So I was hanging with some friends at the bar tonight, eatting some wings and having some drinks (I don't drink but whatever) and my one friend was going on about his old Fiero that he swapped an SBC 350 into.
So of course the guys then started with, 'Tony, you should drop a 350 into your Toyota!'
I've course I brushed this off as I don't want to add anything more to my plate right now just getting the truck running and all that.

Now I'm back home and I'm looking into it haha. So here's what I know that I'll need:
Engine mounts (NWOR makes bolt in ones)
Tranmission (NV4500, granny low and BEEF)
T-case adapter (NV4500 to Toyota t-case, Advance Adapters makes one)
Oil pan (NWOR makes one that's higher clearance)
Power Steering kit (NWOR makes one to use the stock stuff)
Aluminum Radiator
Starter
Fuel Pump
I'll have to add some leafs to the front spring packs

That's about it from what I've read. Of course I will need an SBC 350. I'm thinking a junk yard engine that I can rebuild.
What year and vehicle should I get the engine out of? I will be keeping it carb'd, keeping it simple!

What does everyone think of my idea? I normally would want to keep it an all Toyota drive train but I guess swapping the motor and trans is ok

 

I am looking into the same thing but I have a 68 vette 327 350 hp and was talking to DOWNEY OFF ROAD and theres a lot more to it than you may know. I got a build it yourself kit quote from DOWNEY and it came to about $1470.00 but can cut it $484.00 + a 5% discount if I get a radiator myself .but you really need to talk to them because theres a few things you don't think about that are needed

 

There's a guy in my town who's got some sorta V8 in a 85 short bed pickup, straight axle. Glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug.. Man I love the sound of that thing. Did you check out Downeys stuff?

http://downeyoff-road.com/EngineComponents/index.htm

 

keep it all toyota but iam a die hard toyota man so iam very bias on this subject. not to sound ignorant either but is it difficult to swap new toyota motors into the older trucks?

 

Go with the 302 swap, change it up a bit. Oh ya send me your header when you do it

 

Mmmm. SBC.

I just wish I didn't have a slushbox. Make the swap that much easier...

 

You should drop the 4.0L 1uz from a lexus into there, then you can keep it all toyota...the uz is quad cam and makes about 250-300hp, but you would need to do some work to keep it a 5-speed, they make the kits for the auto, but the manual there isnt one, plus i dont think that a 4cyl (or V6 for that matter) manual trans would hold up to v8 power! But I am going to tackle this project in the close future

 

fix or repair daily toyota... dont like the sound of that.

a 7mgTe would be a nice swap.

 

Tony, ever thought about the 4.3 liter swap? Some people around here are doing it. I would say the 4.3 is the best V6 chevy made. Just a thought

 

I haven't checked out Downey but I will definately take a peek later today.

I want the SBC over a Toyota motor for a few reasons, they are cheap and plentful for starters, plus by keeping it a carb'd motor I don't have any wiring to tackle.
Half the reason I love my 82 is it takes almost no wiring to run the thing. When I do the swap, I'll be going over the wiring harness and if I don't need it, it's gone.

No replacement for displacement or so they say, I'd like to use the 350.
WSUWESTON, you can have the header but this swap won't happen till sometime next year.

If I'm going to do a swap, I want a V8. More power and all that stuff.

 

the 302 has the dizzy in the front so you dont have to mod the firewall

 

Heres a suggestion. Find a 86-92 Fbody Camaro or Transam with a 350 in it. Pull that motor and take the harness and ECU with it. That motor/year combo yields you TPI which is your good fuel injection. Rebuild the motor back to stock so you dont have to F with tuning computers and you have a clean 260-280 torque and 220hp.

BTW Fords suck dont go with a 302. And also never let anyone tell you a 305 has more torque than a 350. Idk what it is but for some reason a bunch of people in my town got the idea that a 305 is a more torquey motor and seen one guy put one in his yota instead of a 350 and one guy even swap a 350 for a 305... IDiots.

 

Just a thought....

If the 4 cylinder is reliable and has enough power to drive in traffic.... Why spend $3-6k to get bad gas mileage?? You know gas prices are going to be at $4 / gallon before long.

Your parts list is missing a few $$$ items:

Full Exhaust System
Motor mounts / Trans Mounts / Custom Cross Member
Re-work front & rear driveshafts
There's a bunch of other misc parts that add up too.

It looks like fun, just think it through.

 

It's the little thing that kills your budget. I did a 302 into a 67 mercedes and nearly doubled my budget. All that said your truck would be sick with the SBC

 

seems like alot of people are extremely bias toward other brand motor swaps...if people are considering a v8 swap, i really dont think gas mileage is their #1 concern, its the power end of things they want. Dont get me wrong, the 20R/22R(E) motors are great, realiable, plentiful, easy to work on, realitivly inexpenive to work on and all that jazz...but your still going to have a 4cyl motor...other Toyota motor swaps like a 3.4 or lexus motors are awesome but are harder to come across, more expenisive and more of a hassle with all the wiring to put in in such a truck as the 79-83 pickups...i say go for the 350...in a few years when i get financial set (ie. stop being a bum 17 yr old and get a job lol) a 350 Chevy will find a home between the framerails of my 79...

and yes, u gotta love the Glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug..glug.. coming from a little Toyota

 

4.3 Chevy V6?

Shorter, more room to get it in there and everything else connected.

But still, the advantage of more power= loss of fuel mileage, tough decision.

 

lol the 305 is a turd of an engine.

Rob

 

I'll 2nd that.

 

tell ya what ... I have a 86 EFI .. burnt a valve = 25% fuel loss , no more 400k per tank in the city .

so I rebuilt it ..

now , dont get me wrong , I am a die hard Toyota fan .. BUT


2 YEARS later .. and major expence ....
long story short , I STILL have a fuel problem , that I just can NOT get right .. 300K (~10-12 mi pr G) per tank , and I have REPLACED EVERYTHING except computer and A/F meter and yes .. I have replaced TPS , and set up correctly , confirmed timing every week almost .. and still can not get any better fuel ..


bottom line is ... I WISH I HAD NOT GONE WITH A STOCK ENGINE , for the amount of money I have spent , I could have had a very nice 350 getting with better fuel economy .

 

If I'm going to do a motor swap I'm putting a Toyota turbo diesel in my truck.