an off the wall plan

[jake allard]

Ok heres the deal I'm trying something that I think is kinda new. I want to do a full body, engine and trans swap. The two trucks in mind is a 1985 pick up and a 1990 4runer. So far it apears that the bodies will trade no prob, the motter and tranie mounts are the same but the 22r in the 85 wont bolt and fit on the 90 frame. It looks like the oil pan on the 22r wont fit above the diff in the 90 frame.
Here is my dalema I need the lift and dont have any funds to invest, I can use any parts I need from the 85 I need under one stipulation. The stipulation is that the 85 must be in working runing order when I'm done. I also need to sell that truck when I'm done for as much as posible.

So to sum things up if any one has any thoughts on what I can do to get my lift and my solid front with out spend one cent if posible, and still be able to sell the 85 ( yes I know that the 85 wont sell for much after the swap but I'll see what I can get)
THANX
SPC Jake Allard Fort Polk LA

 

[twentyfootdaredevil]

That sounds like a whole lot more trouble than it might be worth....I know thats not what you want to hear. A Trail Gear SAS is one option but that isnt exactly free. You could make your own leaf spring hanger but then you end up with your axle mounted too far back if you use the springs from the '85.


Maybe give us some more details and what kind of fab tools you have available.


How much lift are you looking for?

Are you aware of all the body mounts you will have to fab to swap bodies?

What motor is in the runner 3.0 or 22re....sounds like you have to make new motor mounts as well.

If you do this for free be sure and do a write up becase I will truly be impressed.

Josh '20'

 

[jake allard]

ironing out my not so perfect post

First off thanx for the respons.
Well I wish that I could give you the details you need but I dont know what that is. The engine in the 4 runner is the 3.0 l V6. I know that this will be an amazing amount of work but laber is somthing I look forward to, I just got bake from deployment and think it will give me a great way to help transition bake to being out of the war.
The 85 has a 3 1/2 in NWO leaf lift on it, I've done a little costum work to the suspention but nothing that will afect the project.
The 4 runer is bone stock, ther is no damage or changes to iether frams. The research that I have done is all by eye so far it loocks like the body mounts for the two are the in the same positions on the two frams and bodies. So with eyeing it it seems there should be no fabing needed for the bodie. The tranie and engine mounts apear the same.
Unless some one else knows more already this weekend I'll be doing some hard research. If I get enough pepole interested and trying to help I'll defanitly take the time to post all findings and progress on the whole project.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

So you are wanting to keep the 85 frame with the 90 body on it and sell the IFS front Coil rear pickup? Sweet plan.

I know you're going to have to do some body mount fabing because the pickup has more body mounts than the 4Runner. The 4Runner body it soing to be a lot heavier in the rear so you may not have as much lift once you put it on the leaf springs that were meant for a pickup.

I'm assuming it's a short bed truck? Have you measured the wheelbases front to back? I'd also say that almost for sure the engine mounts are going to be different..... Take lots of pics, post here, get more great (stupid) ideas, and encouragment.

And thanks for serving our country!!!

 

["N8"]

ok so I may have this wrong but I think what you are trying to do is swap the independant front suspention onto the 85 and the solid axle onto the 90. Now you will run into a problem in that the frames are diffrent on the two vehicles in the front. go out and look at the 85 frame in front and you will notice that it is a thinner tube stock used than the 90' ifs frame in the front main suspention hoop. so putting the solid axle onto the 90 wont be a problem, but trying to get the ifs back onto the 85 will be because it will sit too high by about 2 or 3 inches. If you can get your hands on some steel you could fab up a gusset to drop the frame back down to be able to atach the old ifs components onto the front of the frame. you will have to weld the torsion bars onto the 85 frame you will have to weld new body mounts to swap the cabs, you will have to do quite a bit of fab work to the 85 just to get it back to drivable condition. I know you said that you want to do this with no money, but honestly the parts for the solid axle swap if you were to use all stock hanger components will be better found in a junk yard for about 200$ possibly less depending on where you go. also to sell an 85 with a good axle under it you could definatly get a pretty penny out of it. so really my advice is to sell the 85, and use the money you get to go buy the spesific parts you need off a junked vehicle. there is plenty of work to go into a body and axle swap for you to get your fill the first time dont set yourself up to do a whole bunch of argeuous work just to sell a truck to someone else.

but thats just my thoughts. where there is a will there is a way and everything you have mentioned is possible. if your oil pan is not clearing the axle then fab up some new engine mounts... ext there are limitless possiblities.

good luck

 

[jake allard]

response to my feed back

Hey thanx for the fed back and if you think of any thing else let me know. As soon as I can I'm gona get out and do some real research, it's just finding the time right now. I'll defanitly post all I can as I go. I do have a nother question though, how do you post pics. Maby if I can provide pics it'll make pepoles helping a lot easer. Also the pick up will be up for sale as well if I can get enouigh out of my pick up I'll be abandoning my plans and moving on to a traditional solid axle conversion. So if any one has offers send them. I'll get pics on here as soon as I figure out how to.
info on the pick up
1985 toyota 4x4 pick up, reduced gear in diffs, trans, and transfer. "don't know what ratio though stock 23 spline slip yock drive shafts 3 1/2 inch NWO lift springs front, coustom rear 3 in body costom push bar smity built rear bump no sway bars anywhere jeep bucket seats a cheasy looking yet extremly efective home built snorkle and more
shes a great rock crawler works great in the mud and great get you to and from work slightly tweaked 22r mottor with only 135468 miles I dont want to get rid of it but no choice
thats a lot of the reson why I want to do the body swap I get to keep most the work I've done but still get the 4 runer

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Probably a better idea would be to sell the 85 (As it's easier to sell a truck with some mods than a truck with a wierd frame swap.....) And use the money to mod the 4Runner. Also you can't swap an older engine into a newer vehicle in a lot of states if not all of them. So one of the resulting vehicles would be hard to register/smog.

 

[jake allard]

back to the talk

thanx for keepin with me. I understand that you cant put an older engine in newer body. But here is my question when regerstering a rebodied vehicle do you reg it under the body vin or under the drame vin?

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I think that also varries by state, call you DMV/BMV I think it's by frame..... usually.

 

[Full_M3tal]

Also you can't swap an older engine into a newer vehicle in a lot of states if not all of them. So one of the resulting vehicles would be hard to register/smog.

actually* You Can Take Your Title Up To The DMV And Say Alright I Swab My Mortor To A V6 It Out Of A 97 Pickup, And Mine Is A 85. And The Should Be Able To Make You A New Title, Showing That You Have A Different Engine In It. Thus You Will Have To Meet The Standards Of The Newer Vehical. Just Make Sure You Talk To Your DMV About It.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

But he also wanted to swap the 85 engine into the 90 4Runner, and then sell it......, that's the problem. I know I've read more than once that older engine's into newer vehicles is a no no.

 

[FXR UPR]

Sell both trucks and buy one that you can build with that money. Thats alot of work, trouble and headach and you wont be able to do it without spending $$$.