What should I sell (1 Viewer)

[PanhandleFJ]

I'm well into the disassembly work for my FJ 62 1988 Vortec Swap and also taking the body off and putting a bunch of new stuff on. All new Springs, shackles, shocks, radiator new Vortec and Transmission etc. I don't know if I should sell the 3FE? Or rebuild it later and sell it. If I sell it now (it runs) I would sell it with everything attached. Put that money toward unforeseen items and currently don't have the new exhaust, which I thought I'll wait until everything is back together.
How available are parts for a rebuild of the old 3FE? If I go that route?

 

[Kleatus]

Personally... my $0.02, if I were to buy an engine, I would either want to drive it first, or get it cheap and simply rebuild it myself. Unless you already have an established reputation building engines and are willing to back up your work, it is likely a losing proposition selling it after you've rebuilt it.

 

[PanhandleFJ]

Personally... my $0.02, if I were to buy an engine, I would either want to drive it first, or get it cheap and simply rebuild it myself. Unless you already have an established reputation building engines and are willing to back up your work, it is likely a losing proposition selling it after you've rebuilt it.

Ok, I'll take that into consideration. I did own a remanufacturing engine business, VW air cooled and did probably 20 gas and diesel water-cooled, for rabbits etc. About 50 of the air cooled VW. I sold the business 30 years ago. But have not rebuilt a Toyota.

 

[3_puppies]

selling the 3FE as is will take a bit unless sold at a reasonable price, someone may want the engine and someone else may want the trans, miles and compression #'s will help determine price
selling a rebuilt 3FE, you may end up losing $$'s between labor and materials

 

[PanhandleFJ]

selling the 3FE as is will take a bit unless sold at a reasonable price, someone may want the engine and someone else may want the trans, miles and compression #'s will help determine price
selling a rebuilt 3FE, you may end up losing $$'s between labor and materials

That's what I wondered, on the rebuild costs. I don't understand the compression issue? With a rebuild I assumed the cylinders would be bored and the new pistons and rings fit to the new bore diameter. At least that's the way it works on other engine rebuilds. Or is it that the parts are hard to come by?

 

[cwwfj60]

Parts aren’t hard to come by. Pistons could be difficult. Everything else is straight forward, I’ve done a few.

That being said, I wouldn’t care who you said you were…if I’m picking up a “rebuilt” engine from some guys garage I’ll be skeptical and lowballing accordingly. If I buy a rebuilt engine at a premium I want someone to stand behind it with a warranty.

I wouldn’t waste your time, but I definitely would at least get compression numbers to sell appropriately. Don’t expect much $$

 

[adman02]

Going through this now - doing an LS swap and there doesn't seem to be a strong demand for 3FEs (at least in my area). Your market is pretty much owners who want to keep their 62 stock or are doing a restoration. With more owners going to the LS platform, I suspect demand for the 3FE will remain soft. If it were me, I'd sell now while there's still some interest.

 

[3_puppies]

I don't understand the compression issue?

you stated it runs, compression #'s help a buyer as to condition of the engine, can the new owner just drop it in and get a year or two from it or does it need a rebuild right now, then he's just buying a core

 

[PanhandleFJ]

Parts aren’t hard to come by. Pistons could be difficult. Everything else is straight forward, I’ve done a few.

That being said, I wouldn’t care who you said you were…if I’m picking up a “rebuilt” engine from some guys garage I’ll be skeptical and lowballing accordingly. If I buy a rebuilt engine at a premium I want someone to stand behind it with a warranty.

I wouldn’t waste your time, but I definitely would at least get compression numbers to sell appropriately. Don’t expect much $$

Ok, that sounds reasonable.

 

[PanhandleFJ]

you stated it runs, compression #'s help a buyer as to condition of the engine, can the new owner just drop it in and get a year or two from it or does it need a rebuild right now, then he's just buying a core

It's not something to do in. It has 326k on it. My father-in-law was the original owner who bought it new in California.

 

[Gimme a 60]

Okay! I don’t want to steal the thread…. I have a heathy clean, 3FE and rebuilt trans/Transfer case…. What do you guys think it’s worth?

 

[Dunbar]

Put the Vortec in something else and get rid of the A440F for an H55F. Sent the head to Jim Chenoweth for SS chevy valves and a 3 angle valve job. If the compression is good run it. Otherwise rebuild it after having a machine shop balance the rotating assembly. Mine is 40 over with a shaved head so I run premium and the truck hauls ass. It accelerates going up hill in 5th. I have a 200 series and a 7.3 built turbo diesel Excursion and I do not miss having a 8 banger in the FJ62. It runs just fine. I started wrenching on air cooled VW's. Still have my high school first car, a 70' convertible beetle. It's a 74x90.5 or 1904cc with dual weber 44mm 2 blls and goes 80 in 3rd.

 

[PanhandleFJ]

Put the Vortec in something else and get rid of the A440F for an H55F. Sent the head to Jim Chenoweth for SS chevy valves and a 3 angle valve job. If the compression is good run it. Otherwise rebuild it after having a machine shop balance the rotating assembly. Mine is 40 over with a shaved head so I run premium and the truck hauls ass. It accelerates going up hill in 5th. I have a 200 series and a 7.3 built turbo diesel Excursion and I do not miss having a 8 banger in the FJ62. It runs just fine. I started wrenching on air cooled VW's. Still have my high school first car, a 70' convertible beetle. It's a 74x90.5 or 1904cc with dual weber 44mm 2 blls and goes 80 in 3rd.

I'm so far invested in this Vortec swap. Or is kind of sad though.