My truck is something to have fun with, as the years have passed my consternation over modifications either small or large has decreased.... if I want to drill a hole it gets drilled, if I want to pull out the carpet..out it goes, if I want to install BMW seats...in they go, gm engine..check, etc..etc. The only thing in my way is time and money 
I don't chase MPG with mods and I only chase what I perceive to be an improvement in functionality/capability/performance. Of course we all have limitations on $$ and what we can spend or trade for or do the work ourselves. Its all about having fun....I do drive my truck off-road and do tackle trails / obstacles it can handle...I've got scrapes and pin-stripes and minor dents everywhere...
Whatever equals fun to each owner is the key.
AA had or has a swap guide for the LC....its been a while but it was on their website at one point. What I've learned has been from doing a swap myself and reading others threads and posting and asking questions and spending hours on some of those web sites...etc.
As noted previously...its worth a lot of "gold" to have a known solution and known path to a good clean functional setup....something that works and has proven to work. Some of these choices people make with parts...they forget all of a sudden to include what crazy $hit that they jumped through to make it work or it may be some odd-ball configuration. When something breaks or needs repair....you are money ahead by staying with known solutions, both in parts and in fabrication / approach.
In my view the character of the truck is generally the physical appearance of the body. Few if any of these trucks maintain their stock look with respect to tires,lift, etc. Personally I don't care for the stock look of the FJ60....it only looks right to me with a lift and some reasonably larger tires.
I've suggested in the past and still would suggest at present that anyone looking to do an engine swap... go read through these threads and make notes, and go surf the AA web site and this board and other boards. See what people have done. I personally like complete solutions without having to cobble up some parts from this or that...thats why I keep pointing to the combination I've suggested...its the cleanest approach. The other good thing to do is ask around from those who have done these..what would they do in hindsight or what issues have they come across. Like many things...you probably get better at an engine swap the 2nd or 3rd time around.
Also I really pay attention to posted pictures in the build threads or from web sites like Slee and others...why because you can get great ideas of what works or what may not work and learn from what others have done. The guys at Slee and these other shops....they acquired that knowledge over time and through the school of hard knocks...learn from them to the extent possible.
Like I told someone...I'll be happy to experiment with your truck but I want to know more facts before I jump off into this mess with mine. The other factor on my truck is that it has to be street-able so I've not altered it in such a way as to impact that.
I don't chase MPG with mods and I only chase what I perceive to be an improvement in functionality/capability/performance. Of course we all have limitations on $$ and what we can spend or trade for or do the work ourselves. Its all about having fun....I do drive my truck off-road and do tackle trails / obstacles it can handle...I've got scrapes and pin-stripes and minor dents everywhere...
Whatever equals fun to each owner is the key.
AA had or has a swap guide for the LC....its been a while but it was on their website at one point. What I've learned has been from doing a swap myself and reading others threads and posting and asking questions and spending hours on some of those web sites...etc.
As noted previously...its worth a lot of "gold" to have a known solution and known path to a good clean functional setup....something that works and has proven to work. Some of these choices people make with parts...they forget all of a sudden to include what crazy $hit that they jumped through to make it work or it may be some odd-ball configuration. When something breaks or needs repair....you are money ahead by staying with known solutions, both in parts and in fabrication / approach.
In my view the character of the truck is generally the physical appearance of the body. Few if any of these trucks maintain their stock look with respect to tires,lift, etc. Personally I don't care for the stock look of the FJ60....it only looks right to me with a lift and some reasonably larger tires.
I've suggested in the past and still would suggest at present that anyone looking to do an engine swap... go read through these threads and make notes, and go surf the AA web site and this board and other boards. See what people have done. I personally like complete solutions without having to cobble up some parts from this or that...thats why I keep pointing to the combination I've suggested...its the cleanest approach. The other good thing to do is ask around from those who have done these..what would they do in hindsight or what issues have they come across. Like many things...you probably get better at an engine swap the 2nd or 3rd time around.
Also I really pay attention to posted pictures in the build threads or from web sites like Slee and others...why because you can get great ideas of what works or what may not work and learn from what others have done. The guys at Slee and these other shops....they acquired that knowledge over time and through the school of hard knocks...learn from them to the extent possible.
Like I told someone...I'll be happy to experiment with your truck but I want to know more facts before I jump off into this mess with mine. The other factor on my truck is that it has to be street-able so I've not altered it in such a way as to impact that.
job! Take your time, save your $$$ and if you are lucky you might only go 40% over your original budget. 