Discussion

[clemson55]

This is just something meant to stir up a little discussion amongst the board. As can be seen in the photos of my cruiser I chopped it hard and have definitely not kept it stock. However the other day I commented on keeping a bench because I like them and want to keep my pig as stock as I can. SO the question is do you prefer a stock pig or do you think you should modify the heck out of it or somewhere in between. I personally love a stock pig and I plan on getting another one at some point so that I can return it to its glory. But I love the one I have as well and have so many ideas of mods and things I want to do to it. Anyway just trying to stir up a little discussion in the board.

 

[RHINO]

i am in about the same boat as you. i have had my 75 for about 12 yrs. it stayed pretty stock for a long time then started getting more and more pissed. i have also been able to enjoy it alot more since the mods began, it doesnt have a straight piece of sheet metal on it now and i absolutely LOVE the fact that i can get rough with it.
however, when i come back home from wheelin i sometimes think "what have i done?". so last year i literally stumbled onto an absolutely georgeous rust free and straight 98% original piggy. i am in the process of getting it together and clean (very light resto) and it will serve as my DD'er and family rig.
i will be able to enjoy both worlds and i know it will be great !!!

 

[ppillard]

I obviously don't believe in a stock rig (I'm pretty much swapping out everything but the body and frame), but I do believe in the 'look' of a stock rig. Interior and exterior, minus the tires and suspension, needs to be close to stock.

I've always wanted to build a rig that would have the following capabilities (in this order):

1. Be able to transport my family of 6 comfortably.
2. Get really good fuel mileage (fuel costs too damn much).
3. Be a comfortable highway machine for traveling to the trails.
4. Be able to traverse most any trail safely, but not be so radical that it impedes #3.

Now, this quest has led me to yank the stock motor (which was blown anyway) and swap in a Cummins 6BT powertrain, which will blow up a stock set of cruiser axles, thus I'll swap in some D60's. Further and further away from stock I get.

Does this disqualify me from the Iron Pig Preservation Society?

 

[nuclearlemon]

i like the stock look of the body and interior except for the fat butt...i like the back bottom cut preferably with protection underneath. but i like them better with bigger tires and i like a bit more horsepower.

that said, my current piggie will be soa, v8, but i'm keeping the bench also.

 

[MiniPigg]

I like semi-stock. Some trimming if needed and ofcourse a nonfactory suspension with tires, etc. I am not a big fan of the factory bench. Maybe Im just getting old. The factory bench seat hurts my back. I am thinking of converting my current pig over to maybe a mid 90's Dodge bench/bucket seat. Or something similar.

 

[nuclearlemon]

i was thinking of doing that on my 71 and iirc, measurements were real dang close...close enough that i think i ruled them out.

 

[surfpig]

I'm a stock/original type. That being said, I've swapped out the bench seat for nice adjustable BMW buckets, did some ignition upgrades, added a mini p/s system, beefed up the suspension, 33's, locker,... the endemic rust is making me wonder if I shouldn't cut the rear fenders "just a bit" 'cause I keep banging them up... and the rockers, well, where do you stop? Do you want to drive it or look at it? So, I enjoy the original look, I appreciate all the mods people have done to enhance this truck's already impressive abilities, my goals are to have a family wagon that can go pretty much where I point it, reliably and trouble-free (so why do I choose a 30 year old truck?)

they're just cool...anyway you choose!

Nial

 

[ppillard]

This is all good to here. I was starting to get the sneaking suspicion that the 'Iron Pig Preservation Society' would cater only to stockers... That appears to not be the case. Thank Gawd!

 

[MiniPigg]

I dont think to many of us pig owners are purists.

 

[ppillard]

Well, I hate to say this, but I think that everyone who responded to this posted seems to be the brunt of those who hit this IPPS board.... We need more pig owners posting here!

 

[RHINO]

i look at it this way, adding tires and suspension upgrades isnt really going off of the stockish pig, adding power steering disc brakes and similar to the pig doesnt really take it away from a pig either, i feel those items, especially if toyota components are really just bringing the piggy up to date the way the factory would have if they continued making them.

 

[clemson55]

Yeah I think stuff that isnt visible is fine I was referring more to obvious things like chopping it up such as I have or like all kinds of tube armor and changing a lot of the interior and that sort of thing.

 

[ranger]

With piggies its hard to be a purist when parts are so hard to come by. Plus a little modernization is a good thing. I'm still in the debating stage on what I want to do with mine. The roof rust is bad, so not sure if I want to graft another good roof on or make it a convertable. All depends on where I move next year.

 

[madoc1]

o.k., i will jump in here. i don't have acruiser but do a fair amount of work on one.
went to google and found mud and pirate. some good info on pir., but have trouble with search. mud much more freindly imo. so why do i chose mud over the other?
i think i am offended some times. as a navy vet who was taught by my gov. to swear with the best (also drink-ever been to gitmo?) i think there are some that whack others just for fun. just an opinion!

 

[mtnpig]

I think that to start off with one that is half way decen't shape and go cuttting at it might be a mistake but with the availiblity what it is I wouldn't blame anybody for doing what they want to one when they get it. I have seen chopped ones on here and stockers that both make me envious and twist the direction of where I might go when the real work begins on mine.

 

[Yotahilux]

I have a '71 pig and the bench seat is toast! Looks like swiss cheese from all the holes ate though it. I have homemade bucket seat adapters from another pig so why not swap to more comfortable seats. I do plan on my pig being a dd once I get done with it.

 

[tucker74]

I think this section is pretty tolerant of most anything you want to do ... we all just love to see pigs being driven and enjoyed! Personally, I like to look at clean stock rigs, but I don't think I could ever own one. I just start tinkering with my trucks ... and we know where that leads. Mine has a stock engine and driveline, but the tractor motor is just part of its charm to me

Tucker

 

[mookie]

my plan is to ultimately make my pig a daily driver, as comfortable, reliable, safe and practical to drive as my tacoma (which i plan to sell when i reach that point) that being said i have made tons of mechanical and interior mods to mine, but nothing that couldn't be reversed if i ever decided to go that route...the body is off limits to me though....i love the way it looks just the way it came from toyota....okay now that i think about it, that herculiner interior would be a bitch to remove...doh!

 

[clemson55]

I agree just seeing them out there driving gives me a shiver every time especially since it is so rare.

 

[snailwagon]

I too get a shiver when I see a clean one, hell, any 55 does it. dress it in black leather and call it a fetish if you will. My 55 was free and was my introduction to the 4x4 world. I wish I was nicer to it back in the day, because it really isn't very rusty, besides the drivers side fender. No rust in the rear panels at all, none in the roof channel, none in the floor board. But now between thinking I'm a professional rockcrawler on 31"'s and having a dirtbike slam into the side of me, I have much more dents than rust. The rockers are not repairable any more. My 40 will never replace the 55.

Now to the stock issue. I want a pretty stock pig that I can be nice to and spend more money on than it will ever be worth. My deviation from stock is a 1" body lift, 33"s, 4spd tranny, disc brakes, a clean fuel tank from a 1979, and reupholstered seats ($250 front and rear bench, with new padding, hell of a deal). Yesterday I went on a trail called the John Bull (if in so cal, you know what it is). I turned around part way because there were no other vehicles with me and my intoxicated wife and her brother don't spot too well. Now if it wasn't stock, I woulndn't have turned around (good thing I did, had bad carb problems soon after). It will not stay stock, no way, no how. I will not stop until 37"s fit under it. And this manual steering s*** on large boulders, talk about cardiovascular exercise.