Thank you for the devotion and interest and appreciation. It means a great deal to me, and makes the rebuild all the more worthwhile.
Fouad Bhai I could not stop myself from logging in and intevening here, as this idea of yours is a big no no.
FZJ79 that you have is a beautiful vehicle. The proposed engine swap will ruin it completly. Forget about the Phantom for a moment.
Just let the FZJ79 as it is. I would sugest that you keep the 1HZ in the phantom and let it rip. After some time you can go to any other engine you want.
But do not do this to the FZJ79
To be completely honest, this was more a case of loud thinking on my part. Presently, I'm more than happy with the engine in the Phantom, since it's an absolutely ghuncha piece that I managed to get. It's a very capable engine, indeed...and is perfectly suited to the Phantom's requirements. It's dependable, reliable, and indestructible.
However, I'm reminded of the wise words of another friend, NN, who made a very strong case for installing an absolutely outlandish engine (1FZ / 1UZ / 2UZ / 3UZ) in the vehicle, rather than a 1HZ. His logic was: the Phantom isn't meant to be "reliable/dependable/trustworthy". Everything about it is extreme, and so should the engine be.
VERY wise words, indeed.
Now, to swap the 1HZ at some point in time means that I'd have to either install it in some other vehicle, or sell it. I would much prefer the former, rather than the latter...because this engine is just so damned good, and so damned new. Were I to sell it to a kabaariya, I'd end up losing obscene amounts of money, and deprive myself of a cracking engine, in the process, too. So...it would be reasonable to assume that an engine swap "within my own stable" would be the more sensible thing to do.
Let's talk a little about the FZJ79. This is one of my most-favoured rides (funny how all of them are my favourites, right?). This is a very capable off-roader, with a mean turn of speed. Here, I'd like to mention that the 1HZ is the STANDARD diesel engine for the HZJ79 (the oil-burning version of the FZJ79). And in the extreme conditions of Australia and New Zealand, is actually the PREFERRED choice of engine, too. So, an engine swap wouldn't REALLY be 'ruining' the vehicle, at all...it would simply be a case of apples and oranges.
To be entirely honest, brother...this thought going through my mind, isn't a random flight-of-fantasy, at all. I may have mentioned elsewhere, that I also have a big-block V8 petrol engine (a Buick 455, 7400cc) which would be a perfect "showcase" power-plant for a vehicle as extreme as the Phantom. But...if I install it in the Phantom, WHERE would the beautiful 1HZ go? What would I do with it? Sell it to some kabaariya, kauriyon ke bhao? Nope. I'd much rather keep it inside the Phantom, or the FZJ79...and transplant the 1FZ, instead.
I hope this makes some sort of sense. In any case...for the immediate future, I have no plans of an engine swap for the Phantom, anyways. So this might only be an exercise in intellectual discussion, at best.
Thanks very much for your "food for thought"!