Topic: A few quick questions for a transplant

[guywithuglyyota]

Hey guys, as some of you might know my truck got wrecked this past saturday. I have a few questions about parts compatability.

- Im thinking of buying a newer 90'ish truck - will my 21 spline duel cases (technically front case) work with the 4cylinder and v6 engines?

- will my marlin l-52 (works great by the way marlin!) bolt up to these new 4cyl engines? or even the v6? If not I can part with it (has about 300 miles on it)

I will want to do a marlin sas swap using my insurance money from my 81, since they will probably not give me more than 1500 for the truck.

that pretty much sums it up, my thirds are in good shape im sure, if I am forgetting something please chime in!

thanks in advance guys

Luke

oh yeah, what year engines or model engine should I avoid??  I have heard of head gasket problems but i dont know which years, or engine

[fritz]

bummer about your rig, those first gens look so nice. i've said it before and i'll say it again diesel, diesel, diesel,      check out www.toyotadieselmadness.com for all the options including a 1.9 vw turbo bolt in. i've got an original u.s 2.4 n/a toyota diesel and am very stoked with it. if your going with a gasser go with a nice 4 banger like bigmikes, stay away from the 3rd gen 6.

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

thanks fritz-  i am a diesel fanatic but they seem hard to come by. Do you happen to know if the gear t-case will bolt up to the trans???

Luke

[BigMike]

Hey guy,

Your L-series transmission will bolt up to ANY R-engine, but it will not work with the VZ engine (3.0 V6).

If you do get a V6, then you would want to stay with the x1000 stronger transmission (R150F) and convert your Crawler and Transfercase to a 23-spline setup..

BigMike

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

thanks Mike, thats the info I was looking for. I will more than likely stick with the 4cyl. Although 4cyl 4x4 trucks are hard to find on auto trader...but i have found a few decent deals. Im gonna keep it reg cab short bed.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Save yourself some serious coin and buy a 2 wheel drive.  It has a higher frame arch than the 4x's, its more likely to have a 4 cyl, there is WAY less crap to cut off of the frame for an sas and did I mention you can get one for really cheap?   

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

That was my next question!  I assumed (we know how assuming goes)  that the 4wd trucks are beefier?? And the floorpan is different because of the t-case. But this is only a guess and you would know better than anyone!  As you know I already have the front axle, t-case's and fror crossmember.  hmmmmmmm

[WHITE_TRASH]

I had both the 90 and the 94 4x torn down at the same time and the floor was the same in the 90 just lacking the extra hole for the transfer case.  Id suggest getting a 2x and finding a W-56 of buying one from Marlin fot he truck.  You'll be much happier with that trans Im sure.  The frame's are of equal strength Im sure, Ive beaten the shizzle out of my truck and had nary an issue with the frame.

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

Well I do already have a new trans from marlin with about 300 miles on it if that. But it is an l-52, which I understand is not quite as refined as the trans your speaking of.

[WHITE_TRASH]

You could always see if he'd do a tradein with ya.   but the biggest reason for swapping a W series into it is the extra 4" of length.  If I remember right the shifter would come up right into the dash on a 3rd gen.

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

so my L-52'shifter would hit the dash on 2wd pickup  79-95 body style??? I thought they had the same dimensions. What would my insurance comoany thing about this swap?? It does sound rather easy to do. And Im guessing Marlins sas Kit will word on the 2wd frame...

[WHITE_TRASH]

the dash on the 3rd gens is "thicker" from the firewall to the point nearest the shifter if I recall.  Who saiys you'll have to tell your insurance?  Mine just insures whatever I tell them it is and Ive never had any hicups with it that way.  I hate to say it but I wouldnt buy the whole kit.  The front springs are too tall imho, I really like the 3rd gen rears up front on my truck.  I would build my own front hanger as well so you can have the springs far enough forward for tire clearance without the drop that most hangers supply.  I would suggest the Marlin rear springs though.  Im actually thinking of using them on my truck.

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

that is true, my truck just got totalled and they have yet to take pictures. I agree the kit has too much lift for my needs. rears up front would be nice. I will look into this WT thanks for stoking the fire!

[WHITE_TRASH]

Not a problem.  If you want a step by step view just read $300 in the projects section from page 9 on.  If you have any other q's feel free to ask.

[Willy Mammoth]

Don't tell your insurance co anything about you building a truck. Just tell them what you have in the old one and that you want to keep the salvage because the parts are custom. They may sell you the salvage. If not they will take it from you before giving you a check. "Those bastards"

Good luck

[WHITE_TRASH]

When I totalled my car in highschool I bought it back from the statefarm for like $175 if I remember right.  I made good money off of the parts.

[BLACKDOG]

Don't tell your insurance co anything about you building a truck. Just tell them what you have in the old one and that you want to keep the salvage because the parts are custom. They may sell you the salvage. If not they will take it from you before giving you a check. "Those b*stds"

Good luck

And dont forget, once they get it, it is gone so make sure you get EVERYTHING you want before they take the truck, if you are going that way.  friend in HS learned that the hard way.  They took the car, and they wouldnt even let him get his $70 mathbook out of the trunk, let alone his stereo

[fritz]

thanks fritz- i am a diesel fanatic but they seem hard to come by. Do you happen to know if the gear t-case will bolt up to the trans???

Luke

you can use your trans and t-case and bolt up lots of diesels with little or no modification. toyota diesels are fairly easy to come by, they are imported every day to sf and la. you can buy one with 30 to 50,000 mi for 1,000 to 1,800$. direct bolt ups are the toyota 2L, 2Lt, 2LtII, a 1.9vw turbo(with adapter kit) 3L, and quite a few more that you can get here imported from japan or australia, that are used in the newer hilux's.  in the rest of the you can order a new Hilux (tacoma) with a huge choice of turbo and n/a diesel and gasser engines and ifs or straight axel! i dont know whats wrong with toyota usa, i think it has somthing to due with oppression from the big us car companies, and the government(we wouldnt want TRUCKS to get better mileage than most cars now would we!) along with finiky americans who want quiet cars. (my truck is actually quite quiet and smooth idilling.  if i was building one now i would start with a 2wd 4 cyl.  like wt said, and bolt a 1.9 vw turbo due to the fact that there relativly cheap and easy to obtain and they have plenty of power and torque, and will get around 35mpg even with 35"s. i am quite happy with my N/a toyota 2L i go slower up hills, but cruse fine, have good acceleration, get around 30 mpg and have an engine that should last until 4 or 500,000 miles. i am currently working with www.greasecar.com to design a vegetable oil conversion for my rig with a 40 gall. tank, so i will be running on straight free used vegetable oil year round even at my cabin at 9,500 ft on the east side (very cold).  go for the diesel man, i will gladly lend assistance, im in sonora ca until the end of april, then back and forth from yosemite to the east side.
alright im finally done.     fritz

[79coyotefrg]

that is true, my truck just got totalled and they have yet to take pictures. I agree the kit has too much lift for my needs. rears up front would be nice. I will look into this WT thanks for stoking the fire!

dude, why dont you just get a 2wd 79-83 and swap ALL your stuff to it

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

that is an option, but WT has the hot ticket with doing a new truck. All the good virtues of a new truck ie: good electrical, fuel injection, when i say new I mean 89-95ish

I love the older trucks however they are more and more rare to come in decent condition. And I am bumming rides right now so I need a tuck asap. So to me the best isea is to go for a 95 or so pickup, with a strong FI motor and do a sas or even convert a 2wd to 4wd. eiether way I will not be losing much coin because you can fine even a v-6 truck for around 4500 around here. And Im gonna with the 22r-e just cause its a die hard motor.  WT even put round headlights in his rig! Thats exactly what I want to do, I dont much care for the square headlights.

[WHITE_TRASH]

LOL  So you dig the headlights eh?    Those are origionals from my 81.  They actually bolted right into place more or less.

[guywithuglyyota [OP]]

hell even jeep went back to round headlights!- my right headlight survived      man people in CA ask waaaay to much for there trucks!  Like 2,000 over blue book!