Malcolm Dykes: Hail to the Little R22

I write many varied articles, mostly religious but on a whim I write something a little off the wall.

If I see the makings of a good story be it religious, outdoors, humorous or pertinent info needed to give a heads up warning I try to place it here in the newspapers.

You all seem to enjoy what I put out as does the fine staff of this newspaper and I appreciate your backing and kind words of support.

Coming back to our room from work out on the military base here in Djibouti Africa the three of us workers begin telling of our rides down through the years we loved the most.

And it jump started me to come in and write about mine.

This is dedicated to all you car enthusiasts out there.

I have driven most of the more common vehicles out there in my lifetime starting with a used 1963 Chevy Bel Air my dad bought for me to finish high school in.

From it on to Lincoln Town cars when they were most popular back in the 80's and 90's until today in the more economical imports, my little posterior has set in a lot of motor vehicles.

I evangelized and courted in an original style 1967 VW bug and would later buy one of the first resurfaced versions in 1998.

But the one that takes the cake is the very first issue of the still popular Toyota 4-Runner exactly like this one shown here.

What makes it stand out above all the rest was what was under the hood.

All hail the little R22 four cylinder engine.

I pulled everything you could want to hitch up to including a 16' cattle trailer full of cows to my neighboring pastor's Rev. Larry Hoyt's 23' saltwater twin engine boat and everything in between.

My music director at the time Bro. Ronnie Stoot's dad needed a vehicle to tow his vehicle down to FLA and back and yours truly did the honors with that little 22R huffing and puffing all the way down and back all those hundreds of miles.

No problem.

It was a four-wheel drive standard transmission and there just was no quit with that little darling.

I found it as a bargain and slightly used but still in mint condition.

I had not long accepted the pastorate of Mt. Pisgah UPC Church in Greene County MS and was in need of a second vehicle to do my running around in so on a hunch I stepped in at the Toyota dealership in Hattiesburg MS.

I came in at just the right time as this little darling had just been traded in with only 8K miles on it.

A traveling salesman that made round trips from Hattiesburg into New Orleans LA had bought it off the showroom floor but decided it was not what the doctor ordered for his daily trips, so he had traded it in for a regular sedan.

Hence my lucky day.

I had an old Ford Ranger small pickup smoking like a tar kilo and they took it in on trade and $8000 cash and I drove my big boy toy home!

My boys fell in love with it as it was ideal for the deer woods and use on the farm we would later have.

I drove it and used it extensively for 16 years, wore out 2 paint jobs and never had a minute's trouble with that little 22R engine.

You could not wear it out.

I finally sold it to one of the fine men in the church, Gary Baxter one of the best Honda mechanics who ever picked up a wrench and I don't know how long he drove it but it never used a drop of oil all the years I drove it.

Being it was my first ever 4-wheel drive and the very first of a Toyota 39 yearlong legend, I wish I still had it if for only sentimental reasons.

All hail the little 22R engine.

God bless you and God bless America.