G'day from Down under

[mike]

Hi guys, My name is Mike. Just bought an 84 one owner Hiace van with 97,000 genuine kilometres on the clock. It has a 2 ltr /4 speed manuel and will be fitted out as a camper.
Found you while surfing the net, glad to see a dedicated group of people who love old Toyotas.
I have had a string of them over the years starting with an 72 Celica LT, A couple of early Crowns, one ended up being a two door that I moved the door pillars on and lenghtened the front doors.a late model Crown running a 5 speed and 3 ltr twin cam Supra motor, bolts straight in and then an other 84 Van that was a camper with extractors 2in exhaust and electronic dizzi on the 2 ltr but the roof was totally rusted out and was scrapped.
My mate had a 90 Hiace running a nice Aussi V8 and Toyota 5 speed, which towed his Drag car and still got 26 MPG, people wandered why he used pull away from them going up hill.The same guy had a 350 chev in a Crown. Surprised many!
I recently saw a late van getting an exhaust done that was running fuel injected 5 ltr with auto.
Sorry I digress, I would like to put a late model Toyota 2.4 or bigger motor and 5 speed in my early girl without too much trouble and cost, as the extra power is need to haul the camper up hills. Have worked on cars but not the tight confines of a van engine bay.
Can any of you suggest a suitable conversion and if any of you have done something similar what was involved.
Got to go keep you posted.
Regards Mike from Australia

[toyotageek]

Welcome to the TORC forums Mike!

Sounds like you've got a place in your garage for Toyotas, glad to hear that! I can't help much with your request for suggestions, but I do wish you the best of luck!

Post up some pix when you get a chance!

[mike]

Hey Mike ~Toyotageek thanks for your reply. will get some pics up soon just have to figure out how. Sounds like you are a keen Toyota fan.

[Oz_Stout]

Hey mike and welcome to the TORC forums. Always great to see another Aussie in the mix here and from your first post it would seem you bring with you some great technical knowledge.

For info on how to post pics just follow the link below to an easy to follow description from toyotageek on precisely this.

How To Post Pics

[mike]

Hey there Oz_ Stout, Thanks for your reply. Man love your ride very cool. I wanted a Stout for a while but the van came up. You are lucky having the 67 Cortina Mk1 too. My brother in law had a Lotus Escort years ago that we used to go looking for V8s in ,sure surprised a few made them look pretty ordinary. Seen a few Lotus Cortinas around over the years. Thanks for the tip on uploading pics will have a go.
Still looking for info on later Hiace engines but am leaning towards a Commodore V6 with Toyota 5 speed as they are indestructable. Jeff Dellow Automotive here in Sydney sells the mounting kits for a few hundred bucks, bell housing is a bit dearer.He makes conversions for Stouts as well. Mate has a motor in his garage which he is willing to donate.
got to go.

[Oz_Stout]

mike said:

Hey there Oz_ Stout, Thanks for your reply. Man love your ride very cool.

Cheers mike. I think the Stout is proof that you don't need to spend a lot of money to have something to put in shows. My whole concept for that was something that turns lots of heads on a shoestring budget. I'd love to restore it up nice, but buying a house seems to be more important.

The Cortina is great fun. I know what you mean about looking for v8's. I first built that car about 13 years ago. Lotsa go fast goodies. It's power to weight ratio was superb and use to upset some of the young fella's in their fully sick 8 pot VH Commo's. ;D Now however the old girl is a bit tired. Still quick I guess, but my concept of quick has changed so I decided to bolt a whole pile of accessories to it and make it nice and heavy so I didn't try racing anyone.

Definately interested to hear the progress on your Hiace mate. Wish I had the skills and know-how to attempt to do stuff like that.

[mike]

Hey there Oz_Stout. Have you found any hub caps yet, reckon they would be pretty rare. Good luck in finding them. saw a nice stock Stout driving by the other day in good nick.
Yeh! living in houses is very important, cars can come later. I know all about shoe string budgets. Built all my cars like that. Even my Hot Rod. I think I should have looked at the van a bit harder, man there is some rust in the roof, I did see it when I inspected it prior to buying it but you know "Blinded by the Light." and didn't think it was that bad.Oh well it will take longer than I thought.
Don' t want to go Looking for cars to surprise I am over that just want more go to haul the camper up hills. The last one really struggled.
I was lucky as most of my mates were hot rodders or car modifiers so the knowledge just flowed from them.
Got to go.
Mike

[Oz_Stout]

Nah still no caps for me. Reckon I will have to accept the fact that I may never get a set.

What sort of rod have you got? I so badly want to get into that scene....... not too fussed what it is, but needs to be a total backyard job rat-look. Sad thing is now......... as soon as you say Rod........ suddenly everything costs a lot more. Ah well.... one day.

As for rust in the roof of the van......... two words........ angle grinder. ;D Convertible Hiace anyone?

[Frenchy Dehoux]

Could you post a picture of the hub caps that you are looking for.

Thanks
Frenchy ( Doctor Detail )

[Oz_Stout]

I will be able to Frenchy. I have a brochure that I can scan that has them on a pic in it. Otherwise I have no correct pic of them. The biggest prob I have and I only recently worked this out..... is that none of you guys in the US can help me with the hubcaps because I have a Lite-Stout and you guys never even got that model. You only got the Stout model which came with 14inch rims and mine has 13's. I presume the caps would not be interchangeable which means my only hope is to get them within Australia or direct from Japan.

[Frenchy Dehoux]

Send me a picture anyways I have seen right hand drive Toyota's here in the junk yard in Phoenix. You never know what you will find

Thanks
Frenchy