This is great.
100 Series Ute Conversion
- Thread starter kittric
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This is awesome. I've had many dreams about doing this, but unfortunately mine's still a daily family hauler.
One addition my fantasy ute conversion includes: spliced in 4runner hatch door, for the roll-down rear window.
One addition my fantasy ute conversion includes: spliced in 4runner hatch door, for the roll-down rear window.
Cut the back off a Tundra cab, then fit to shape. Same idea, but being flat might make it easier to fab.
Check out this 105 ute. Pretty awesome rig.
www.unsealed4x4.com.au
Unsealed 4X4 | CUSTOM 4X4: Chopped Toyota LandCruiser 105
Table of Contents Hide Is this the LandCruiser ute Toyota should have built from the factory?CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THIS CUSTOM 4X4 IN OUR ONLINE MAGAZINEThe ownerThe vehicleThe modifications…
www.unsealed4x4.com.au
GTV
SILVER Star
04-06 would theoretically be a close fit.
- Thread starter
- #46
Moving on from this point required me to start tying everything together in some way. My first step was using some 2" flat stock I had laying around to fit between the doors. I used the existing seat bolt holes to lock it in place prior to welding it in.
So at this point I also realized I made a mistake putting in the door window frame early. I needed to tie the doors together in a better way. So after removing those pieces I followed up one mistake with my biggest mistake of the project. I had a piece of angle laying around and since it was about the perfect length I decided to use it despite it being galvanized. I figured I wouldn't be attaching much to it, so grinding off the galvanized areas should be no big deal. Unfortunately, I probably had to grind about 25% of the galv off for all the areas I attached to and the zinc was layed on extra thick eating through a lot of grinder disks. Being a CWI, I should have known better, but oh well, live and learn.
And on another side note, around this time the brake booster pump motor went out when I was moving it. Here is a picture of it with the contact points worn down after 320k of use. I opted to buy a rebuilt one for about $300 and everything was working again. When it happened, the ABS alarm wouldn't stop blaring, but I had brakes for a little bit until the existing built up pressure was gone, then it took a lot of peddle pressure to get any braking action.
So at this point I also realized I made a mistake putting in the door window frame early. I needed to tie the doors together in a better way. So after removing those pieces I followed up one mistake with my biggest mistake of the project. I had a piece of angle laying around and since it was about the perfect length I decided to use it despite it being galvanized. I figured I wouldn't be attaching much to it, so grinding off the galvanized areas should be no big deal. Unfortunately, I probably had to grind about 25% of the galv off for all the areas I attached to and the zinc was layed on extra thick eating through a lot of grinder disks. Being a CWI, I should have known better, but oh well, live and learn.
And on another side note, around this time the brake booster pump motor went out when I was moving it. Here is a picture of it with the contact points worn down after 320k of use. I opted to buy a rebuilt one for about $300 and everything was working again. When it happened, the ABS alarm wouldn't stop blaring, but I had brakes for a little bit until the existing built up pressure was gone, then it took a lot of peddle pressure to get any braking action.
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- Thread starter
- #47
To make a more solid area for a back window and ad more structure to the back area I decided to bolt in some flat stock to the upper handles and then weld in some tube. I didn't have that much tubing sitting around, but fortunately some old bent rear control arms off my 80 were still around and about the same diameter.
Great work! I always wondered why this is almost nonexistent in the States and ubiquitous in Aus.
When dealing with galv, sulphuric acid dissolves it incredibly well down to bare metal. I galvanised my frame and front & rear control arms and worried a lot how I was going to recover the bushing openings, until I found that. Even brushing it with a paint brush works, albeit tedious.
When dealing with galv, sulphuric acid dissolves it incredibly well down to bare metal. I galvanised my frame and front & rear control arms and worried a lot how I was going to recover the bushing openings, until I found that. Even brushing it with a paint brush works, albeit tedious.
"But, honey!! We're building the house and I needed something to carry the plywood in."
Guys like you have real issues. I love it!!! Build the crap out of it!!!!
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- #50
As I mentioned earlier, I decided to forgo using the existing body floor for the bed. I was a little hesitant about just cutting right at the eventual line because I couldn't see to well what was by the gas tank, so I slowly worked my way forward and cut it out in sections. I had to do a little extra cutting, but at least the pieces were easier to move
I stopped short of the actual line because I wanted to keep a shelf in place for welding to. And after looking at the size of roof panel left over I thought I had a good solution to start filling in the back. As you can also see there are a lot of gas lines to be wary of in this area above the gas tank.
I stopped short of the actual line because I wanted to keep a shelf in place for welding to. And after looking at the size of roof panel left over I thought I had a good solution to start filling in the back. As you can also see there are a lot of gas lines to be wary of in this area above the gas tank.
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- #51
Since the gas tank is strapped to the body with 2 straps I had to build a quick crossmember to hold it in place for the back strap. I initially intended it to be temporary, but after standing on it through out the build I decided it was strong enough to keep.
- Thread starter
- #52
With everything at a point that I needed to put the doors in their final position, I made my final cuts around the door jamb before closing the remains of the back doors forever. 3/8" round stock seemed to fit about perfect around the door frame so I used that as a filler to weld them in place.
The upper part of the door window frame seemed to spring forward so I used some washers to ensure the front door reveal was correct before tacking things in place.
Then it was time to start filling in the back. I was really dreading this lower corner but once things got started it seemed to fall into place.
The upper part of the door window frame seemed to spring forward so I used some washers to ensure the front door reveal was correct before tacking things in place.
Then it was time to start filling in the back. I was really dreading this lower corner but once things got started it seemed to fall into place.
- Thread starter
- #53
Here is a quick picture of the layers you need to deal with in the rocker panel.
After getting the lower corners in place I added some angle at the doors to tie into the lower horizontal flatbar I had welded in and to give some flat area to weld sheet metal to. As you can see from the picture I wanted space to keep the factory speaker in the door panel.
After getting the lower corners in place I added some angle at the doors to tie into the lower horizontal flatbar I had welded in and to give some flat area to weld sheet metal to. As you can see from the picture I wanted space to keep the factory speaker in the door panel.
- Thread starter
- #54
Once I tacked in the "roll bar" to straps I had bolted into the the old handle holes. The structure was amazingly stiff. The back door skins were pretty much locked in place and I was able to grab onto the side tube and get the whole vehicle shaking back and forth 6" each way without any weird noises or things looking like they might tear apart from metal fatigue. After that I started to frame in an area for the roof remnant with some light 1" angle.
I went ahead and welded some 1" flat on the bottom of the sheet prior to installation so that it would be easier to weld into the frame. That way I could weld the bottom edge from the interior side.
Yep, some pretty ropy welds, but I am pretty confident that they will hold. When I installed the back panel, I should have done the top edge different also, as it ended up being a real pain to weld it the way I had it.
And with that done, I started finish welding out the structural parts of the corners.
I went ahead and welded some 1" flat on the bottom of the sheet prior to installation so that it would be easier to weld into the frame. That way I could weld the bottom edge from the interior side.
Yep, some pretty ropy welds, but I am pretty confident that they will hold. When I installed the back panel, I should have done the top edge different also, as it ended up being a real pain to weld it the way I had it.
And with that done, I started finish welding out the structural parts of the corners.
- Thread starter
- #55
Part of the project that was really holding me up, was trying to figure out how to do the back window. I was initially thinking about maybe using one from an early 80's toyota pickup, or possibly the rear vent windows off the 100, or one from a tacoma, etc, etc. Then I found some jeep windshield frames and windshields online at a very cheap price. Unfortunately after some measurements I realized I couldn't use them because they were to large for the hole I had. Next I tried finding something similar off of a 40 series, but nothing was available. Finally, I decided on using a suzuki samuria windshield for the rear window and since I was ordering stuff might as well get some new brake lines. (since I still need to bleed the system after replacing the booster pump motor)
I would have liked to get a windshield frame to splice into the back but it looked like it would take about a month to order 1 from India, so I opted to build my own after looking at how the windshield gasket seemed to fit together.
Here is a sketch of how the gasket seems to work (or could work). Should be easy enough to make my own frame. (windshield glass on right side).
I would have liked to get a windshield frame to splice into the back but it looked like it would take about a month to order 1 from India, so I opted to build my own after looking at how the windshield gasket seemed to fit together.
Here is a sketch of how the gasket seems to work (or could work). Should be easy enough to make my own frame. (windshield glass on right side).
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- #56
Getting started on the "back windshield" frame, I just used some 1 and 2 inch flat stock to get a general shape I could work with and trimmed accordingly.
After that I went ahead and put it temporarily in to see how it would look in the back.
The size was right but it looked a little low to me.
After that I went ahead and put it temporarily in to see how it would look in the back.
The size was right but it looked a little low to me.
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- #57
Fortunately, I still needed to ad an extra lip, so some thicker flat stock was used to help raise it up and provide the lip.
and here is the finish
Raising it up had the added benefit of provided a better spot to weld onto the tubing.
After getting it in place I decided to check the blind spots to see if I wanted to do some type of window in the extra-cab part or not. With the size of the back window it felt more open than before the chop, so I didn't plan on doing any windows here.
and here is the finish
Raising it up had the added benefit of provided a better spot to weld onto the tubing.
After getting it in place I decided to check the blind spots to see if I wanted to do some type of window in the extra-cab part or not. With the size of the back window it felt more open than before the chop, so I didn't plan on doing any windows here.
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- #58
Now that all of the main structural pieces were in place, I began filling in the back with parts of a 4' x 4' piece of sheet metal that I had laying around as scrap.
And after 320K miles this vehicle finally had some rust added to it, (sorry rust belters
And here are some pictures of filling in the back window.
And after 320K miles this vehicle finally had some rust added to it, (sorry rust belters
And here are some pictures of filling in the back window.
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- #59
I wanted to add a couple of pictures to give some one the idea of what flaring the back out might look like. Doing this, I would have been able to close in with the door better and not have to deal with the window seal. Unfortunately I already had everything welded in and decided not to go this route.
atnolan94
I'm Your Huckleberry
Man this gave me anxiety for a little bit but its really coming together!!
