Cool build, nice progression of your rig while still wheeling it through out the build process. Where in Colorado are you?

 

thanks! i live in aurora right now but i just moved here from fort collins, i'm still up there a lot on the weekends.

 

finished up some odds and ends: installed bumpstops, cleaned and painted some old welds...
then i drove it to work yesterday just for the heck of it, and my radiator sprung a leak!
this makes the 3rd radiator to fail in 1 year!

 

Guys Im trying to dig thru all the form postings to gather some info. I just bought a 1991 4runner with the gutless 3.0 in it. I have a full roller fresh rebuild 350 bored 60 over from a project I just sold. The cam is very mild to stock and
I have my choice of a 1998 spider fuel injection system, 1993 throttle body, or carb set up. I will be running a 4l60e for the tranny a 431 transfer. I'm going to put a 3" body lift and beef up the suspension a little. I would like to know of any hang ups you ran into, drive shaft lengths(same as a 700R4)? Will shorty headers work or do I have to use the ones from A-adapters. I know i will have to use ladder bars or just build a 4 link. Main thing is the quick turn around from engine pull to 350 in a and running. i will have it running on my stand before putting it in so I'm mainly looking for the bolt up info and If I can get the drive shafts pre made that wopuld be great. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

I just finally bought some bumpstops too...I still need to mount them tho, lol...That sucks about the radiator! That looked like a really nice unit, wasn't it a proto-type? Will the company you got it from stand behind it and make it right? That would be sweet if they replaced it, or fixedi it for you, hope it works out for you!


Sounds like a cool build! You might find more info under the "engine swap" forum under the sub-categoy "domestic swaps" here's a link: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f163/ there is quite a bit of small block chevy swaps listed on there, hope this helps...would definately be interested in seeing a build thread on your truck onceyou get started!

 

Awesome thanks

 

Zane: Ed's advice is right on, i look forward to reading your build thread (gotta love the v8's)

took the truck home (western co) for the holiday and did some playin
word to the wise: lock your e-locker BEFORE you try to show off! took a bit to dig myself out!






posing for pictures:

 

Very nice build ,U'll fkn love an hysteer if u plan to do it, i think it's the best mod i've done, keep lovin it:p

 

Sweet runner. I was wondering what your front ruf pack consists of I'm looking to do a ruf setup but I don't know the snags ill run into (brake lines and drive shift length) I'm new to the whole toyota game

 

thanks! i do plan on high-steer someday but it performs OK for the time being, i have other priorities right now

thanks. there's quite a bit of tech info out there about the RUF swap if you search a bit. but here's a quick overview:
i used '84 leaf packs (the length of the leaves varies by year so make sure you find the length you want) and added 2 leaves (doesn't much matter what the other leaves come from, i think mine were from a *cough....wrangler.... *cough.... but they were cheap haha. the '84 leaf packs are 47" long, compared to the stock front springs which are 45" long. this obviously requires longer shackles. Also, it will move your axle about 2" forward, which means you'll have to lengthen your front drive-shaft, and either go high-steer or get an adjustable pitman arm like i did. i'd recommend going with high-steer if have the coin for it. If your doing it on the cheap, i got away with running a 1" driveshaft spacer for over a year and it worked just fine, but i was running nearly stock front shocks at the time so it would not work if your front has a lot of flex. (i think i still have the spacer lying around that i could sell ya for cheap)
hope that helps

 

It's okay my rear coils are going to be wrangler springs but thanks I was wondering if there was a way to get around high steer because I have other things I would like to do first and you answered my unasked questions

 

I did this mod a while back and i'm really pleased with it so thought i'd throw up the link
CHEAP 22RE (OR 7M) POLY MOTOR MOUNTS: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f123...mounts-232595/

 

Update:
Truck has been down for a while now, while i searched for the correct rear leaf springs. the 3/4 ton chevy springs i bought would require some trimming and i kinda want to keep the plastic spring pads as stupid as that may sound... i don't like squeaks! every 4 leaf chevy spring pack i've found is 60" long instead of 64" which doesn't make any sense to me... so either chevy made 2 different lengths of leaf springs for their trucks, or all these salvage yards are full of crap and they're trying to sell me suburban springs. frankly, i could believe either. regardless, i've decided to rethink the problem. my shackle angle has always been a little to shallow, which makes the springs a lot softer. so my new strategy is to move the shackle hangers back a couple inches. i need to replace them anyways with standard ones. A little background, when i did my chevy spring swap 3 years ago, i used revolving shackle mounts thinking it would get me some extra flex.... terrible idea! the revolving shackles made handling a nightmare on the road, the rearend would "walk" on me! these things actually made the list on JP magazines worst 4x4 products!

I decided to replace the bushings while i had the springs out. had to use a cutoff wheel on the spring bolts, its amazing that they have only been in there for 3 years!

cut off the old


The new hangers are from ruff-stuff-specialties; part of their chevy spring swap kit. they are offset to allow for a better shackle angle.

ruff-stuff "way back" shackle mount compared to a trail-gear shackle mount:


welded on:


The off-set hangers ended up moving the mounting location 1.25" back from where it was, which should give me some added stability and load capacity.

 

Nice work on the rear shackle mounts! I'll have to refer back to your thread when I redo my rear lift on my 4runner!

 

Lookin good man. Can't wait to get mine done one of these days.
That EB on Wheeler back on page 3 looks nice.

 

thanks! yea that bronco is sweet, he's got a FI 302 in it, I hope to wheel with him more this summer.

well i've started the pre-moab panic, planning a trip down there for jeep safari in march and i have a long list to get done:
1. fix the heater slide-switch (switch is stuck and something broke in there.... i hate screwing with these things)
2. Replace the t-case mount with HD one
3. install my ss brake lines in the front
4. upgrade to 1" bore brake cylinder and possibly bypass the LSV in the back
5. build a spare tire carrier for my receiver hitch
6. swap radiators AGAIN to a factory 7mge radiator
7. build a front bumper

 

thanks ed! i need to get caught up on your thread.

 

Got the springs back on last night. Drove it to work today, i'm really impressed with the handling. the back end feels a LOT more stable with the new bushings and the steeper shackle angle.
new shackle angle:


ride height:


I think i gained about 1/2" in the rear

 

Looks really good! So how much total lift would you say you have in the rear now? IF you dont mind me asking, how much do you think you have invested in the whole setup (chevy leafs, spring perches, shackle mounts, bushings etc). I keep going back and forth between doing TG's 5" rear lift springs and 63" chevies. The main drawback for me on TG's is the price (I need new shocks and hangers so I might as well just buy their rear lift kit, but it's over $700)... Just curious what you have into your setup, I'm thinking it has to be alot less than that!... Keep up the good work, I'm glad your happy with the ride/handling/flex of your new setup!

 

hey ed,
i've changed my suspension so many times now it would be tough to give you an accurate estimate on lift height, but i'd guess around 4".
I understand your dillema on the TG springs vs chevy springs. i think if i were to do it again i would not go with the chevy springs. The front hangers always drag and catch on stuff, and the shackles are the first thing to hit in the rear when i drop off a ledge. but on the other hand, the ride is pretty good, and they are a little cheaper than lift springs... i think i have about 250$ in mine, not counting the stuff that i had to redo. if you do end up doing the chevy swap, i'd recommend ruff-stuff's kit, comes with everything you need except the springs. these offset shackle hangers are pretty neat, and i really liked their customer service (had to change my order 2x).
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/63SWP.html