Hi!
Cool to meet you and your dad(?).
Please keep us on this forum posted on your quest. Lots of people who know mechanical, body work, and electrical on the earlier trucks here.
Goo choice on picking the 4Runner. For overlanding or roadtrips, you could simply park anywhere and crawl in the back to get things or sleep. With a pickup, you would have to get out in the weather to get into the camper shell. The camper shell is also too short for most people.
-Ray