I’ve got an MK patrol that I am slowly building up to a winch truck (got a while to go yet) anyway…. I have found an SWB MK that has 4.6 diff ratios in that I want; only problem is that he won’t sell the diffs separately so I have to take the whole truck (only $400).
The thing is, I want to turn my truck into a tray back but cant afford to pay someone to do it (also can’t afford for it to be off the road for more than a couple of days) so have been looking for a ute cab, they seem to be few and far between and not particularly cheap.(yes I did see the one on trade me that went for $450, I was away and missed the end of the auction)
Anyway, back to where I started, I can get a whole SWB for $400, the body has some cancer but I don’t think it is unfixable.
How viable is it for me to chop the SWB body down into a tray back?
Is it that hard? (Lots of guys in the states and OZ are doing it)
Would it need certifying and if so would I be able to get it certified? (I’m not a certed welder)
Anyone able to school me on the “do’s and don’ts” of chopping a SWB wagon?
Cheers
Sam
Chopping and SWB into a tray back
Been there done that though it was on a GQ it cant be to much different, I moved the "C" piller up and welded it to the "B" piller and fabricated a rear wall.
Might pay to look at a couple of single cab utes first to see how much room you really want, i idealy would like mine to have been a little longer in the cab.
Mq's dont widen out at the rear guards as the GQ's do so why not cut the back just before the rear tail lights and behind the B piller and weld these together as well as welding your tailgate in (this does depend on the shape of your floor plan and where you want to make the cut behind the B piller). Then you could cut the fiberglass roof to fit the gap behind your seats or leave it open.
Its a job that takes a bit more than a few days though dont forget once you make it into a cab you have to put some sort of tray on, hook up lights, bog, paint etc. and yes it will need to be certified.
Might pay to look at a couple of single cab utes first to see how much room you really want, i idealy would like mine to have been a little longer in the cab.
Mq's dont widen out at the rear guards as the GQ's do so why not cut the back just before the rear tail lights and behind the B piller and weld these together as well as welding your tailgate in (this does depend on the shape of your floor plan and where you want to make the cut behind the B piller). Then you could cut the fiberglass roof to fit the gap behind your seats or leave it open.
Its a job that takes a bit more than a few days though dont forget once you make it into a cab you have to put some sort of tray on, hook up lights, bog, paint etc. and yes it will need to be certified.
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nz4x4
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Yea i figure it will take me a month or two of full on weekends. but because i will have a whole spare truck which i will be doing it on it doesnt really matter. I have a mate who is a pannel beater so will get him to help out a little bit with bog and paint. I can weld up a tray out of some RHS and then get Howard to build a cage (6 point rollcage going through into the cab)
i like the idea of moving the rear up and welding it in with the tail gate, the fibreglass top my just work as well (I'm good with fiberglass)
Does this sort of thing need certifying? and if I did it, would it be able to get certified?
i like the idea of moving the rear up and welding it in with the tail gate, the fibreglass top my just work as well (I'm good with fiberglass)
Does this sort of thing need certifying? and if I did it, would it be able to get certified?
Yes it will need certifying and it will beable to be certified been done before and will be done again.
Why dont you go talk to a certifier they will beable to answer all your questions. Isnt howard a certifier??
If your going to cut down annother cab then swap them it may pay to check out the rules and regs of doing so as it may need to be re-registersd or something.
Why dont you go talk to a certifier they will beable to answer all your questions. Isnt howard a certifier??
If your going to cut down annother cab then swap them it may pay to check out the rules and regs of doing so as it may need to be re-registersd or something.
i spoke to a certifier about cutting up my gq safari and he talked me out of it. he spoke of engineers reports and other expensive stuff. im going to wait till i roll it then i will start cutting it up. not wanting to sound negative is it worth spending money on a mk ? if you want a winch truck why not buy one all done, i missed out on one a month ago all done for a quater of the price of building 1. having said that my trucks cost me almost as much in mods than i paid for it.
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nz4x4
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I dont want to buy a truck already done, It's boring! And would not be built how i would like it (I like things done a particular way, particular brands etc)
Also I'm so far down the track that i can't go back (not that i would). The MK cost me half the price of what a GQ would cost, if not a third of the price!
The final reason i am building an MK is because it is different.
This cut is basically only going to cost me materials and Certification (most of the materials apart from paint and paper are free for me...dont ask
)
It was just a question, as i am going to have a spare body just sitting in the shed.
Also I'm so far down the track that i can't go back (not that i would). The MK cost me half the price of what a GQ would cost, if not a third of the price!
The final reason i am building an MK is because it is different.
This cut is basically only going to cost me materials and Certification (most of the materials apart from paint and paper are free for me...dont ask
)
It was just a question, as i am going to have a spare body just sitting in the shed.
Different vehicle but worth a read anyway..... Rangerat (what did happen to him??) did a Rangie trayback back in 03/04. Very detailed and goes through the certifying issues (which for memory werent too bad??)
Search under "4wd Forums", then "Projects" then Anything that starts "The Big Chop Part....." (start on page 3 of the Projects forum) Lots of photos etc. Might give you some more ideas as well
From this
To this
Search under "4wd Forums", then "Projects" then Anything that starts "The Big Chop Part....." (start on page 3 of the Projects forum) Lots of photos etc. Might give you some more ideas as well
From this
To this
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nz4x4
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This is what is on the truck at the moment
PTO Winch
Snorkel
2" Body Lift
32x10.5x15 Simex Extreme Trekkers
Superior Engineering drop shackles (2" lift as well)
Tough Dog foam cell shocks (Hilux 50mm Lift with custom mounts on rear and 50mm lift GQ Nissan shocks on the front. 50mm bumpstop spacers all around)
Along with other non 4x4 related things such as race seats etc.
These are the things I have planned for it over the next couple of years
Chop it into a tray back (either Ute cab conversion or chop a wagon)
rear tray made from RHS and aluminium checker plate)
2x 4 point cages that connect together through the back of the cab (or maybe one 6 point, haven’t decided yet)
fit 5 point harnesses
front tube bar (2x Lightforce 240 Blitz on bar) reposition the PTO winch (move it higher and closer into the body, although may get a 24v warn 8274 with a 6hp motor)
roof mounted lights that are able to hinge down when not in use. (2x 240 Blitz spots, 2x 170 striker wide angles)
ARB front and rear airlockers
ARB air compressor
Air condition - to air compressor mod
4.6 diff gears
35x11.5x15 Simex Extreme Trekker 2's
Beadlocks
350 Chev conversion
3" Mandrel bent exhaust
Hultec CV’s (spelling?)
PTO Winch
Snorkel
2" Body Lift
32x10.5x15 Simex Extreme Trekkers
Superior Engineering drop shackles (2" lift as well)
Tough Dog foam cell shocks (Hilux 50mm Lift with custom mounts on rear and 50mm lift GQ Nissan shocks on the front. 50mm bumpstop spacers all around)
Along with other non 4x4 related things such as race seats etc.
These are the things I have planned for it over the next couple of years
Chop it into a tray back (either Ute cab conversion or chop a wagon)
rear tray made from RHS and aluminium checker plate)
2x 4 point cages that connect together through the back of the cab (or maybe one 6 point, haven’t decided yet)
fit 5 point harnesses
front tube bar (2x Lightforce 240 Blitz on bar) reposition the PTO winch (move it higher and closer into the body, although may get a 24v warn 8274 with a 6hp motor)
roof mounted lights that are able to hinge down when not in use. (2x 240 Blitz spots, 2x 170 striker wide angles)
ARB front and rear airlockers
ARB air compressor
Air condition - to air compressor mod
4.6 diff gears
35x11.5x15 Simex Extreme Trekker 2's
Beadlocks
350 Chev conversion
3" Mandrel bent exhaust
Hultec CV’s (spelling?)
Sounds like a good plan, probly because it is along the same lines as what i am doing to mine.
Stick with the PTO over at OBC Rogers and Grants PTO was heaps faster than the Eletrics even with annother patrol on the back
I assume it is still your daily driver as it cant be off the road for more than a few days. Why not concentrate on the other mods first? like lockers and bar work If you had your cage made with removable back stays they could easily be changed to fit after the cab chop has been done.
Stick with the PTO over at OBC Rogers and Grants PTO was heaps faster than the Eletrics even with annother patrol on the back
I assume it is still your daily driver as it cant be off the road for more than a few days. Why not concentrate on the other mods first? like lockers and bar work If you had your cage made with removable back stays they could easily be changed to fit after the cab chop has been done.
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nz4x4
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Yea it is a daily driver (sort of). Basically, i was told about this truck and it is bloody cheap so if it has the right gears in it i will grab it, just wanted to know if a cab chop was viable. and if it wasnt i was going to scrap the body so it doesnt take up space
Most likely i will get a rear locker in it by August (birthday comming up) and will start building a new front bar in about a months time (have a lot on at the moment)
If i was to do a chop, I wouldnt start it untill december when i have about 8 weeks off (school holidays!) And ideally, the cab and try would be done, ready to swap over on to the truck when my 32's are bald and i but the 35's on (swap the diff gears over at the same time to)
I think i might have to re-VIN or re-rego because it is a new body, but i dont think it is a major.
Howard isn't a certifier himself but does have a friendly certifier I belive so will talk to them.
Most likely i will get a rear locker in it by August (birthday comming up) and will start building a new front bar in about a months time (have a lot on at the moment)
If i was to do a chop, I wouldnt start it untill december when i have about 8 weeks off (school holidays!) And ideally, the cab and try would be done, ready to swap over on to the truck when my 32's are bald and i but the 35's on (swap the diff gears over at the same time to)
I think i might have to re-VIN or re-rego because it is a new body, but i dont think it is a major.
Howard isn't a certifier himself but does have a friendly certifier I belive so will talk to them.