2wd '88 P/U with pre-runner dreams checking in!

[Magnusian]

Howdy there!

Around September last year I figured it was time for me to get my first vehicle (at 23, it really was time to get my own wheels), and decided to get an older truck that I could fix up and use for daily driving/farm work. I'd been hoping to find one like the one my father owned when I was a kid ('88 p/u longbed, he sold it the year before I got my license and I still haven't forgiven him) and managed to find an '88 shortbed at a very reasonable price, and in great shape (they don't salt the roads where I bought it, so rust is minimal). After browsing a few 'yota forums and meeting up with a few off-roaders, my plans for this truck have changed significantly, no longer just want to get it on the road and doing work, I'm thinking fireroad storming pre-runner now, lots of stuff to do!

Here she is, this picture isn't all that recent but aside from the front bumper being on it in this one, it hasn't changed much in the winter months while I've been hunting down parts and various other things.


Some slightly more detailed specs:
223,000km (about 140k miles)
22R (carbbed) bone stock, EGR disconnected and cat removed (by PO) going to be doing a lot of work on this, especially since it's at the right mileage for a new timing chain.
2wd (stock gears, 3.08 or 3.10 or something to that nature iirc, don't have the axle code handy), I'd love to convert it to 4wd, but I'm hopefully buying a 4x4 T100 soon that I'd like to turn into a trail rig once this truck's done.
4spd manual (G40) This is the main reason why I joined up here, I can't seem to find any conclusive info as to the best 5spd tranny to drop in, I see they sell 2wd W55s here, and I'd like to get one, but I've read elsewhere that G and W type transmissions are incompatible and that I should be trying to find a 2wd G52 instead (which does not seem easy to come by around where I live). I'd love some definitive answer so I know if I should be ordering a tranny or continue junkyard hunting.
Rebuilt alt, new optima yellow top battery, new front brakes.
The PO had put a flatbed on it, but it wasn't in great shape and weighed about 50lbs (with an open diff, you can imagine the traction nightmare), I bought a bunch of pre-cut steel that is now waiting for my welding skills to improve to make a new, nicer, flatbed.

E: Forgot to mention, but my truck and I live in Southern Ontario, west of Toronto.

[axled89]

 

[renegade84]

congrats man

[aikane]

  What do you mean g and w trannys are not compatible? 

[DD85runner]

 

[Magnusian]

What do you mean g and w trannys are not compatible? 

I don't recall where it is I heard that, something about the bolt patterns being different. I've been getting a lot of conflicting info, some of it blatantly wrong, some of it just confusing.

I suppose it's safe to assume it'd bolt up, but I don't want to drop $1k on a transmission just to find out it won't work.

[Rocksurfer]

  II 

[aikane]

I don't recall where it is I heard that, something about the bolt patterns being different. I've been getting a lot of conflicting info, some of it blatantly wrong, some of it just confusing.

I suppose it's safe to assume it'd bolt up, but I don't want to drop $1k on a transmission just to find out it won't work.

A $1000, ouch! Yeah a w55 will bolt up to your 22r. I would just get a used one, I'm sure you can get one for $100-150. But that's just my 2 cents.

[Magnusian]

It will? Sweet! I would consider a used one but I can only seem to find a small number 2wd 'yotas from my year and they usually come with 4spd or auto trannies, or bad gears in the ever-so-rare case of them having a 5spd, which I'd rather not have to deal with. Besides, the W55 marlin sells has a warranty, and I doubt I can find a used low mileage/good condition W55 within a reasonable distance from me that doesn't need a rebuild, so to me it's better to spend the big bucks now instead of later getting a bad tranny rebuilt.