Toyota chassis

Lefthander1930

Lefthander1930

Senior Member
I have a 1987 Toyota short bed pickup, 103 " WB. Has anyone ever set a coupe body on one ? I have a cracked block in the A & this is a chance better motor & 4 speed.:confused::eek:

Lefthander 1929 now
 
If it was a good idea you would see them at car shows. Have you ever seen one at a car show? The only time I saw something like you propose at a show it looked terrible.

Charlie Stephens
 
Most of the time that looks really dumb.

Mitsubishi-Re-Model-A-01.jpg

E.G. this model A replica.
 
Patrick L. said:
My take, if its made by Toyota its junk. I've owned 3. Thats 3 too many.
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Funny how people's opinion varies. I have had at least 4 Toyotas and 2 currently. They have/are all given great service. Toyota has a great reptation, at least over here. You don't want to know what is considered junk here.
What the OP is suggesting is somewhere between a hot rod and a restoration, We call it a restorod! I don't know what the rules are over there for putting something like that on the road but here, it wouldn't be easy to get it approved - it would have to comply with all of the current design rules because it would be considered a new car.
 
Its one thing to transplant the motor, if it fits then that would be ok, I suppose. But im not sure I would want to do a complete chassis swap (synchro- in this case im sure it would be pretty easy, but it would most likely be registered as a Toyota, not a model a). I know a fellow that put a yota motor in a 60's healy that he uses for a daily driver. He says its much more dependable than original. If one has a Model A, and wants it drive like a Toyota, then sell the Model A and buy a Toyota.
 
It'd be interesting as to how it would perform with the Toyota 4 cylinder. Sure wouldn't sound right as the model a engine has an awesome sound.
 
When you lose the wheels your car looks like a hot rod. I would swap the engine instead of chassis. But A motors are cheap if your willing to run something a little less than fresh but still running. Rebuilds are expensive when you just hand off an engine and get back a gem. Put up a want add for used A engines in your area or on here. you may have someone trying to nearly give you an engine cause they dont want to sell someone a possible lemon and "its just been sitting".
 
History said:
It'd be interesting as to how it would perform with the Toyota 4 cylinder. Sure wouldn't sound right as the model a engine has an awesome sound.
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Years ago someone stopped by my house while looking at neighborhood Christmas lights. Very stock looking and sounding Model A. We got to talking and it turned out he was running a 153 cubic inch Chevy II engine in his car. It turns out most if not all of the sound comes from the muffler. Please note this is an observation and not an endorsement of doing a chassis swap which I think is a terrible idea. Just a late engine swap is not quite as bad but I think there are better engine choices than the Toyota.

Charlie Stephens
 
If you just had the body and not a complete car with a defective engine, I would say take the measurements and see if it could be done. Having a car with a defective engine for value sake I would replace the engine. I am sure the toyota chassis and engine would ride and handle well, but it will no longer be a model A, only in looks.


Now with all that being said I am of the opinion that most any engine can be put in most anything, with enough time , money, and welding. As an example I have a '84 RX7 with a built 302/ 5 speed, with '95 corvette front and rear suspension. I call it Identity Crisis, my grand son calls it The Silver Bullet, my son states Mazda made it, Ford shakes it, and Chevy brakes it. fastest car and best handling package I have ever owned.
 
The wheelbase matches up, check to see if the frame is flat like an A. Do a lot of measuring before starting such a project. Keep in mind that such a car will only please you, nobody else will like or approve of such a vehicle. I'm into performance A's, using vintage equipment made for the A, when I first starting going to A events, I was shunned by many people there. It has gotten much better thru the years, but some still think I have butchered the A. Kind of silly when you see all the mods made by those that tour in their A's.
 
Charlie Stephens said:
Years ago someone stopped by my house while looking at neighborhood Christmas lights. Very stock looking and sounding Model A. We got to talking and it turned out he was running a 153 cubic inch Chevy II engine in his car. It turns out most if not all of the sound comes from the muffler. Please note this is an observation and not an endorsement of doing a chassis swap which I think is a terrible idea. Just a late engine swap is not quite as bad but I think there are better engine choices than the Toyota.

Charlie Stephens
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This reminds me of "The Absent Minded Professor", whom had a 'flubber' powered Model T, he put a sound shaker so people wouldn't know the difference. LOL
 
Quite a few guys did stuff with Toyota chassis in the 90's.Somebody made a fiberglass C-cab panel truck body shell years ago,that made a neat looking hot rod.I've seen a couple of those done using the Toyota chassis,one of them used the 4X4 chassis.I've seen Fiat Topolino glass bodies on Toyota chassis,and also Austin Bantam glass bodies.It was a popular chassis to use for somebody that wanted a neat little car to bounce around it.For bigger power everybody wanted S-10 chassis for a while.The S-10 chassis demand seems to have died down around here right now.
 
Years ago, the Mitsubishi L300 chassis was popular for just this sort of thing but as they disappear from the road and parts become harder to get, they have fallen out of favour. For how long will parts be available for the Toyota? We know that new replacement parts are still available for Ford over 100 years old. While the option might sound appealing in the short term, it might end in tears. (or on the tip)
 
Ive seen several nice Model A's gutted to build a hot rod. Find somebody doing that and you could likely get the whole running gear for a good price, they typically just want the body and the title.
Good Luck
 
Would it be called a Totyotay or a Fordota. I like the Chevy 153 or maybe an iron duke transplant idea better.

Get one of Tod's new engine blocks when they become available. Put a B crank in it and be much happier.
 
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