Classic Toyota Pickup Receives GM 4.3-Liter V6 Transplant
Installing a brand new, Gen 5 GM 4.3 into a classic Toyota pickup may not be easy, but it certainly has its benefits.
Toyota pickups have always been known for their inherent toughness and reliability. But even the best trucks inevitably find themselves in need of repair. There’s also one other problem with any older engine – they’re typically lacking in the power department. Especially in today’s world, when even minivans can be had with 300+ horsepower. YotaTech forum member Trueblue93 found himself facing this dilemma with his 1982 Toyota pickup. He tried to minimize it by installing a host of performance parts before making the decision to perform major surgery.
“I’ve made the decision, after much thought and research, to swap in GM’s new generation 5 4.3-liter V6. It shares the same architecture of the newer LT1s. It puts out plenty of power, probably more than I should have: 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. This project is going to be interesting, at the very least. I bought an engine from a wrecked 2018 Silverado. The engine has two miles on it. I’m getting the whole enchilada: engine, 6l80e transmission, wiring harness, ECU, accessories, even the catalytic converters.”
A controversial choice, yes, but certainly a long-term fix. The OP went into this build knowing that it was going to take a lot of work, on the downside. That included doing things that he didn’t really know how to do. But we certainly admire his ambition, and that just made us want to dive into this thread even more.
The first order of business was to measure the new engine and figure out what mounts to use. Luckily, the OP found out that ICT makes an adapter that works perfectly with existing Toyota small block Chevy engine mounts. Then it was on to sorting out the “fun” stuff – wiring, fuel delivery, and figuring out how to make all the 4.3’s accessories fit/work in the old Toyota pickup.
With the right parts in hand, the old motor was soon pulled and the new one was being fitted. But as the OP was ripping out old parts, he soon realized that the front axle and brakes needed some work as well. But he had no issue working around these problems, nor fabbing up custom mounts and supports for everything.
Before you knew it, the GM engine was in place and looking pretty much like it belonged there. But this classic Toyota project isn’t finished just yet. So be sure and head over here to stay tuned as the OP applies his finishing touches. Judging by how good this thing’s turning out, we bet it’ll be well worth the wait!
Photos: YotaTech forums
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