My next trail rig...

clfrnacwby said:
Apparently I REALLY need to investigate this header claim...
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Well, ok, 80 for most of it. I did slow to 75 on the steep part. And I'm sure the 261 cam and fresh motor is a big part of that too. I'm definitely sold on seeing what an RV head and upgraded intake can do now instead of just working towards a motor swap though. It'll never be a powerful motor, but I think I can get it to a good place without breaking the bank. Josh's gift sure didn't hurt in that regard.

Steve is right about the tires and gears though. With 5.29s and 33s I may be able to cruise and climb at 80, but I'm at 3800ish RPM when I do. :)
 
I've owned a few waggys and am a fan..but I wouldn't wheel one. also the carb and 500 vacuum lines are going to suck after a while, and emissions will be fun. non street-able rig with a waggy would be better but for your use....Toyota.
 
Maldito X said:
Haha I've never gotten better than 60 over the point of the mountain in my old 4runner. But I've actually got quite a bit of experience doing engine swaps in many different platforms, including in the waggy I have at my sisters house. But I think the main part about doing an sas is because I don't wanna deal with cutting off such amount of metal or buying all the parts to install one.

I think that's what puts me off from doing it haha.

But I agree that a wagoneer isn't exactly screaming reliable hahaha. I suppose with an LS swap that would be a different story.
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Building a 85 stock Toyota solid axle and converting 86-95 ifs is about the same amount of work. Trail-gear has made it crazy cheap and easy.
 
Sounds like Toypta does have the upper hand right now. Also how come you wouldn't wheel one? Is it due to mechanical reasons or otherwise?

Why do you say it would be about the same amount of work though? The way I figure, on an 85 I can drop in springs and shackles and be set where as a 89-95 I have to cut off the whole IFS, weld in hangers and shock hoops, potentially cut a hole in the frame for shackles etc. I'm guessing here, from builds I've seen on here lol.

But I do like the body styles better on the pre-89's better though.

Seeing as Toyota is the general vote right now, I've got a follow up question and this will apply to those mentioning a swap is super easy....

Ive still got the 88 4Runner I tried to sell on here before with the 3.0 v6 and its in good shape body wise and over the last year I've been gathering interior bits and pieces to restore it to a nice condition and its looking good. I've heard of people saying they do not want to SAS a v6, is it because they just don't trust the motor or because there's actually limitations to building it due to the oil pan? Between an 85 22RE or an 88 v6 which would be a more ideal candidate?

Someone mentioned that toyota was underpowered for lugging around alot of gear if I'm doing expedition type stuff, is this taking into considerationregearing axles or no?
 
Maldito X said:
Sounds like Toypta does have the upper hand right now. Also how come you wouldn't wheel one? Is it due to mechanical reasons or otherwise?

Why do you say it would be about the same amount of work though? The way I figure, on an 85 I can drop in springs and shackles and be set where as a 89-95 I have to cut off the whole IFS, weld in hangers and shock hoops, potentially cut a hole in the frame for shackles etc. I'm guessing here, from builds I've seen on here lol.

But I do like the body styles better on the pre-89's better though.

Seeing as Toyota is the general vote right now, I've got a follow up question and this will apply to those mentioning a swap is super easy....

Ive still got the 88 4Runner I tried to sell on here before with the 3.0 v6 and its in good shape body wise and over the last year I've been gathering interior bits and pieces to restore it to a nice condition and its looking good. I've heard of people saying they do not want to SAS a v6, is it because they just don't trust the motor or because there's actually limitations to building it due to the oil pan? Between an 85 22RE or an 88 v6 which would be a more ideal candidate?

Someone mentioned that toyota was underpowered for lugging around alot of gear if I'm doing expedition type stuff, is this taking into considerationregearing axles or no?
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On a stock solid axle toyota I would not run on the stock front spring hanger, and people generally move the axle forward causing anything stock to be re-done.

If i were you I would keep your runner and do a tacoma 3.4 swap with a SAS. I have never done an engine swap, but they are suppose to be super easy going into 3.0 vehicles. In my opinion that is one of sexiest Toyota's you can have; 1st gen runner, awesome motor, tons of flex!
 
Damn, so many options to go with. I dont think I would modify an 85 to move the front wheels further to the front, at least not right away...

But I havent looked into 3.4 swaps for the v6 to see how much they cost. But a kit to swap in a solid axle is around 1k right? Also I just sold the solid axle I had sitting in my garage, it's gonna suck buying another one hahaha.
 
Maldito X said:
Damn, so many options to go with. I dont think I would modify an 85 to move the front wheels further to the front, at least not right away...

But I havent looked into 3.4 swaps for the v6 to see how much they cost. But a kit to swap in a solid axle is around 1k right? Also I just sold the solid axle I had sitting in my garage, it's gonna suck buying another one hahaha.
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Best time to move your axle is before installing steering box. Plus most people run RUF (rear springs up front) packs that move the axle forward fixing approach angle and pinch weld rubbing. SAS kit for the basics is a front spring hanger kit 200$, or everything plus more than you need for 1200$
 
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Maldito X said:
Someone mentioned that toyota was underpowered for lugging around alot of gear if I'm doing expedition type stuff, is this taking into considerationregearing axles or no?
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I've had a bunch of toyota's all my built ones that I'm referring to were geared appropriately for the tires they were running. In most cases 35's and 5.29's and for the most part 22re's, one 22r with 33's and 5.29's. My ladies current rig has 35's 4.88's and it doesn't do to bad. But it also has a built LC Engineering motor in it.
 
i say keep the 88. i just built one with a solid axle swap, bumpers, tires, sliders and custom rear leaf set up and a 7mgte motor in it it is not lacking power by any means even loaded down. use the 88 or an older one, for a 1100 bucks i could get you a lexus V8 with trans and adapter to a gear driven case. Swap that into the 88 or a older toyota, sas if needed and put some 35's on and rear spartan locker and a geared down transfer case. You will only be in 3,000 to 4,000 and you'll have a rig that is the pinicle of reliable and will haul butt on the street as well as be very capable on the trail
 
Late to the party as usual but, i vote for the grand wagoneer you already have. You save money on the purchase price, all ready has plenty of room for your expedition style camping, v-8, solid axles, and highway capable. A toyota can do the same and get better mileage doing it but, less of everything the grand already has. I always appreciate building things different than what everybody else has. Why be another sheep in the herd? Lead, don't follow. Building a different vehicle is a challenge but, we as wheelers, always enjoy a challenge.

LT.
 
I do love the waggy. I always wanted to build one for my son's first rig but I'm afraid that 16 years from now they'll all be gone, completely trashed or outlawed by hippies that have infiltrated our government
 
LT. said:
Late to the party as usual but, i vote for the grand wagoneer you already have. You save money on the purchase price, all ready has plenty of room for your expedition style camping, v-8, solid axles, and highway capable. A toyota can do the same and get better mileage doing it but, less of everything the grand already has. I always appreciate building things different than what everybody else has. Why be another sheep in the herd? Lead, don't follow. Building a different vehicle is a challenge but, we as wheelers, always enjoy a challenge.

LT.
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He already has a 88 4runner too.
 
iamsparticus said:
i say keep the 88. i just built one with a solid axle swap, bumpers, tires, sliders and custom rear leaf set up and a 7mgte motor in it it is not lacking power by any means even loaded down. use the 88 or an older one, for a 1100 bucks i could get you a lexus V8 with trans and adapter to a gear driven case. Swap that into the 88 or a older toyota, sas if needed and put some 35's on and rear spartan locker and a geared down transfer case. You will only be in 3,000 to 4,000 and you'll have a rig that is the pinicle of reliable and will haul butt on the street as well as be very capable on the trail
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If your going to go into this much trouble on the 4runner, may as well consider a modern engine swap in the waggy. IMO the waggy is a more unique more viable platform for what you plan to do with it. It offers a lot more room with a lot less work. If you truly want expedition travel IMO more room = better rig. If you were building a crawler I would probably be on the 4runner side of this argument. I think a waggy with a RTT and an LS would be a blast to own. In fact I should stop reading this thread because its putting bad thoughts in my head. I would have to go the more difficult route of putting a new 5.0 coyote motor in one
 
talk to billy light about his wagoneer and see if he'd recommend it for your goals. Last year we drove it 1/2 to the rubicon, fixed 2 separate issues, and it still had to limp back home and call the trip off for him. He's done a lot since then to make it more reliable, but it's a lot more than you'd think. They're cool rigs and they're big, but they're outdated, not reliable, heavy, and gas hogs. Just talk to a few people with each rig before making your decision.
 
Alot of great points were brought up while I was out. I do think too though, if I was going to put in that much work into an engine swap then I would want to do it on the waggy more likely. Making it reliable would probably be the #1 goal on that vehicle, because although they are both 88's, it just seems like the hardware and technology on the waggy is far more outdated.

What kind of swaps would be fairly doable on the Waggy? From my understanding is that some of the domestic manufacturers run ECM's instead of actual ECU's so I can install a 4.6 vortec for example and just plug in the ECM ie piggy back, without worrying about affecting the other functions of the car itself? Versus on the import vehicles were talking one ECU that controls the engine and functions of the car? So dropping in one of those requires a good amount of work to splice in a new harness?

I looked into TBI for the AMC 360 and plug and play exists for them but it's around $1100, for that kind of cost I think I would consider a engine swap depending on the price of them. The 360 in the waggy now is a reman'd block that my dad and I swapped into it many many moons ago.

I'm not sure who billy light is though, is that his username? I'll look him up on here.
 
Maldito X said:
Damn, so many options to go with. I dont think I would modify an 85 to move the front wheels further to the front, at least not right away...
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3" or less you can keep the push pull steering on a '85. That being said with flexing you will stuff the tire into the pinch weld. I did with 33's so 35's will be worse if you don't push the axle forward....
For expedition stuff however honestly, IFS would be great for you. Ride better on the street as well.
This is coming from someone who has totally murdered their '85 runner for te rocks. Knowing what I k ow now I never would have linked it, done the motor swap, or bobbed the rear.
I wanted to do more extreme stuff and can however.. Lots of trade offs!
If I were to do what you want, KISS is the theory you should subscribe to!




Sent from magic wish granting phone
 
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