SWB to LWB Comparo J10 258

[j2sax]

So, a guy that used to live near me and was a little in the FSJ's pulls up to my house today to see what's up. After a little chit chat, he asks me if I "need another one of the these" (referring to the 3 J trucks I have in the yard) and says he has a 6cyl 4 spd J10 he needs to dump quick. I shouldn't even go look, but he says it just needs a carb swap as he broke the cark tightening it up. Says it has a really decent body.... we'll see!

I had just been trying to decide what to do with the trucks I have:

83 J10 258/T5 SWB needs new front clip which I have. Want to swap on stepside bed to replace mega rotted one.

88 J20 serious rot and no way to get clean title... probably yank power/drive train and scrap the rest (sorry, can't save them all and noone piped up for the chassis when last offered... I need the ROOM!)

80 J20 4 door project... a keeper! Long term project though.

So, I need to get a V8 truck running as I need something that can haul vehicles around. I also want a 6 cyl truck for yard work and for travel when I am not carrying heavy loads as, especially chugging around the property, the 258's do world's better on gas than the V8's.

So, a couple of questions: How much does the extra weight and length of the LWB affect fuel consumption with a 258? I have had SWB's with the 6, but not the LWB.

Since this LWB 258 J10 is a runner (needs a new carb, but will make for an easy MC 2100 swap... I have scads of them) I may just start using this for towing til I get a V8 rig going.... has anyone over towed with this combo?

My thought is, since this LWB J10 is running, use it as is. Take my time swapping the V8/NV4500/J20 axles combo into the SWB J10 so I can get the body nice and take time getting it all done. .

Is there a huge difference towing between the LWB and SWB trucks? Honestly, I have towed with Wagoneers (lived up to the name "Waggy" as the tail was not hard to wag!) and I have towed with a LWB J10's and J20's (very stable) but not a SWB truck.

Also, I could put the stepside bed on the LWB truck and add a toolbox to the front between the bed and cab... sounds funky, but I bet if done right it would look OK.

Just meandering here!

Have a great week,

Jesse