anyone know if there is a way to install a chev v8 with out the body lift or what is the minimul body lift you have to do?? i was thinking about cutting out the firewall, i just dont like body lifts.

To get the engine to fit in the small Toyota engine compartment you will need to have it set back as close to the firewall as possible, but you can't do that if the transmission bellhousing wont clear the tranmission tunnel in the floor of the truck. Because all the transmissions or adapter bellhousings you could use for this swap will be much bigger too you'll need roughly 2" of body lift to get the transmission bellhousing under the transmission tunnel. Even then many V8 swaps require modifications to the radiator support to move the radiator forward about 3", which causes you to have to get rid of the hood latch. So now you will have to find a different way to secure the hood. Also you'll need to have some cash set aside for new axles because the Toyotas are not going to last long. You could get some Dana 44 axles from a Jeep Wagoneer for around $500, but they have weaknesses that will show up with big tires too. Or you could get some Dana 60's that have been narrowed for about $7000, but don't worry you can do the basic conversion for about $3000 and then factor in a minimum of about $5000 to fix stuff later. Remember though that the Toyota mini truck frame is built for a 3500lb vehicle with a 100hp motor so it's a lot skimpier than anything that would have come with a V8. Not that I want to discourage you or anything though. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> -- Matt

About the axle thing, 3rd gen 4runners have the exact same axle as the 86+ turbo/v6 axles, and i havent heard of any breakages even with the trd supercharger and fuel mods (basically same power/torque as a stock v8).
I'm pretty sure it will handle a stock motor fine (5.0 HO, TPI 350) but i agree, there's no way it's going to handle a 383 stroker.

ANyways, easiest V8 to fit would be a 5.0 HO (302 ford)... front mounted dist. and smallest physical V8 with good power.

I ran a v-8 in my 87 4runner for about 5 years. I did not have a body lift. I did have to ball-peen the fire wall about an inch to clear the rear distributer on the chevy v-8. I used the advanced adapter 4-core radiator mounted in the stock location with no cooling problems. Just be sure have a shroud on your fan. my engine was just under 300 h-p and the 4-cyl diffs and axles held up with no problems running 33's

swap away..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I don't think I've ever heard a Toyota frame referred to as "skimpy" when compared to a domestic full size. The Toy frame is fully boxed and much stronger than most w/ a V8.

Any clearance issue will be in the engine compartment only, not the transmission, adapters, or xfer cases. For a SBC w/ HEI distributor, it will need clearanced at the firewall. A SBF will not have that problem since the distrib is in the front. The oil pan can be a problem if you do not have a suspension lift though. You can swap to a custom pan, but it will cost more than doing the suspension lift.

hey wyatt hows the swap going?

Waiting on getting a short shaft swapped into the TH350. I think it would have been easier (and cheaper) to trade a junkyard a car tranny for a 4wd tranny. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

The pre-Taco truck frame is rated as a 1 ton frame. The only differences between the 1-ton Toyota pickups and their 1/2 ton counterparts were heavier rated rear springs, and heavy duty steering linkages.

SuperRunner has talked about destroying a few Toyota difs running a 3.0 liter 7M-GTE, I think he was on 33' tires when he did that, but it may have been 35's. I think he's running a Dana 60 in the rear now. It's easier on the difs when you have an automatic though.

And I'm glad to hear that i have under estimated the strength of the Toyota frames. maybe I should build an LS1 first gen 4runner, but I'd want to have an NV4500 transmission. Nah! Better to go diesel. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> -- Matt

If you use a 4th gen LT1 engine it doesn't have the rear mounted distributor so you might be able to squeeze that in with minimal modifying.