I can fill a few pages EASILY about what I have been going through trying to get my parts for this build, but I won't. I'm going to attempt to just convey the general idea.
Don't pay anyone for an engine and it's associated parts until you recieve the WHOLE package. The seller of the engine and parts I bought originally agreed to send everything as long as I paid half up front and then the rest of the money once everything had arrived in satisfactory condition. Well he started begging me for the rest of the money up front, whining that he needed money to keep his business going and pay his employees. Well I'm a nice guy and I told him that he originally stated half first then 2nd half once it was all done but I would pay him in good faith. This was a mistake and I am still waiting for more parts 3 months later!!
The engine arrived missing a couple of parts that were on it before it was sent to me. I have a picture I made him take of it before it was shipped and yep... a couple of parts were taken off of it and sold before it made it down to me. What a great feeling. He SAYS he's sending me a check for $60 to make up for it.
In the meanwhile there is a WHOLE CAR for sale in town that I know I could have bought for the same price as I paid this guy up north for everything and the shipping.
My advise for ANYONE doing an engine swap with a 1UZ... BUY THE WHOLE DAMN CAR. They are out there sitting in people driveways with tons of dust on them. They cost more than most cars to drive on the road and no one wants to buy an old Lexus with a couple broken interior parts that has a V8 engine, gas consuming engine in it!!! Trust me on this one. They are out there for the taking for $1,000 - $1,500. The engines last forever and all the components are very high quality and will last a long time. Buy a wasted Lexus LS400 and just take everything you need out of it and change the timing belt and all the hoses/gaskets and you won't have any problems with the engine.
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