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Hello all! I recently got my hands on my dream truck, a 1983. Trouble is, it's not quite where it needs to be, to qualify as a dream truck 😂. So I've got questions for those of you with experience.
1.) I love the 22r motor, but it's gutless. I've searched around, for suitable swaps, but can't seem to make a decision. Are there any motors that match the standard five speed without crazy mods, or if I swap motors does the transmission need to be swapped to? Please advise.
2.) Mine has no radio (how would I even wire it in?), no AC no carpet, and missing the center console. Dash is cracked and so is steering wheel. Again, I have searched on my own and need assistance locating either new or very lightly used OEM parts, or a close reproduction (minus the radio of course)
3.) Bed has rusted out in a few spots. Is it better to try to clean up and patch those holes (welding/fiberglass/bonds) or better to pull the bed and replace it? If it should be replaced, should I look for another steel bed, possibly out of a junk yard, or is fiberglass (precision 4x4 makes fiberglass beds) a better option?
I know I sound like a Novice, and that's because I am. This is the oldest vehicle I have ever owned, besides a 76 hmm sierra, but anything I needed for that was never hard to find, either at the junk yard or O'reilleys. Your patience and help would be extremely helpful.
She's a little dirty, but it's been snowing and freezing, and thawing a freezing, and the job sites are muddy. Driver's side mirror is not an original mirror either, can't seem to locate one to replace I though! Even with its minor flaws, I am in love with this truck. Passenger side rust spots on bed, not huge, but the go all the way through. Drivers side rust, same story as the passenger side No center console, no carpet, steering wheel cracked, as is dash. No stereo, no AC. No AC is kind of a big deal to me, just got out of the Army and after 3 years in Louisiana, AC is important. Even if I am home in the Pacific NW. Guy claimed motor was rebuilt not any more than 30k ago, but as I aim to replace it anyway, I wasn't overly concerned with that.
Welcome, looks like you have a good foundation for a build. Parts wise, be persistent in looking on Ebay, Classifieds sales on this and other forums, and salvage yards. Look on this site for engine swap ideas. Just some ideas for you, as there is a wealth of info here. Ask questions and you will get some great answers to mull over Good luck
22RE will bolt to your existing L-series transmission (if no one has swapped it) or what ever G or W series someone may have put in it.
You would need to the wiring harness etc that goes with it
I'd pull the rubber mat up in the cab too, they tend to hide rust in the floor and the cab corners
I would have a real good look at the truck for further /hiding rust .. especially the frame by the gas tank and the floors under the mat , A pillar and under the gas pedal .. ALL cab mounts including inner rocker panels and rear of the cab (lower section) . repairing this will be the majority of most peoples skill and budget .
If all these areas are good .. you need to figure out what you want as a final product.... drive it for a few years and flip it ? or keep it forever/long time ? .. then you can plan your budget from there .
IF .. you decide you want a FRP box from me .. just know , I am VERY busy ,and right now , there is a 2 year waiting list .
Nice truck, what's your end goal with it? Good daily driver, or barely road legal rock crawler? The 22r may seem sluggish as you still have stock gearing in the axles with the larger 31 inch tires. That combo really slows these trucks down. My advice over an engine swap would be 4:56 gears, then build the motor you have slightly with an RV cam, Weber carb, headers, offenhauser dual port intake, etc... You can do all of this for about $1200 if you do all the work yourself. I don't advise a motor swap or even a 22re swap if you don't have much experience. I swapped a diesel a few years ago into an FJ40 and this took all of the skills I had plus my large shop, and several thousands in unexpected costs during the swap. No offense, but if your asking how to wire a radio in, then a motor swap will be very frustrating for you and cost much more than you'll anticipate. The previous modification I recommended can be accomplished by most novices in they're back yard with basic tools, and will make a very noticeable difference in power.
What part of the PNW are you in? I'm down here in Oregon and currently building my 82, mostly stock tho. Here's my project for some motivation. My truck was in pretty bad shape when I bought it, worse than yours so anything's possible lol. Good luck, and I hope my advice is worth something to you.
Thanks everyone for the pointers. I poked around online, and in the local classifieds, and found a few of the things I had previously been unable to locate. Out of sheer luck, one of my Dad's coworkers has one he's parting out, and is going to let me come pick what I want first. (Score!) As far as the end goal for the truck itself, I'm not into crazy lifts, monster tires, or the thought of beating the hell out of it on a pile of rocks. No offense to anyone who enjoys that, but I'm kind of fond of the way it sits and looks now. I want to restore it to original quality, and get a little more power out of it, because I may splash through some mud every now and then. I have plenty of experience with wiring in newer cars, I've completely torn down and rebuilt a chevy 350, I just have no knowledge of this motor, or how to go about doing all of this. A challenge does not scare me, frustration and difficulty are good for a guy's character. So, don't worry about me on that front! I live in Spokane, WA. And again, I am extremely grateful for all the pointers!
Nice find. It looks a lot like the rest of the first gen trucks out there. Different parts from different trucks. Good used parts are getting extremely hard to come by, but i think you are in an area where there is a bigger selection. If it was me, i would buy that parts truck from your dads friend if you can. You will come across quite a few things you may miss on the first several times you go over yours and you could always part out what you dont want to others in need. Good luck with the build!
Agree. Nice find. Keep it and get it restored. Member Slacker is a great resource person, and can fabricate some body parts you may not find at junk yards.
12-07-2016, 02:26 AM
