BaT TX - '87 FJ60 V8 (Reserve Not Met)

Year

1987

Vehicle Model

1. 60 Series

V8-Powered 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60

Bid for the chance to own a V8-Powered 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #48,805.

bringatrailer.com

 

[Eighteen11R]

There must be some serious torque numbers on this V8...

 

[erse]

I've owned a 60 with a 350 and the h55. Not the best engine swap IMO. Still it's a good looking truck and BAT prices are nuts so it will likely sell at a premium

 

[ionyota]

I've owned a 60 with a 350 and the h55. Not the best engine swap IMO. Still it's a good looking truck and BAT prices are nuts so it will likely sell at a premium

What didn’t you like about the 350 / h55 combo?

Just curious

 

[erse]

350 didn't feel like a whole lot more power than the original power plant to be honest. It was a very modest upgrade at best. More importantly the gearing for the h55 felt wrong for the power band. 2nd gear was too low and 3rd too high for and average corner. It always felt like I was searching for the right place to be. After that vehicle I owned one with the 5.3 but a 4 speed auto box. Definitely that 5.3 is more than worth the effort of swapping it in.
The 350 was also a challenge to keep cool in our local summers when under heavy load.
Bottom line with anything with a swap is of course who did the swap and how they did it.
The rig posted is nearing what my max would be on it already for it's set up, but I know I live in the past on 60 values so act accordingly. It is a good looking rig and one could certainly get enjoyment and use out of it. For me though I would likely be saving from day one to swap some other engine/ trans combo into it.

 

[ionyota]

Cool, not surprised to hear that. I haven’t owned anything with a swapped 350. I had a Defender with a 5.3 / 6L80 and it was a dream swap. I think the only thing I’d buy with a 350 is a 40 series…even then I’d do it reluctantly.

Otherwise, like you alluded to, the 5.3 is the way to go in a restomod…just makes everything better in so many ways.

 

[erse]

For me I would have rather had the h55 with the original engine or maybe a 3fe. That's a good use of money and effort IMO and probably the sweet spot for value. The 5.3 with the 4 speed or now perhaps the 6 speed auto is a completely different animal and if money were no object I would be all over that for a variety of old vehicles. That's why everyone is doing it. At least until we all go electric...

 

[FuglyYota]

There are sooooooooo many different 350 SBC combos out there and lots of them are low compression 70’s and 80’s smog motors with swirl port and open chamber heads that are anything but performance oriented. And there are a lot of good ones out there that can approach LS power while still being able to run standard ignition, fuel, and engine mount configurations (no messing with custom computers or wiring). I have a stock Vortec 350 with just a 4 barrel intake, headers, and MSD ignition in my FJ40 and it gets it. I paid $750 for it and saw it run before Dad and I pulled it. Yes, by the time you add up everything and include the cost of my Sniper EFI, I could probably have an LS. Point is, there are some good 350’s out there if you know what to look for and the proliferation of LS motors has made them cheaper than ever.

 

[ionyota]

There are sooooooooo many different 350 SBC combos out there and lots of them are low compression 70’s and 80’s smog motors with swirl port and open chamber heads that are anything but performance oriented. And there are a lot of good ones out there that can approach LS power while still being able to run standard ignition, fuel, and engine mount configurations (no messing with custom computers or wiring). I have a stock Vortec 350 with just a 4 barrel intake, headers, and MSD ignition in my FJ40 and it gets it. I paid $750 for it and saw it run before Dad and I pulled it. Yes, by the time you add up everything and include the cost of my Sniper EFI, I could probably have an LS. Point is, there are some good 350’s out there if you know what to look for and the proliferation of LS motors has made them cheaper than ever.

Fair point!