A rare MT in an SR ,,,
The V5MT1-3 is a great transmission, All of my 4wds have been MT , so I'm biased with good reason. My 89 Gen 3.0 12 valve has the no so refined V5MT1-0 in it at 230,000 on it and only now rummbles abit.
These transmissions were made for/used in overseas school buses and cabovers. They should hold up in a lite truck.
I don't like the 3.0 SOHC 24 valve as much cause of higher torque band,,,but you might have 4.8:1 or 4.9:1 instead of the commoner 4.63:1 which would help take care of that higher torque band.
I CA they sell for about $3,500 if not from the coast(rust) as they are rust freee and can be rebuilt forever. Rust would be my only drawback , unless it was beat to death offroading. Most of the late Gen 2s are Socceremom mobiles out here.
The bottom end engine are great on i2 valve and I think it's the smae bottom on the 24 valve. Valve guises and seals , at that many miles - what the check , seals-cheap or a head job for guides wouldn't stop me from getting it .