New project

I recently purchased this 1 owner 1996 4runner 4x4 with a seized 3.4L for $200. Luckily for me the price of metal is down right now, po was gonna sell it to the scrap yard. Po neglected a bad oil leak. After inspecting the undercarriage/frame on my lift at work and finding it to be solid i decided to make this my new project. If it was rusty it would've been parted out. Body & interior is real nice also. I have all the original sales paperwork & maintenance records from day one. I found a 109k mile 3.4 out of a wrecked 02 4runner from the same Arizona salvage yard that i purchased my 3.4 for my tacoma project 2 years ago. This 4runner motor cost me $700+$275 shipping, everything i've found local is $1000-$1200 with 150k miles and up. Should be here by the end of the week. Po had to pull the truck back to his work after the motor seized, he and his co-worker decided it would be a good idea to hook a tow strap to the bumper. From what i've read so far i will have to swap my 1996 intake, injectors & throttle body onto the 02 motor. Anybody else here do a similar swap, newer 2002 3.4 into a 1996?

 

My replacement 2002 109k mile 3.4 was just delivered. It's clean, in & out.

 

Subd. Looks interesting.

 

I can't believe that thing sold for that much back in 1996

 

I was shocked when i saw that price!

 

In 99 I bought a new Tacoma 4x4 OR Auto for ~24k and 2002 a new Tacoma 4x4 OR manny tranny for about the same price.

The yen has dropped in value about 10% vs. the dollar since then (so it'd have been ~3k+ cheaper then as things sit today all other things being equal...$28k ish).

We also have inflation. $31.5k in 1996 is about $47.5k today in the US & even tho Japan has had some deflation I didn't even consider it. $47k is not far off what my 2014 sticker for when I bought it.

 

Subd

 

My 99:





I couldn't believe the price either.

 

What adjustment was made that was so expensive on your invoice?

 

3rd gens got a major face lift in '99 so I'm guessing it was an in demand vehicle and the dealer, in that area, was looking to up their margin.