Hi everyone,
I'm considering swapping a CA18DET into an 86 hardbody instead of the typical SR20 or KA24 because i want to have something different than all the other guys and im sick of working on the Z24i. Pros and Cons would be super helpful and please don't be shy about trying to un-convince me as i'm all ears. all i ask is that any other suggestions be nissan engines. i'm not a mix-bread kind of guy.

VG30ET hands down, gets my vote
alot smoother, sounds sweet and way tougher than a ca18 (and yes, I'm a CA guy)
Great if u can still find a donor Z31. I actually have digital dash version Z this guy uses for his swap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOawpFMKbls cool truck

Yeah, I'm a CA18 guy through-and-through. But for a hardbody, I don't think it's a great fit. You really have to rev these engines to get them to make power, and with a truck, it's an odd fit. Also, all of the "normal" engines are so old at this point that the engines probably all need rebuilt and the wiring is old and crusty, so I'd plan on a rebuild and standalone. If that's not in your budget, it might be best to rethink it.

I'm with dash on the engine as well. The VG30ET would be a great fit for a hardbody. Smooth, and plenty of torque. Still probably going to require a rebuild and standalone to make it reliable though, but it wouldn't take much to get it to walk all over any SR/KA you ran into, and would probably easily hang with any mild LS swap you might run into as well.

200k miles prolly break-in for VG. Z31 guys grab $300 ol VG33 from Pathy, Xterra, etc., and boost em. No rebuild
4-500 ft-lbs still on Z electrics. Standalone better of course. I'd relocate turbo, oem position sux

KILLER Potential
Editor tested the best monsters... said this street Z31 made him crap his pants! http://www.z31.com/misc/articles/5/
Also Imsa GTP car brought the world to its knees, using that very same SOHC VG. They had NO answer