rmz

I am getting the truck for free. The girlfriend's dad blew a head gasket and still drove it for some time after, so the engine took a beating. I'm going to at least do head gaskets, but I don't want to find out that a bearing is bad after I do all that. Rebuild kits are only a couple hundred, and I have everything I need to do the job efficiently.

The trans wasn't shifting right (I only saw it for a few mins), and I suspect a new one may be in order.

I'm thinking that if I'm going to do both of those jobs, it might be easier to just take the body off the frame and simultaneously deal with any rust/damage and coat everything to make it last.

86tuning:
I have removed engines from cars before, and I know it's not all that hard, but thanks for your encouragement. I am wondering how it compares to removing the body though. It's an auto btw (my next thread will be asking if a manual is compatible without too many mods).

I've taken the bed/cab off a pickup before and it wasn't that bad, I just haven't done it on one of these... and this is a 4runner, not a pickup... much different? (side note: I wonder how hard it would be to turn it into a pickup... can't be that bad...?????)

lastly: where's the cheapest place to get a head and/or engine rebuild kit for this car?