Converting SWB Safari into Flat deck?
Moderator: Mark
Converting SWB Safari into Flat deck?
Hey - I would like to chop the ass off my 86 safari and put a flat deck on. I have seen a few done in winch challenges etc. Does any body know of laws/regs on which I have to abide by, or have any tips before I throw the angle grinder at it? Comments Appreciated......
convertion
check through the nissan pages , started by safari mullisha , called project bulldozer covers most of this deal
89 safari, pto winch, 33x15 simexs. sliders,75mm lift . turbo intercoolered
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nz4x4
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86 safari will be an MQ or MK the same as mine (well should be). The SWB has a fibreglass canopy that is removable meaning you virtually have an open backed ute making a complete cob enclosure a bit tricky.
Have a look on outerlimits for cab chops. In particular screwyscrewballs MQ (think it might be called envy, has mog diffs under it anyway, not hard to find)
On my SWB I am actually going to enclose only the bottom part and leave the top open (easier and more room for seats etc) hard to explain without a pic... should be finished mid Jan
As far as regulations etc.... it needs to be certified. Ring a certifier up first, tell him what you want to do and how you plan on doing it and he will tell you whether that is ok or what you have to change. Don’t do it then get the certifier around because this will create huge hassles!
Have a look on outerlimits for cab chops. In particular screwyscrewballs MQ (think it might be called envy, has mog diffs under it anyway, not hard to find)
On my SWB I am actually going to enclose only the bottom part and leave the top open (easier and more room for seats etc) hard to explain without a pic... should be finished mid Jan
As far as regulations etc.... it needs to be certified. Ring a certifier up first, tell him what you want to do and how you plan on doing it and he will tell you whether that is ok or what you have to change. Don’t do it then get the certifier around because this will create huge hassles!
Hey thanks - yeah I have had a brief chat with a certifier but I didn't have my truck there at the time so it was a hard thing to explain. My truck is exactly the same as yours, except mine is non turbo. He told me that as long as it looked professionally done it would more than likely be fine. He also suggested that I talk to people that have done it before to get tips etc.
I was thinking originally about just removing the f/glass top, and have done so before, but for all the mucking round getting it sealed etc a flat deck arrangement would suit me far better and not be (in my opinion) all that much more work. I guess the big thing is I dont want to go and hack up a perfectly good truck with good intentions, only to end up with something that is not road legal, or is going to cost the earth to get road legal - hence this thread.
I was thinking originally about just removing the f/glass top, and have done so before, but for all the mucking round getting it sealed etc a flat deck arrangement would suit me far better and not be (in my opinion) all that much more work. I guess the big thing is I dont want to go and hack up a perfectly good truck with good intentions, only to end up with something that is not road legal, or is going to cost the earth to get road legal - hence this thread.
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nz4x4
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- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:00 pm
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Ok have soem time to spare 
This is how I am going to do my cab chop as it is the easiest and most practical for me (race seats take up a lot of room in the cab etc so having only the lower part closed in allows more tray space aswell as alowing me to attach the harnesses to the external rollcage). My tray will be like a normal winch trouck though (flat tray)
you can see what I mean about the seats sticking out in this pic
If you want to totaly enclose the cab then you will need to custom fabricate some sort of pillars and extend the roof which will become a little tricky and might look a little strange without having the ridges in the extension.
Sorry I'm not making a lot of sense today.... still thinking about exams.
Any questions shoot me an email
This is how I am going to do my cab chop as it is the easiest and most practical for me (race seats take up a lot of room in the cab etc so having only the lower part closed in allows more tray space aswell as alowing me to attach the harnesses to the external rollcage). My tray will be like a normal winch trouck though (flat tray)
you can see what I mean about the seats sticking out in this pic
If you want to totaly enclose the cab then you will need to custom fabricate some sort of pillars and extend the roof which will become a little tricky and might look a little strange without having the ridges in the extension.
Sorry I'm not making a lot of sense today.... still thinking about exams.
Any questions shoot me an email
Yup - thats pretty much excatly what I was thinking bout doing. I was gonna run a couple of light box sections from the roof to the floor with a bend at the top to bring out the roof line, it would attach to a flange that bolts onto the original mounts for the f/glass top. These would run down either side of the rear window and I would box acrros the top and bottom of the glass also bolting to the f/glass bolts on the sides to make a frame, and to provide strength for the window. Then all i gotta do is wrap a bit of panel steel around the "frame" and good to go....... easy aye! ha ha ha well at least it is when all you got to do is imagine it - actually cutting the truck will be a scary moment..
Hey - another ?? NZ4x4... I notice you have got some flash sorta front shackles on your truck - care to elaberate on them, Ive re-tensioned, and raised the leafs by about 21/2 inches, Im running 33's, with a tiny bit of rubbing, but rekon Ill body lift her bout 1 -2 inches to cure that. Anything else you can recommend?
Hey - another ?? NZ4x4... I notice you have got some flash sorta front shackles on your truck - care to elaberate on them, Ive re-tensioned, and raised the leafs by about 21/2 inches, Im running 33's, with a tiny bit of rubbing, but rekon Ill body lift her bout 1 -2 inches to cure that. Anything else you can recommend?
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nz4x4
- Hard Yaka
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:00 pm
- Location: Hillsborough, Auckland
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They are superior engineering rotating drop shackles. have a look at superior engineering's website. They are quite good but i still havnt got mine working 100% (need to move x members to get full flex etc) and probably won't. Have a possible problem with them though which needs sorting (might have allowed the front driveshaft universal to move sideways into the oil sump)
Anyway they work enough for now, I'm just designing my linked suspension now which may take a while (triangulated 4 link rear or 5link with a 3 link front and 12" Fox Racing 2.5 Coilovers). There is also some info on my website about the shackles
To clear 33" tires I would just get some proper 2" raised aftermarket springs and a 2" body lift. That would easily clear 33's and with a little guard chop 35's
Anyway they work enough for now, I'm just designing my linked suspension now which may take a while (triangulated 4 link rear or 5link with a 3 link front and 12" Fox Racing 2.5 Coilovers). There is also some info on my website about the shackles
To clear 33" tires I would just get some proper 2" raised aftermarket springs and a 2" body lift. That would easily clear 33's and with a little guard chop 35's