5.3L GM Vortec/ 4L65E swap into 88 FJ62

I thought that perhaps some of you would like to see a swap that is becoming more popular here in the states. With the OEM 6 bangers starting to really show their age, and replacement parts for them becoming harder to come by many are opting to replace them with the hugely popular GM Vortec motors. These motors have proven themselves to be highly reliable in fleet service, posting numbers of 300-500 thousand miles on just oil changes and spark plug replacement. Oh yeah, these motors put out 325 HP and up in stock for and it is easy to push them well over 400HP with bolt on parts

I do these swaps for a living in my small shop in Chesnee, South Carolina.


This beauty showed up at my shop on a trailer from Alabama, sometimes beuty is only skin deep...................


Front clip off, ready to pull motor



Love it when the freight truck rolls up in front of the shop

All cleaned up and ready to go



Out with the old



Rest assured that when your rig is here at Hardline Fabrication Services it will be protected by the very latest of security systems available

interesting way of removing the front parts!! like that

rather jealous of you guys that live in a dry environment!

When "Ranger" rolled in I noticed that the body gaps between hood/fenders fenders/doors was off. Looking a bit closer revealed that this rig had been hit pretty hard in the right front corner and whomever (tried) to pull the frame straight did more damage than good. I thought the frame was toast and had a couple frame guys verify and both refused to even touch it. So the call was made to the owner with the bad news and he chose to continue with a new ( used) frame. Fortunately I knew where a 60 sat with a blown motor and I had it here the next day.



Body off and ready for the pressure washer





Left side, firewall body mount. I do not think the bolt had a Z bend from the factory

moggy1968 said:

interesting way of removing the front parts!! like that

rather jealous of you guys that live in a dry environment!

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Thanks, it is just far and away easier to deal with complete drive train removal with the entire front clip removed.

Ahhh, this is because I am in the south, up north in the rust belt they salt the roads in winter and trucks up there are rust buckets.

I won't be looking at this thread again or i will end up divorced !

My customer had seen photos of the shop's own 80 series ground up build and decided he wanted his frame and suspension done the same.



Sooo, his new frame was stripped and re painted



Suspension was also painted and and re assembled on the new frame, long way to go for a motor swap job huh

For some reason this forum is not liking some of the photos I am trying to bring over from Face Book. You can see them all on my Hardline Fabrication Services page on Face Book.

If you are a Cruiser guy and a born and bred gear head, this just has to make you smile. 2- Splt cases and a built 4L65E. Oh yeah, a 5.3L off to the left
Those 3 pieces on the left along with the adapter kit above are going in that roller behind it. That's the body hanging on the lift. The T-case on the right is going in the 92 FJ80 build, you can see the DS front tire on the far right

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd...._=1428068524_e7ab01a258552d35b9cfe463227dd98e

All new body mounts, a few T-case seals and a new wheel cylinder arrived just in time to set the body

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd...._=1426091159_5377621c3c199bb0a03296699839ab78

The saga continues................
A little history... I order a trans from Monster transmission, they tell me 3 weeks, it takes 7 weeks 4 days. 3 days after it arrives I pull the tail housing off to start putting on the adapter, no reluctor ring on the output shaft. Takes them a week to get it to me. Meanwhile I start doing what I can on the adapter to move forward. The bearing for the spud shaft that adapter uses is wrong. Advanced Adapters had them drop shipped from the bearing company 2nd day. AA takes care of customers. Soooooooo I finally have all I need here at one time!!! I put the reluctor ring on, pressed on the spud shaft bearing and bolted the adapter to the trans.

Cooking with gas now baby!!!! Right up until I started taking the T-case apart. Notice the broken off bolt and no keeper, also notice the burnt oil around the idler shaft on the case.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd...._=1428160778_cb5d33c21bcc9eff3282e2886a7fe1ed
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net...=4858b83822e6d94df64d8929e0f9f8c0&oe=551F6FFF

Shayne said:

I won't be looking at this thread again or i will end up divorced !

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I hear that a lot. Have your wife talk with my wife, she loves her Land Cruiser!1

Still wont let me put up pics so here is a bunch of links to pics

Turns out the T-case had a spun idler shaft, nasty business

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd...._=1428160778_cb5d33c21bcc9eff3282e2886a7fe1ed

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net...=4858b83822e6d94df64d8929e0f9f8c0&oe=551F6FFF

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd...._=1426623504_08f5c3678da22fc7e977b89e9b8ad5c0

Coming down

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd...._=1423192767_391ed7ff53db784bb4ae7d00e6959ae0

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd...._=1428058400_4ab45973fc5895050a476f41c572b64e

If you are a Cruiserr head and just plain gear head, this is a photo that will stir you

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd...._=1428068524_47373a5319f5ac360473cb4aa717b4d1

Monter Trans 4L65E built



Adapter that mates trans to OEM transfer case



Re built T-case with twin sticks arrived. Original case is shot and no more vacuum system to contend with



When you are a one man shop you learn quickly how to make life a bit easier. Using two load levelers make mating the engine and trans much easier to do

God I love my job, ready to hang in the frame rails



Looks right at home





Hanging the front clip, aligning everything back on a straight frame was interesting



Actually looks small in there

Bored yet?

A little twin stick love



Getting the sticks to the same bend is important if you want them to line up in the cab



One of my favorite photos



While at the shop the owner wanted this new headlight harness and lights installed, HUGE difference in light thrown. While at it I also built an entire new horn circuit that now works from the OEM horn button rather than a switch under the dash

I use full Autometer Gauges with the swap, no sense in using two decade old, very inaccurate gauges with a modern motor.



I made up some primary battery cables, POS to starter, grounds to frame and motor. All 2/0 gauge





It is the little details that truly make the difference in the overall job



Lokar shifter boot and ring with LED gear indicator. The package on the lefft is all the gear required to make the LED package work

This is a drive by wire throttle body. The gas pedal assembly had to be cut down and modified to work in the LC



Stock pedal is on the right



Lots of wiring involved in a Vortec swap. I use a terminal block so that the entire motor harness can be removed if required some where down the line. Building in maintenance ease is something to plan for. Everything is clearly labeled.





OEM gauge package viewd from the back



The two larger gauge openings need to be opened up a bit to allow the new 5" gauges to fit properly



Custom gauge mounts had to be fabricated to rear mount the gauges. Most gauges are designed to be mounted in a panel and pulled tight from behind.



All mounted up

Ahhhh pure LC porn. Brand new Griffin direct fit radiator. I had this one built as an LSX version for the swap. The top hose and filler neck are swapped and a steam port is added.



Shop built fan shroud





Stock GM pedal assembly and the modified pedal





Starting to all come together



A little red to liven things up





The horn pin was worn to a nub, that is why the previous owner installed the switch under the dash. It is just a $5 part

Absolutely a great job you're doing here man

I must admit and remind myself that the 60 series is my favourite cruiser! I must also give my 60 a bit more attention when i get my garage workshop completed in the next month or so!

Great pics and work.. thw thanks for your time posting. ...iwan

I wish someone would do this to mine lotto numbers would have to come up first!
Really good work.

I might come under fire for saying it but i reckon a 60 has more road presence than anything else Toyota ever built - a bobtail with a Vortec would definitely take a slice of my lotto winnings if my numbers came in .

Thanks for the kind words guys. A great many people are starting to look at vintage Land Cruisers as an investment. There are even auto loan companies here in the states willing to lend money for a motor swap and or restoration of Land Cruisers.

I am with you Shayne. My ultimate vehicle is what is called here an FJ142. FJ62 on an FJ80 frame, in my case with a 5.3L Vortec/NV4500 manual 5 speed/split case and manual hubs.