I think the Pig is going under the Knife!

[MiniPigg]

Well,

I really love Pigs. I am also some what of an introvert when it comes to wheeling and doing things. I tend to go out on my own and do my own work, if I do ask for help it only involves one or two people I know. Don't get me wrong I am more then willing to give you the shirt off my back and have plenty of times to fellow cruiser heads and vw heads and have comes across those that have helped me in my time of need. Of course there have been a few that have been complete asses about it too and have been greed driven and could care less about helping me or my family and were only there to get out of the experience all they could take and then some. Everyone has been through this at least one time in their life or will at some point.

I've been asked why am I trying to get out of cruisers. Well Im not wanting to get out of cruisers. And for now it looks as if some one out there does not want me to either. I have had a lot of people inquire about the Cummins 6AT engine I have for sale but not one of them has followed through with saying they will buy it. Several having chosen the 4BT route telling me it has more potential of making more power. My head hurts to much and I am to tired from all the meds they have me on to argue with a man that has a need for a phallic symbol that he can have dual 10" black smoke stacks blotting out the sun above his trucks cab. Maybe the Cruiser Gawds are watching who knows... I do get lower ballers, like 1000 for the entire truck, Im just curious who on here would sale this truck for 1000? Then admit they cold it for that price? lol I could get 550 for the wheels right now.

So here is what is happening for anyone thats even remotely interested. Some of my friends remember that I started to have seizures back around 2001. I just didn't advertise it on any of the cruiser lists or at any of the club meetings for the clubs I belonged to. I did let the club officers know about my medical just incase something happened because it is the responsible thing to do for anyone who has been diagnosed with epilepsy or any serious illness. If you haven't said anything you are really putting everyone one in your immediate area in danger. 2008 I was diagnosed with TLE or Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. My wife divorced me shortly there after and I lost a lot of my friends as well and had a few little bouts here on mud one a couple. Oh well not much I can do about that now. I paid my respects and they continued to talk s***. Fxxx em. One made off with a gold mine of parts and a couple land cruisers and did nothing but cry and complain. All he had to do was give me his time for two or three days and help me get my cruiser back on the road. I might have lost some of my fellow club members respect over that bout because I had to bring it in public, but what happened happened and it got the job done. And I did it during my drug therapy being adjusted. I do apologies again if I seemed out of line. How ever there was more to it then what could ever be said.
I havent been on the forums in a long time. But I might be here a little longer now.
I am not allowed to wheel any longer. I can not go out on day hikes and I no longer ride a bike. I might be getting a service dog but I just am not sure if I want to do that right now in my life. I dont know why, maybe I feel like Im giving up on myself if I allow myself the luxury of a service dog who knows? I can drive my car now so Im happy about that because the meds I am on are working but the side effects suck. At times it feels like my testicles are being kicked or I get migraines.
Or my skin feels like it is on fire and I have a head full of molten lead. They suck but its better then seeing things or having the stench of dead people pasted inside of your nose and sinuses. Or hearing voices or radios. Yeah scary huh? Sounds a lot like schizophrenia but its not because if it were I would not have any positive progression with my medications they have me on. Anyway I dont plan on being one of those guys you hear about on the eight oclock news that they are out doing a search for because he went out for a day hike or went out wheeling on a logging trail and disappeared. That was my reasoning for selling my cruiser. But now that it seems to be staying I might cut it up and do something with it.

I need a truck. My 16 yo daughter wont drive a stick shift and so I would need to convert this over to an automatic transmission. If I did convert it over I need to come up with something that would work with the 6AT. Any suggestions? Because there are times she is going to have to drive me. The Ranger OD will be going away.

I will be converting this into a single cab pick up truck. I have a photo chop shop image I will try and post.

 

[Delancy]

Don't have any tech to offer, but do love the Pig trucks.

Realize a Photochop, but the lines look good.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I like how you propose to keep the cabin and bed separate. NOW I have some tech for you here >give yourself MORE cab than I did...cut it at 15" aft of the leading edge of the Bpillar. I am 5'8" and have very little adjustability in my seats to allow big people to drive it...it is a good fit for me, but maybe not for a daddy long legs or some one whose rig will be driven by others or if there is potential for selling it in the future. you can shave it down a teensy bit more for more of a bed, but don't cut yourself short to start with ALSO importante* find the bulkhead location at both rear door rockers, figure out the vertical lines you want the rear to take, mark the bulkhead location at the gutter rails of both back door frames(back doors removed, all glass removed or cover with something that won't let welding berries thru...) burn in a lower and an upper and at least one diagonal brace at the bulkhead cut spots; use sacraficial angle iron, preferably straight to also use as straight edges for cutting. brace the rig at the floors and the gutter and then from floor to opposite gutter. figure out what kind of material you will use as Cpillars rear floor support/body mount channel, upper and depending on your design, a middle cross beam. fab the pillars first and provide for them to have enough leg to get thru to tie directly to the rocker beams you will install BEFORE any cutting happens. after you have your pillar somewhat figured out, you can extrapulate for the cross members and floor support. My floor support is a Z channel on the bottom of the pan and a piece of 2X on top of the pan, all clamped and welded together. I recommend getting the uprights and horizontals somewhat engineered so that once cutting starts, things can be test fit to fine tune placement. I recommend installing the rockers first AFTER bracing, then install floor support, THEN cut. then fit uprights and cross beams. then fill in the blanks

I think an FJ45 pick up rear non slider window is better than what I did(custom tempered and universal gasket) the 45 window is flat and can be cut but the best thing is the somewhat factory gasket that is available aftermarket weld in supports for fj60 retracting seat belts before you paint Doing a "style side bed" like you have shown is cool(aussie for factory as opposed to a tray or backie as I have) If you are really good and determined, you can fab it so the bulkhead is comprised mostly of a "hatch" that can be removed for when you have the camper shell on. for this, build your supports around the perimeter and omit the middle cross beam. If you have seen my pics of the chop yet, you should check them out.

if you redesigned the floor entirely to rise up and become more like the floor of a minitruck, you can mount gas or whatever tanks under the seats- the gas tank eats all possibility for a low and deep bed where it sit now HTH gunna be nice to have a friend(most people don't know it's not a factory single cab. one guy told me outright they made em like this for the world market. I set him straight)

 

[greentruck]

Love that Photoshop. You could work for Mr. T's design studio.

x2 on leaving long enough seat travel in the cab-cut for tall folks. I'm over 6' and the stock seat was too short, so be cautious about it being a guide on this. Add 3" and you'll cover 99%+ of potential drivers. Plus that helps a little with behind the seat storage, always desirable in a pickup.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Love that Photoshop. You could work for Mr. T's design studio.

x2 on leaving long enough seat travel in the cab-cut for tall folks. I'm over 6' and the stock seat was too short, so be cautious about it being a guide on this. Add 3" and you'll cover 99%+ of potential drivers. Plus that helps a little with behind the seat storage, always desirable in a pickup.

trust us, you'll need it. if you pay no heed to anything else I say, pay attention when I say longer is better

 

[MiniPigg]

trust us, you'll need it. if you pay no heed to anything else I say, pay attention when I say longer is better

Thanks.

I do have another photo chop of the cabin cut at where the rear seat cushion starts.Thats about where the rear floor still remains somewhat flat but then rises up at an angle. Also I had to adjust the wheel base on that one another six inches for cosmetics but then again I can post both photo's after I find them.

Im not sure who's truck this is that I used for the cut and paste job.

I am 5'9". I think I might also move the steering wheel in towards the dash a little too.


Any idea's on what automatic transmission to go with?

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Thanks.

I do have another photo chop of the cabin cut at where the rear seat cushion starts.Thats about where the rear floor still remains somewhat flat but then rises up at an angle. Also I had to adjust the wheel base on that one another six inches for cosmetics but then again I can post both photo's after I find them.

Im not sure who's truck this is that I used for the cut and paste job.

I am 5'9". I think I might also move the steering wheel in towards the dash a little too.


Any idea's on what automatic transmission to go with?

not sure about the foreign transmission but I'd say be carefull moving the wheel in...my fingers have come in contact with the windshield under hard steering conditions, I opted to NOT attempt for this reason. but YMMV If I were to do it again, I would remove the windows complete from the back doors. gut the back doors, modify the window frame to omit the roll-up section completley, leaving the fixed glass with a frame on all 4 sides of it. weld the new skinny window to the leading edge of the back doors, butt up against the trailing edge of the Bpillar, use the windows angle to dictate the upper half of the bulkheads angle, cut the doors straight down from the door top to the rocker, or maybe even at an opposing angle to the upper half(very slight incline on the bottom half) build up the Cpillars to make the corners, then skin the rear panel. Someone suggested I use the tail gate guts and rear window to have a roll-up rear glass, but I opted not to due to the cost of the weatherstripping. just some ideas...

 

[MiniPigg]

not sure about the foreign transmission but I'd say be carefull moving the wheel in...my fingers have come in contact with the windshield under hard steering conditions, I opted to NOT attempt for this reason. but YMMV If I were to do it again, I would remove the windows complete from the back doors. gut the back doors, modify the window frame to omit the roll-up section completley, leaving the fixed glass with a frame on all 4 sides of it. weld the new skinny window to the leading edge of the back doors, butt up against the trailing edge of the Bpillar, use the windows angle to dictate the upper half of the bulkheads angle, cut the doors straight down from the door top to the rocker, or maybe even at an opposing angle to the upper half(very slight incline on the bottom half) build up the Cpillars to make the corners, then skin the rear panel. Someone suggested I use the tail gate guts and rear window to have a roll-up rear glass, but I opted not to due to the cost of the weatherstripping. just some ideas...

I will be cutting the C and D pillars off. The rear doors will be gutted completely so it will just be the door skins with no frames at all. Those will be spot welded onto what will become the bed. That entire rear section will be removed and set aside for later as I will only be working on the cab this winter. It will be a more custom-restro look.

Im still deciding what to do about the back window. I do not want to use the back of the 55 for the cab. All photo shops I have done over the years had included the 40 series tops and rear tubs. But I think I would rather go another route if I am going to try and do this. Im also going to have to talk to my doc and see if she is going to let me weld. I wont be doing it alone but I am just afraid it will spark a seizure and then Im back to square one and not allowed to drive again. What I might do is clean everything down to the metal and in some spots braze in new sheet metal. Most people don't really do that anymore but I can tell you Ive seen some trucks that have had fenders brazed and you could take a hammer to them all day long and they aren't going to budge. Could use some ideas on back glass.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Could use some ideas on back glass.

How about finding something from a salvage yard from a modern truck with either a sliding rear window or one of the ones that have the one piece window that rolls down. ???

Too modern???

 

[MiniPigg]

How about finding something from a salvage yard from a modern truck with either a sliding rear window or one of the ones that have the one piece window that rolls down. ???

Too modern???

No not to modern.... I did look at a newer toyota and dodge dakota a couple weeks ago. So you can see its something Ive been kicking around. Ive also thought about late and early GM trucks too... Use the complete rear half and then cut and weld in side from another FJ55 sheet metal I have to give it the same sides. But I would have the rear bulkhead from the GM truck and the rear glass... either a small truck window, or the big window. Not sure what a about the big wrap around window or the three piece for the five window cabs.

 

[hermosa11]

If you are going to do it, do it right.

had some fun making a pick-up version in the photoshops. Not sure if you would need/want the cab/bed split, especially given the starting point. Would for sure make a quarter window from the rear pillars and even allow a drop window. This would give the added room behind for seat adjustment and generally be much cooler overall.

Biggest hurdle I can see would be seats and flooring issues behind the front bench.
Then again, I am no engineer.

Anyway, if I had the time and money...

Hermosa

 

[MiniPigg]

If you are going to do it, do it right.

had some fun making a pick-up version in the photoshops. Not sure if you would need/want the cab/bed split, especially given the starting point. Would for sure make a quarter window from the rear pillars and even allow a drop window. This would give the added room behind for seat adjustment and generally be much cooler overall.

Biggest hurdle I can see would be seats and flooring issues behind the front bench.
Then again, I am no engineer.

Anyway, if I had the time and money...

Hermosa

Hey that looks pretty good. I want to cut the pig in half. Starting at the beginning
The seat all the way back and a little room left behind it thats about where I was looking to cut the floor and make the addition to the cab. Then I would need to cut and move the second set of body mounts and move then forward a little. You can see in the photo the blue dot is about where a mans head would be with the seat all the way back but not on the actual head rest. Well depending on how tall you are but its just for reference anyway. I will experiment on the length of the cab and see what it looks like. The axle can be moved back by relocation of the spring pin and having new main leafs made that are longer. Front hanger can stay and just relocate the rear hanger. You can see where the only body bushings are located for the cab of the truck.

 

[hermosa11]

version 2

MiniPigg,
Reading over your statements and seeing your image gave me more understanding of your goals. Your points about cutting in half is valid along with the stretch.

I did a second version with a bit of a lift, stretched bed and removed the quarter windows. Oh, and added a hood spare for the heck of it.

I still like the back C-pillar of the 55 to complete the new cabin...

 

[MiniPigg]

MiniPigg,
Reading over your statements and seeing your image gave me more understanding of your goals. Your points about cutting in half is valid along with the stretch.

I did a second version with a bit of a lift, stretched bed and removed the quarter windows. Oh, and added a hood spare for the heck of it.

I still like the back C-pillar of the 55 to complete the new cabin...

Thats a ton better. Now part the bed and see what you have.

What do you think about taking the spare tire off the hood and putting it in the back of the bed up against the bulkhead? Or along side the bed like on older trucks?

 

[hermosa11]

cont...

Thats a ton better. Now part the bed and see what you have.

What do you think about taking the spare tire off the hood and putting it in the back of the bed up against the bulkhead? Or along side the bed like on older trucks?

coming right up. thought the same on the tire.

 

[Sno bored]

Someone on mud came up with a fj45 sliding rear window, same size and gasket as the 45 window with a sllider.

 

[hermosa11]

split

Here is the split cab/bed and spare.

 

[tucker74]

I always liked the way Christo did the cab on the 80 series he made a pickup, essentially using the rear door fixed window to give the cab more room. I think this is what Lambcrusher was suggesting, I do like the separated bed you are considering rather than fixed.

This photoshop by Treeroot was always my favorite pig-up:



Not going to be enough room for a human to sit in it w/o extending a bit, I know the tops of my buckets are well into the rear doors (I'm 6'1").



Tucker

 

[greentruck]

SNIP
Not going to be enough room for a human to sit in it w/o extending a bit, I know the tops of my buckets are well into the rear doors (I'm 6'1").

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/tuc...6D-1166-0000008637E72840_zpse6cebec7.jpg.html

Tucker

Yeah, that's why I was saying about 3" backwards is around what you want to add to the original seat mounting points. I'm just a little taller than you, so would be good to hear from you if my memory on this is correct, since I've not sat in a Pig for nearly 30 years. Maybe it should be 4"? Obviously, your wheel starts receding into the distance, but there are ways to deal with that, whereas too short always requires major surgery.

 

[MiniPigg]

Yeah, that's why I was saying about 3" backwards is around what you want to add to the original seat mounting points. I'm just a little taller than you, so would be good to hear from you if my memory on this is correct, since I've not sat in a Pig for nearly 30 years. Maybe it should be 4"? Obviously, your wheel starts receding into the distance, but there are ways to deal with that, whereas too short always requires major surgery.

I think I have it measured about right. The bench seat is all the way back and then you have a little wiggle room. But not so much it looks goofy. I mean I want it to look like it came from the factory this way but also be functional. Lucky for me Im actually 5'8.5" and just weighed myself today at 198. The new medication mixtures they have me on has dropped my weight by fifty pounds since July. Im due for an increase in my dosage so hey maybe I will a wafer by years end. Reminds me of the Stephen King movie Thinner.



Guys one thing I was thinking about was modifying the steering column into a telescopic and maybe title steering. Also the rear axle is an easy adjustment so its not difficult to move back to make room for the cab. I like the tire on the side of the bed thats nice. There are earlier trucks that also have the tire up against the beds front bulkhead and receded somewhat into the bed so it sits facing flat against the back of the cab and shallow of the beds top.