Just picked up a 87 4x extended cab. Interior was very clean but the engine compartment was being used as a salad bar by the local rodent population. 30 ft of wire later, it's running around the farm as a true side by side.
4 hi works great but have yet to get into 4 low.
All in all, $700 for a farm truck is not bad.
I'm not too familiar with the 2.9 or the Japanese transmissions so my questions may be a bit on the ignorant side.