I recently came across a 97 Mercedes V6 that I thought about trying
to use. I has plenty of power in it. I know they can fling those heavy
German cars around the road just fine. It's quiet and really smooth. I
thought about checking into that, but figured that costs for repair and
parts for a foreign car with a name like that would quickly become a
nightmare. I think I'll end up with a small block, but it was fun to toss
that idea around in the back of my head.
Blake
> -----Original Message-----
> From: G. Simmons [SMTP:gls@4link.net]
> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 10:12 AM
> To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Toyota engines
>
> I had a Toyota 4x4 about 20 years ago. The 4 cyl engine had great power.
> I
> used to drive from LA to San Francisco 8 or 10 times a year on those big
> tires, and it zoomed along at 85 very happily. Never had a thing wrong
> with
> it. Also had the most comfortable seats of any vehicle I ever owned,
> which
> I appreciated on those 500 mile drives.
>
> My dad also had a humble Toyota stakebed with a 4 cyl engine. It had less
> power, but still enough to do 65 all day dragging that bulky body through
> the wind. It ran for years and years without any problems.
>
> I have nothing but respect for Toyota engines. Now they're even making
> V8s,
> but you have to take all the sensors and computers too. I don't know why
> it's so sacreligious to contemplate a Japanese engine in an American
> truck,
> but I probably feel it as much as anyone else.
>
> I was talking to a guy in South America several months ago who said most
> of
> the old trucks there have isuzu diesel engines in them to keep them on the
> road. This made me shudder, but when I thought about it, it made perfect
> sense. Where are they going to get parts down there to rebuild a 235?
> Everything's in milimeters, and there's no reason they should care about
> keeping the truck All American. The best thing they can do is put in an
> engine which is practical for them, even if it is a 4cyl Japanese diesel.
>
> Another thing to consider is that companies we think of as Japanese often
> produce many of their vehicles here, and are largely owned by US car
> companies, as much as 20% in the case of Mazda (Ford). GM owns a slug of
> Isuzu, and Chrysler, or rather, Daimler-Chrysler, owns a chunk of
> Mitsubishi.
>
> I don't know if this makes it "ok" to pop a Toyota 6 in your truck, but I
> think it does show that it is hard to come up with a principled objection.
>
> Regards,
>
> Grant S.
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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