nickpohlaandp

Hello everyone. I've been looking around forums because I'm working on doing a V8 conversion into a '95 Toyota pickup that I have. My goal is 9 seconds (high 9's are ok) and I know that I have a lot of fab work in my future... I'm not scared. Anyway, I joined probably 3 or 4 Toyota forums to see if anyone had any info on a similar project, threw up a few posts, and got absolutely nothing for replies. It was a little disheartening because I figured someone had to have done something like this before, but nobody knows anyone, nobody has experience, or nobody wants to talk about on those forums. Oh well.

I'd pretty much convinced myself that I was going to use a traditional 350 Chevy to get where I wanted to go, backed by a TH350 or 'Glide. I know there will be clearance issues with the distributor, but that's what plasma cutters and welders are for. Anyway, after joining this forum and just searching around, I've about changed my mind and decided to put a LS style motor in instead. I'll still be able to use the TH350 (or 400), won't have to deal with a distributor, and I shouldn't have any issue hitting my power goals or holding down a 200-250 shot of spray.

There's so much good information on this forum, and it's exciting to see. I'm actually thinking that I could possibly do a direct transplant from another vehicle, keep the fuel injection, and have something with decent street manners as well, dare I say it, even keep the air conditioning.

Well I've got nothing but time ahead of me, I'm not rushing my project (and I don't have bottomless pockets), but it seems to me that I've found the right place to be for the info I'm looking for.

If I had to break my project goals down into possible formats, it would be these, with the common denominator that it has to run 9's in the quarter when it's all said and done, with the only power adder being nitrous (I'm already putting 10 lbs. of **** in a 5 lb. bucket, I don't want to try to contend with turbo or supercharger fitment and plumbing).:

1. Carbureted LS motor, TH350/TH400/Powerglide trans, with or without A/C.
2. Carbureted LS motor, 4L60 trans, with or without A/C.
3. Fuel injected LS motor, 4L60 trans, with or without A/C.

I would like to run a full manual valvebody on whatever trans I use, so I don't know if that takes the 4L60 out of the equation or not. I imagine searching through this forum some more could provide me an answer.

Any tips, insight, thoughts, or the like that anyone has to throw my way would be much appreciated. This seems like where GM nuts come to pasture, so I feel like I'm in the right place.

Among the many other questions that I have racing through my head, one keeps coming up, so I'll drop it off here and see what comes up. Knowing my 1/4 goals, I'm guessing I'll need at least 400 hp on motor plus the 200-250 nitrous... no problem. With the tight spot that I have to work in, is it unreasonable to think I could achieve this running exhaust manifolds, or will I surely be looking at custom making some headers? I can do it, that's just one of those severely time consuming things that isn't on the top of my list of fun things to do. I've found headers for an old style 350 swap into a Toyota truck, but those do me no good if I want to go with a LS motor.

Thanks again everyone. I can't wait to get more into this forum. This is probably the best one I've found on the internet to date!

JoeNova

Skip the 4L60e for 9s. A TH400 would be the best budget 9 second manual VB trans for a carb. If you went full EFI, that 4L80e is an awesome trans lol, but they're a heavy *** monster.

Also, you can't technically say "I know that I have a lot of fab work in my future... I'm not scared." and then say "I don't want to try to contend with turbo or supercharger fitment and plumbing". LOL.

nickpohlaandp

Yes I can, LOL. I've done the 10 lbs. of **** in a 5 lb. bucket before with an all aluminum turbocharged V8 in an airplane. I know I could turbo the truck, but that would go way out of my anticipated budget because I know my personality. I wouldn't be happy with a junk yard turbo, I'd end up getting a brand new, variable vane unit, that would snowball into some ridiculous wastegate/boost controller setup, not to mention I'd be morally forced to go fuel injected at that point. I think a Holley 4150 4bbl and a plate nitrous system will get me right where I want to be.

Good to know about the 4L60 trans weight though. I don't really have any experience with them, I've just heard they're basically a TH350 with OD and a lockup converter. It all sounds good in theory, but every pound adds up. I'd like to keep it under 3000 lbs. total, and I think that should be easy because I'm starting somewhere around 2500 and cutting out a lot of crap. I know it'll be a juggling game between what I remove and what I install, I just want to keep it as light as I can.

Atomic

iTrader: (37)

How much do you think your truck is going to weigh at the end? Its going to take a healthy combo to put you in the 9s if its of any decent weight. Keep the fuel injection, do a th400, and keep ac.

nickpohlaandp

I expect the end result for weight to be no more than 3000 lbs. I'm already considering building a composite lift-off front end and possibly a composite bed. The bed won't be used for hauling anything anymore, it'll be just for looks. If I do a composite cast of the bed it only needs to be strong enough to maintain its shape when driving.