Has any body bought stuff off them? Im lookin at there v6 basic kit but am wondering a few questions.?
Thanks..............KEV

There is a guy on this bbs..Jake, who just did the CalRocs thing, he has one. I was at his shop delivering a tub when he was just finishing and he HATED it...dont know how he feels now that hes had it a while.

Hokey fabwork, those guys aren't wheelers. They are street guys who own a junkyard, so you will see some of there stuff that was :question:

I wonder if this "Jake" guy is on here much? I would like to ask a few questions.I just got a 2000 4.3 vortec with 20 miles on it and i want the cleanest way to put it in my zuk.
Thanks.........................KEV

KEVIN. I WOULDNT BUY A NOTHER DAM THING FROM THAT COMPANY EVER. THAT GUY IS A RED NECK WITH NO FAB SKILLS WHAT SO EVER. A V6 IS A VERY EXPENSIVE SWAP AND REQUIRES ALOT OF PATIENTS. I TRIED TO SAVE SOME TIME AND BUY A COUPLE OF THERE PRODUCTS AND WAS ROBBED FOR $1200.00. NOT ONE OF THE PARTS WAS ANY GOOD, OR EVEN WENT ON MY CAR. THE COMPANY, IF THATS WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT, DOESNT TAKE CREDIT CARDS, PRE PAYMENT, ECT, ONLY C.O.D. CASHIERS CHECK, SOMETHING YOU CANT CANCEL WHEN YOU OPEN THE BOX! E MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT DONT BUY SH?? FROM THEM.

Right on Jake , thats what i wanted to hear. I just wanted to save a little time from buyin the kit but to hear that its shit i think ill do it myself. Ive got my welding ticket so fabbin stuf aint no problem. I did a search on google and found a whole bunch of pics of there kit , and it does look a bit retarded.
What is your combo right now? Does it work well? would you have any pics of like motor mounts ?tranny mounts ? Rad? ect.?
What do you do for your wiring harness?
Would like to get a few more ideas of the swap before i start hackin shit to hell.
Thanks alot...........................KEV

Kev, why do you need all the power of the 4.3????? I am running a 16v with 37's.....NO problems at all pushing those!!!

I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO ASK WHY? I DO 16V MOTOR SWAPS INTO SAMURAI ALL DAY LONG AND WOULD HAVE TO SAY THERE IS NO BETTER ENGINE THAN THE 16V FOR A ZUK. I HAD 38" TSL WITH 5:29 GEARS AND COULD SPANK A JEEP WITH A 4.0 HO MOTOR. IF YOUR INTERESTED IN EITHER LET ME KNOW AND I'LL HELP YOU WHERE I CAN. I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU IF I HAD THE MONEY AGAIN I WOULD GO WITH THE 16V MOTOR. THE V6 COST ME $5900.00 LESS MOTOR AND I DID EVERY BIT OF WORK AND FAB MYSELF FOR 3 MO. IT IS A KNIGHTMARE. YOU REALLY NEED TO GIVE ME A CALL BECAUSE I COULD SIT HERE TYPING FOR 2 HRS AT ALL THE THINGS YOU WILL HAVE TO CHANGE ON JUST THE MOTOR ALONE. GIVE ME A CALL AT THE SHOP AT 1(775)762-1513 JAKE.

Kev,
I thought you might do this one day. It's Dave (from white rock aka Shogunator). I hope you didn't pay for the motor and got it through one of your deals 'cause you ain't going to like the answer. Lightning conversions kit won't work for your motor anyways (the exhaust is a big problem).
You can look at throwing at least $2000 (CDN) just to get it your truck. Call me later and we'll talk about it. (536-5991) Trust me you are in for some serious tylenol usage. Just 'cause you are graduating from the t/c doesn't mean you still aren't :rainbow: (joking!)

Dave

See UZI, I'm not afraid!

oh, but i am :D :beer:

Thanks for the input Dave, I found a huge source of pics of there setup , (Whoa , is it a POS). Im goin to be adding a 3" body lift when i get around to doin it and maybe another bigger set of tires.Im just collecting my ideas on how im goin to install it.
Thanks All for the input..........KEV

i have a kid in my neighbor hood that did one. bought everything from lightning. what a bunch of crap. i mean 4" wide flat bar for cross members. it's a joke and don't call the guys a bunch of redneck's that offends me. if they are run of the mill white trash thats ok. all our handy work goes under E.R.E. [educated redneck engineering]. just take jakes word for and stay far away from lighting. mike

No Prob Kev,
Are you keeping the suzuki t-case (or at least a divorce mount set up)? If you are I may have a tranny for you. If you motor is from a vehicle with an auto in it originally this tranny will kick ass (4L60E). If you aren't going with a divorce mount look at major cash to set it up. The other major problem is the cooling system and the overall length of the 4.3 and its accessories. I've finally got mine in there (sort of) but my set up is a little different than yours.
Anyways, you know where I am. You definately need to put in the time before diving in or you'll spend double what I quoted before.
later
oh and btw :flipoff2:
dave

Not sure what the problem is with the 4.3? It wasn't that hard to install. I used a 4.3, 700R4, D18 combo.

-make new motor mounts
-mount motor
-mount Tranny
-mount t-case adapter ( 600.00)
-mount t-case-
-fabricate and mount support.
-order new driveshafts ( 400.00)
-order new rad. ( 100.00)
-buy wire harness from Howell or Painless (350.00)
-take to exhaust shop ( 150.00)

Did I miss anything.........oh yea......start key and have fun.

So what I am seeing here is that I should not purchase the Vortec 4.3 litre like I was thinking. I do want to up the juice in my machine. What do you think is a good engine to step up to. (Yes, I saw the comments on the 16v. Does anyone have any URLs to stats on this engine?)

Hey Mudlite,
Not to start anything but what I think you missed is the year 2000, the vortec and the lack of a grand prize winning lottery ticket (ha ha ha ha ha). We have a little thing called AirCare (emissions testing) that has standards only slightly less tough than Cali. The fabrication isn't a problem for myself or Kevin as our trucks are completely built by us (respectively). It's the cash, wiring (painless doesn't make a vortec kit-- at least not for a '99 or newer) and emmissions that is the problem. Besides I wouldn't discourage anyone from doing the swap. The feeling of 200HP a lot of torque is much better than the whine of four cylinder any day. I just say think about it 'cause it ain't as easy as lighning says it is.
later
dave
:D

U :zzz: I, Warlords are just misunderstood...

Sorry , I did miss that samll detail. 2000 4.3 eh..........sell it for a good penny, and buy an older one.:flipoff2:

Damn I hate emissions. We are just getting it next year. Not sure how they will test me? Do they take the emissions for an 85 Zuk, or do they run it for the 89 4.3 TBI?

Maybe I will start a new Post.

I now see the differences in the 2000 year 4.3 vortec, and the older year 4.3's.I was always a big fan of carbs, so I will probly end up sellin the new engine and get a older one.I like your combo alog Mudlite, the 4.3-700r4-d18, is a sweet setup, Would you happen to have any close up pics of the mounts?and dimensions of the rad .
Dave is right, 4 clyinders are a big waste of time and money (if you want to bog your rig.)

Originally posted by dumb
[B
U :zzz: I, Warlords are just misunderstood... [/B]


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :D :beer:
rotflmao

ACK ---- NO, Not CARBED!!!!
Go TBI or Early Vortec (Central Port Injected --CPI)! Save your incline / fuel slosh related headaches.
If you get a TBI you can get "block hugger" type headers that will solve your exhaust problems.
The D 18 is nice a short and gear driven.

Mudlite
Emmissions are usually tested at the vehicle year but the engine size ie '85 4.3L V6. The problem I have is that the new vortecs run like shat without proper emissions stuff on them.
Anyhow Kev, give me a call I might want to pick up that motor if it's better than mine.
Later
dave

Oh and Kev I might know of an $800 (Canuck) completely rebuilt TBI motor for you.

i mean absolutely no offence to this, but if you want a big engine with a trail rig, why don't you just get like a scout or a bronco or even a jeep? this may be a dumb question, but the biggest advantage of the samurai is that it weighs about 1 ton, and it only takes 4 guys to flip 'er back on 'er wheels when she goes(im speaking from experience here). of course i don't know what kind of wheeling u do, or maybe you just want a itty bitty truck with a huge engine in it, thats no problem, but wouldn't it be easier to just get a bigger truck? KEV, don't you like that 16v you got in there? please don't be pissed, this is just the way i see this subject.....and like i said, maybe i am an idiot.:smokin:

Hahaha , izook13 ,Up here in canadar we got lots of mud .so All i like doin is mud boggin.and i need some serious power.ive got the 16V 1.3 swift engine and it just dosnt have balls.Ive got 5.29s and when I get goin in a bogg get the 35" boggers under mud , the only good boggin bein done is of the little 4cyl screamin at me. But your right if I would do it all over again I would get a 77 bronco (One day I will get one). But for right now i got too much $$$$$ and time in my samurai.

I went to Lightning conversions junkyard today. Since this post was about 2 years old I thought I better see if there is anybody else with input on them. I am not quite sure about the posts regarding the parts, all the ones I looked at were reinforced, good welds , and coated with zinc chromate. Have they changed or is there some shady practices? mudlite loves his 4.3 - I cannot just put a 1.6 in mine as it is an orphan 85 sj trans... any advice?

TAKE MY ADVICE, GET A 86 UP 5 SPEED AND INSTALL THE 1.6 16 VALVE. STAY CLEAR OF SUZUKI LIGHTNING. THERE PARTS ARE JUNK, THE FAB IS JUNK, AND THE OVERALL FIT IS S**T. THE 4.3 JUST DOES NOT FIT WELL IN A SAMUARAI AND IS A SWAP I WOULD NOT DO AGAIN. THE 16V MOTOR HAS PLENTY OF POWER AND HAD NO PROBLEMS PUSHING MY 38'S ON TOYOTA AXLES. IF YOUR SET ON THE 4.3 I WOULD STILL NOT RECOMEND BUYING ANYTHING FROM SUZUKI LIGHTNING, ANYTHING.

I know the stuff is marked up lots!!! If I could find part #s for things like the radiator, water pump, throttle cable, etc. I am sure I could make the motor mounts- like you said ,they are just parts from sammy mounts. Did you have to shave down the harmonic balancer like they do?