Cutting my Truck in half, any advice

[JDCruiser]

hey guys,
Well now that the body has been pretty much stripped of any major of its components (ie. hard top off, fuel tank dropped, vapor recovery system removed, roll bar out, seats out, all doors off, lights, etc) I am almost ready to start the next step of cutting the body in half, literally!!!

The main issue is that the rear of the tub is rotten with rust, specifically the 4 rear deck body mounts and cross members are rotten and are actually causing the floor to sink through the frame... In addittion, the rear bumper is badly laminated and crumbling so that needs complete replacement... The front half of the body is solid, will need some floor patch panels but is structurally sound including the main cross member at the rear of the seats...

So my plan is to cut the tub into 2 pieces right at the seam behind the 2 seats (this appears to be a factory seam where the 2 floor sections came together) such that the front half keeps the main cross member for the seats, door openings, and outrigger body mounts... This part will stay on the frame, while the rear half (6 body mounts up the rear sill) will be taken off the frame...

I am sure there will be complications along the way... the first thing I am scared off is distortion during the removal and reconstruction process so I plan on drastically reinforcing all openings (FR and RR doors, span covering my cut line on both sides, wheel wells, hard top sill).. The cut line will be along the seam right behind the seats which goes up the sides to just behind the rear door posts, thus keeping the FR door opening all one section...

Any of you guys every done this before, any words of wisdom?

 

[AirCruiser]

sawzall

 

[xjnation]

Brace everything in Xs. Otherwise sounds like you know what you are doing. TAKE PICS!!!

 

[D'Animal]

Leave enough metal on the seams so you can drill out the spot welds.

Nothing worse then realizing you cut some of the good side of the metal out.

 

[psreno]

Use a cutting wheel behind the door posts, then sawzall away. If you do take a little "good" metal off it's not a problem to put slightly larger metal strips down the outside of that seam underneath and use fresh bolts to sandwich and pull the tubs together.

 

[Toyo FJ40]

I cut mine in front of the seats at the back of the door post. With the tranny hole it's a lot less metal and there are bolts in the rocker panel that can help to position the body when you go to re weld. leave yourself at least 2 inches extra metal so you can over lap to weld if you need to. Sawsall works, plasma if you got it, and cutting wheel are all good.

 

[JDCruiser]

Thanks for all the advice guys sure gives me some things to consider

 

[TOBASH]

What you are proposing to do is very difficult and dangerous.

You need to put everything BACK ONTO THE CHASIS and weld braces into place to maintain shape, lest you create a disaster.

All this stuff flexes, as it is all sheet metal. The frame is what gives integrity.

Listen to XJnation!!!

If you have not done this, you will be screwed.

Please listen.

 

[1.25Ton]

Take measurements between door openings, from door pillar to dash, from dash to tailgate, find points in the tub to measure square off of... straight edge the distance between the top of the tub and cowl.

Any reference you have to what's normal will be great when you start putting stuff back together.

i wish I had taken notes, would have made life much easier...

 

[FJFOOL]

With the rust being that bad, after you get the body off, take a GOOD look at the frame, spring hangers, etc. as they may need attention as well. Good luck !!

 

[F-junker]

I'f your ever going to runa hardtop or frankly even the softttop take care in that everything will line up when you try to weld it back together. There are many folks here how have redone tubs, bracing is critical.
I'm going to do this very same thing this summer. My tub is a bastardization of a 78 firewall to doors and 79'/hillbilly fab from the rear of the doors back. I've got issues on the passenger side that keeps me from being able to run a hardtop. The doorjams have spread and body mounts are not the proper height etc etc. I'm going to attempt a fix with 3/16 1/4panels and serious metal work after the primary 4wheeling is done maybe in august.
Please do your homework here on this before you cut anything. Many folks have done this successfully and posted info, I can't imagine how many have done this and said to hell with it and left a cruiser crippled and ready for the boneyard. Good luck my friend may the force be with you and the cruiser gods behind you!

 

[4x4 Station Wagon]

What you are proposing to do is very difficult and dangerous.

You need to put everything BACK ONTO THE CHASIS and weld braces into place to maintain shape, lest you create a disaster.

All this stuff flexes, as it is all sheet metal. The frame is what gives integrity.

Listen to XJnation!!!

If you have not done this, you will be screwed.

Please listen.

I know this has been beaten to death but i wanted to give an example to help sink how right these guys are....... When i cut out the support on the back of my 40 tub along with the rear sill I didnt even notice because i couldnt make it flex with pressure but by taking a tape measure to the rear door opening my tub had flexed a 1/2 inch. This would have made teh doors and the top never fit correctly ever...... Luckily I double checked prior to welding and had taken measurements for once.

So in conclusion take lots of measurements including X measurements and it wouldnt hurt to tack weld some strap across it in at least one place.... You will be fine I have bobbed several minitruck beds and if you take your time and measure, mark, and cut it turns out great!

 

[JDCruiser]

Hey guys, well I guess I am getting the common theme which is:

measure, measure, measure!!!!!

Then

Brace, brace, brace!!!!

Sounds like it is pretty crucial... I have good plans to do both however will be sure now to even overkill this more than usual.....

Thanks again for all the advice and giving the heads up in terms of the trouble I might get into... I would practically shoot myself if I messed my truck up by not planning and taking my time...

 

[crash]

I split mine at the seam and stretched by 19 inches (enough to fit a FZJ 80 chassis). I drilled out the spot welds with a spot weld cutter - great invention, by the way. I highly recommend one. You only have 4 welds to cut, 2 on each side, top rail and underneath where the side panel attaches to the rear of the door frame. This took maybe half an hour with a cut-off wheel and the spot weld drill. Definitly take the pics and do the x braces.

Good luck...