Ezrider_92356

i figure mabye you guys can help me make a decision on what dirrection to go with my 89 toyota pickup, all kinds of ideas keep floating in my head and i cant seem to make up my mind so the project sits idle.

i have a 89 toyota pickup that i will no be parting with, 265k miles 2wd lots of sentimental value, i threw a rod threw the side of the block earlyer this year and iv let the truck sit sense then. i have some fab and welding skills no pro like some of the guys around here but my skills are not bad. iv done v8 and simular swaps in other vehicals sucsefully.

when i threw my rod bearing my transmision was not in the best of shape as well 4th gear was real funkey so trans needs to be replaced as well as the motor.

here are the options i have floating around in my head at the moment,

option #1
get a compleete pull from a j yard 2wd chevy 350 with 5 speed trans carbed. swap in fab motor and trans mounts custom drive shaft probably a stronger rear end take the lift out of the truck lower to stock ride hight skinny front tires wide back posibly tub the rear end. probably go threw the motor before installing bottom end rebiuld aftermarket heads and a mild cam. block hugger headers and a fairly quiet dual exaust. aftermarket radiator and e-fan

option #2

theres a rolled 2wd in the local clasified 92 22re 5 speed 2wd for 800 obo (could probably get for 5) buy that swap motor trans done

option #3

buy a compleete 4wd older chevy pickup, pull the 350 trans xfer case axels ect compleete drive train swap leaf sprung sas full length axels use as meany parts from the donor pickup as posible.

option #1
pros- cons
pros-
time- could probably be in running/driving order in a few weekends
space- no need to have two partialy dissasembled vehicals in my driveway (city likes to complain)
funtion- street legal
use- 1/8th mile drag stip 100 miles away (not primary purpous or compition but could be fun none the less)
cons-
use- drivability in winter
cost- not the cheapest option but not out of the question


option #2
pros-
time - could probably be compleeted in a single weeked
funtion- would function as before and be a good run around vehical
use- going out to back woods fishing area's where i dont want to take my
pretty truck run around town take leaves to dump ect all the kind of stuff i
used it for before (also did well in the snow for a 2wd pickup)
cost- cheapest option
cons-
space- two partialy disasembled vehicals in my driveway for a short period of time
use- not nearly as fun as the other two options

option #3
pros-
funtion- would be great off road/snow
use- would be fun
cons-
time- a project like this could probably take me 6 monthes or better to compleete to drivable condition
cost- most expensive option
use- questionable street use as well as lack of offroad area's that require such a biult truck
space- two partialy disasembled vehicals in my driveway for a longer period of time

i would like to get the project to driveable condition (not compleeted project but to turn key first run around the block for under 4k prefered) as with anything less cost is always perfered

i dont need this vehical i have a 03 2500hd 4wd 8.1L and a 98 dodge stratus 4cyl 30mpg hints the reason id kinda like to do a custom project with the truck although i did always find it handy to have a small good mpg pickup in the past to go run to pickup parts or haul a small load of somthing a few hundrid miles or simular uses. but always thoguht the pickup to be under powered

the pickup has not been a daily driver for me any many years and dont picture it to become one again.

the city does not like seeing what they consider junk, but if im in the middle of such a project and get a notice (to remove junk) i have 30 days to compleete the project and get rid of parts vehical or atleast compleetly strip parts vehical put up parts and haul off the remaining scrap

so long and short of it help me weight my options of what route i should go becouse i have already spent monthes arguing withmyself of what to do with it and not compleeted anything or started compiling nessisary parts to do anything with it

The84toyota

i would get a brand new engine already set up for me, and then just plug and play if you catch my drift

Ezrider_92356

the only one of the options that im considering that would probably have me compleeted before snow flys is to drop another 22re in it, wich is the only true plug and play option. although it has its apeals due to simplicity/low cost im realy leaning twards somthing v8

if i decide to go 350 5 speed 2wd ill probably pickup a motor in the next couple weeks yank the blown 22re out and rebiuld the 350 over the winter and drop it in after the snow melt in the spring. would be a fairly simple swap

although i realy like the idea of biulding a sas wheeler out of this truck complexity and the number of hours that would go into are a little prohibiting not out of the question and im sure i could compleete the project but i would be estimating my real compleetion date to be next fall rather than next spring. let alone in this area there is no real hard core offroading, (i dont care much for mud)

my preference at moment is leaning twards a the 2wd chevy 350 option. even though the direction of the truck in the past has always been offroad as iv owned the truck sense i lived in cali with ample offroad area's. the truck is lifted with 31 inch tires ect ect, so this option will be a compleete 180 from everything iv done to the truck in the past

Ezrider_92356

this is how the truck sits as of now

The84toyota

Good lookin truck. Any update?

dsal_86Yota

How bout 3.4L swap? Best of both worlds. More power and still functional. Truck looks good. Maybe a supercharged 3.4

bobby_duce

i think your over thinking it. thats a clean truck why not just replace the engine and your on your way! thats what i would do.

Innocent Fool

Swap in a 2.7 4cyl with 5 spd trans...

kawasakilewis

whered you get the 2wd lift?

peterc920

go with the supra swap man lol thats what im doing hopeing to order my motor tomorrow.. and i have a 84 2wd long bed standard cab slammed to the ground ima have to get new rear drive shaft and all myself but ima be fast lol im getting the 1jzgtte twin turbo inline 6 jdm motor cant wait ima try and do a write up and take lots of pix

elguerrerodejalisco

wow great truk man just go with wats easier for u