to early childhood.

Toyota won’t be selling the truck, but it will be taking it for show-and-tell at auto shows and related events in Australia throughout the year beginning on April 1st at Valvoline Raceway.

Cool of them to share their toys.

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Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”