80 series 'ute chops' popular here in Oz but what about the USA etc.? (9 Viewers)

[2fpower]

Kinda partial to this one...

 

[Gerry McGerry]

Kinda partial to this one...

Went through the entire build thread last night, what a cool build, proper job mate.

 

[itbrokeagain]

My newest 80 I chopped up

 

[2KCruiser]

Do I still count as an 80 chop?

 

[Nay]

It’s probably not a preferred platform here because the base weight is so high. Half a pig is still a pig and roof covered utility (SUV) is preferred in the Land of Consumption. Never understood why it’s better to have your s*** outside than inside unless you are dicking around in the sand.

You can also SAS a Taco a lot easier and have a better wheelbase and weight. Or just buy a Gladiator. There are bolt in one-ton swap for the Jeeps and just put it on 40’s.

Most of this type of project gets sold. Repeatedly. My son, who is putting tons under a 1st gen Sequoia after proving a long travel setup that he spent over a year assembling wasn’t going to cut it, posted this on his Instagram story today:

Cutting your truck in half to make it better is something only a man can think up and follow through on to the inevitable end.

 

[2KCruiser]

It’s probably not a preferred platform here because the base weight is so high. Half a pig is still a pig and roof covered utility (SUV) is preferred in the Land of Consumption. Never understood why it’s better to have your s*** outside than inside unless you are dicking around in the sand.

You can also SAS a Taco a lot easier and have a better wheelbase and weight. Or just buy a Gladiator. There are bolt in one-ton swap for the Jeeps and just put it on 40’s.

Most of this type of project gets sold. Repeatedly. My son, who is putting tons under a 1st gen Sequoia after proving a long travel setup that he spent over a year assembling wasn’t going to cut it, posted this on his Instagram story today:

View attachment 3290892

Cutting your truck in half to make it better is something only a man can think up and follow through on to the inevitable end.

It's a complete 80 series under there. Only bits that are FJ55 are the fenders, hood and doors.

 

[Nay]

It's a complete 80 series under there. Only bits that are FJ55 are the fenders, hood and doors.

I think the point is that in the U.S., a full size SUV is going to get chopped for one purpose: to make a rock donkey, and specifically to ditch getting hung up climbing with a big ass on departure angle. If you chop it, you still have that SUV everywhere else, particularly at frame clearance.

There is no SUV that makes a good buggy. It doesn’t matter what you do it it. That’s why they get sold over and over here, because what you prove is that 1) your 80 series has no other purpose now, 2) it still can’t out buggy buggies, 3) doors don’t open when you destroy them and roofs don’t work well when you cave them, and 4) you spent an awful lot of money getting there.

That’s not a critique, it’s just good to go into these types of projects eyes wide open that a ute chop is a starter kit for a buggy. It’s like doing long travel IFS instead of tons. You can do it and break stuff and not wheel and you will spend more money to prove it.

If it is going on a trailer, you can get what you want ground up or build what you are going to sell stock down.

 

[RC51]

I think the point is that in the U.S., a full size SUV is going to get chopped for one purpose: to make a rock donkey, and specifically to ditch getting hung up climbing with a big ass on departure angle. If you chop it, you still have that SUV everywhere else, particularly at frame clearance.

There is no SUV that makes a good buggy. It doesn’t matter what you do it it. That’s why they get sold over and over here, because what you prove is that 1) your 80 series has no other purpose now, 2) it still can’t out buggy buggies, 3) doors don’t open when you destroy them and roofs don’t work well when you cave them, and 4) you spent an awful lot of money getting there.

That’s not a critique, it’s just good to go into these types of projects eyes wide open that a ute chop is a starter kit for a buggy. It’s like doing long travel IFS instead of tons. You can do it and break stuff and not wheel and you will spend more money to prove it.

If it is going on a trailer, you can get what you want ground up or build what you are going to sell stock down.

the auzzies do it

 

[ThRiLlGmYr]

Isn't another reason why Aussies do it and we don't is because we have a lot more full size pickup trucks that make more sense to do this kind of thing to than a truck designed to be a wagon?

 

[george_tlc]

the auzzies do it

Well, they do live in a land of heat and flies - so the brain starts to go pretty early in the life cycle

And it's basically folk that have nothing better to do versus just buying a trayback 7x series and getting out there and using it... Kinda like building your own boat in the garage - lots of time building it and not much in using it - it's the journey not the destination.

cheers,
george.

 

[ozarkmud]

Could you tell me more about the 6 wheel drive conversions? That sounds crazy! I hadn't heard of a single one.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Kinda like building your own boat in the garage

That kinda sums it up.
A chopped 80 ain't the same as a 79 I'm many many ways.

They are a novelty, and have a certain coolness to some people.

You get the best of both worlds, and the worst of both worlds.
Not quite a serious ute, not quite a wagon.

I don't think any aussies do it because they need a full size ute. A chopped 80 is far from a full size ute

 

[Choo Magoo]

View attachment 3286839

Cheers

Do you have a build thread on this beauty?

 

[SNLC]

Do you have a build thread on this beauty?

Nope just a pic stolen from Instagram.

Cheers

 

[sunrk]

Haven't seen a 6 wheel extended ute-chopped 80 around here but they do exist. I don't know if the extra axle is driven or just 'lazy'. But a really well done ute-chopped 80 with a standard wheelbase is a very high value vehicle in the context of what used 80's are worth here, particularly if it's a diesel powered one. Petrol 80's are not afforded much worth here.

 

[sunrk]

Six Wheeler Conversions - Six Wheeler Toowoomba

This is a place that does 6-wheel 4wd conversions. There's probably some more.

 

[jaymar]

There are heaps of 80 series 'ute chop' conversions, even some 80 series 6-wheel conversions, but ute chops are quite common here. I think part of it is to address the rusting issues that the back of 80 series bodies typically get over their lifetime, and partly just to make 80's more 'rural practical' as a simple 'carry stuff' platform.

How common is 'ute chopping' in the US? Had anyone done 6-wheel conversion on a LX450 80 series in the US? I've seen a handful of those here over the years where an 80 is both 'ute chopped' and extended to add an extra rear axle.

Curious as both seem to be very 'aussie' things to do.

Saw a six-wheeler once, but not an ute--which tells you how rare the utes are here. We want a bed for offroad, we buy a Taco.

 

[ikarus]

There ya go, $32K USD and import it..

Toyota 80 series GXL Landcruiser dual cab | Cars, Vans & Utes | Gumtree Australia Singleton Area - Branxton | 1311041650

1994 model, 600mm chassis extension, fully engineered, dark green mica metalic paint, 1HZ turbo, 5 speed manual full rebuild, bullbar, side bars and steps, ..., 1311041650

www.gumtree.com.au

 

[Jorgito]

I think that chop properly done is extremely good, there are quite a few kits available for chopping mainly from CAM fabrications in Australia, they provide:
* chop kit for the rear wall
* extension kit to extended the frame 300-600 mm
* tray mounts

I am seriously considering that and would like to build a camping cabin on top of the tray. Something similar to what Marcus built back in Germany, that one has 500mm frame extension:

More about what Marcus did here: Toyota Custom 80 series Landcruiser - https://www.4-wheeling-in-western-australia.com/custom-80-series-landcruiser.html or you can find the Rony Dahls video on Youtube.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I think that chop properly done is extremely good, there are quite a few kits available for chopping mainly from CAM fabrications in Australia, they provide:
* chop kit for the rear wall
* extension kit to extended the frame 300-600 mm
* tray mounts

View attachment 3302884
View attachment 3302885
I am seriously considering that and would like to build a camping cabin on top of the tray. Something similar to what Marcus built back in Germany, that one has 500mm frame extension:
View attachment 3302886

More about what Marcus did here: Toyota Custom 80 series Landcruiser - https://www.4-wheeling-in-western-australia.com/custom-80-series-landcruiser.html or you can find the Rony Dahls video on Youtube.

I have that kit on a pallet now. About to stretch another 80 chassis for another 60 ute conversion. Here is my 60 ute

LS3 Erod Cali smog legal.

Jason