Mr Priceless

I have a low sitting 1986 xtra cab longbed pu 22r auto trans with about 219,xxx mi. It's leaking at the headgasket and I'm having a hard time deciding what to do about it. I recently put a remanned aisian carb after a failed rebuild by a mechanic "who's been doing it for years" and the headgasket was next to go.
I bought this back in september from someone who replaced the HG ONLY with a kit from ebay. I'm not sure how thorough the job was but i'm prepared for the worst.
So here is a list of things I'm thinking of doing:
A1.
Go ahead and replace the headgasket along with timing chain (possibly cover depending on wear), water pump, head resurfaced (duh), and cross my fingers hoping it will end all intermittent probs...

A2.
Same as A1, send the carb back, getting my $450 back and swap in efi.

A3. Same as above, but replace current head with high performance head and beefed cam for....better reliablity

A4. Same as above, but remove engine + tranny and replace tranny with 5 spd manual (which means a good cond auto tranny would pop up 4 sale)

B1. Replace HG only from Toyota Stealership and sell truck

C1. Sell Truck as is.....because a good deal may come around offering most of what i'm looking for in a preconstructed package.

To help more define the situation, I'm really hoping not to spend:

over 1k-1.5k total if i was to keep the truck performing A1-A4

over $100 if i'm to sell the truck, as this is a $2300
investment currently sitting in my brother in-law's shed. (carb, wires, tires replaced.)

Between school, work, and lawn mowing getting ready to start up, i have maybe 1 day a week to spend on the truck. Advice?

MMA_Alex

probably wont get much for it as is.

i'd put a new head gasket in, along with a new chain (they tend not to last all that long on these things) and get it running like you want it to. If you buy a new truck it'll have other issues, any 10+ yr old vehicle will, and any way you go you're gunna end of fixing a bunch of little issues. Especially if the PO was lazy, and did halfassed repairs like mine did

infiltrator

Yes, I too would do the headgasket. If you are not sure how, look on here. Many of the people on here can help you. I have heard that the 4 cyl are easier to replace headgaskets than my 3vze. Funny thing is, my engine is known to have failures on this, but my truck is a '95, and got it fixed by Toyota for free. Never any problems.

So yeah, timing chain and all that too. Depending on how much an EFI is, you may want to go that route too.

Mr Priceless

i just figure that hey, for a truck that's having probs, why not take advantage and mod it mechanically to what i always wanted: relatively peppy power, reliability, and good gas economy...with a nice body to repaint sometime later in the future

anyway, more input definately appreciated...i'm calling it a night til tommorrow morning