new 45 short bed !!

[lomusass]

Putting this out to get opinions,
The bed will be in it's position about two inches away from the cab, (a tad closer than this image) the bed will be in the style of the LPB,
Had a load of people asking about this shortbed project, we mothballed it last year, but now it's out again and will get it finished.
The rear "bed" right now is paper, just to give a rough idea of what we're looking at.
Looks like we'll extend the centre section of the frame by about 12 inches,
going to put a big gas tank under the bed.
This will be made on a 40 frame, sure, much easier to cut a long bed frame, but there getting hard and expensive to find a good one.
Please any input you fella's might have would be really appreciated
Best Regards.
Paul.

 

[lomusass]

45 short bed..

85 views and no opinions..
Should I just stick the dust covers back over it?
Come on..Let me know if I'm wasting my time or not.. had lots of people asking me about it before, am I to late? Is it a bag of s***.!
tell me what you guys think.
Paul

 

[Leaping Deer]

I like it.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

whelp. I know of more than 1 long bed 45 back that's been cut down to fit a shortened or swb.
Are you making it fit essentially a swb frame/wheelbase dimensions or a lengthened 40 frame. or a stock 40 frame.

While I like the idea it would have to be set for a certain wheelbase to be usefull to the masses. if you made it the swb removable top size frame/wheelbase fitment it might be more useful. With that sizing you would have to recommend to fabbers how much to add onto a 40 frame to make it fit. Covers 2 different build scenarios. I'll be honest you have to coach an average joe into what they can do with this.. Otherwise they'll just look at it and go 'cool" but if you told em how much to add to a frame and where to add it your sales potential goes up.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

I like the idea of a SWB style short bed to fit on a standard 40 frame.

What about a "kit" to shorten a 40 into a half cab to mate up with a separate SWB style short bed, something that could fit in right AFT of the rockers?

...https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/171449-fj40-half-cab.html

 

[fjwagon]

I like the idea of a shortbed but don't make it too short it's not practical. I like the LWB version but the ass end sometimes gets in the way. Just my opinion.

 

[65swb45]

Just saw this thread for the first time Paul.

Don't expect a lot of people to line up for this. IMO, the frame lengthening is the deal killer. Anyone with the fab skilz/time/money to extend their frame is much more likely to also have the resources to fab a custom bed as well. Now that they can purchase 45 bed sides as stand alones, that cuts the 'draw' for this as well.

Of course if you could produce a bunch of those and get them stateside for 1k, you could prove me wrong. But I am also assuming that this is a 2k+ product.

Best

Mark A.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Totally agree with Mark, which is why I mentioned going with a standard 40 frame.

Wife and I like the look of the half cab below, but would rather have a separate stock looking, "tilt-able" bed...small garden.
So going with a standard frame, with minimal frame work to the end user, could one flip the springs to push the rear axle back a little? Could a kit be put together that would include tub shortening, new short bed, longer drive shaft, longer brake line...etc?

Please note...I never did anything like this, so just thinking out loud

 

[cruiser_guy]

Wife and I like the look of the half cab below,...

This has been done a few times. My buddy in Honduras has the same thing with his '40 series.




If anyone is interested in the cab/short box setup (or just a new tub) I need to go down to Paul's shop later this year, probably end of September/October and I can drive your truck down, Paul will do the work, you fly down and we caravan back stateside.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

SHOTGUN!!














arrrg - can't get the time off!

 

[cruiser_guy]

SHOTGUN!!

It's less than a two week trip. Surely you can spare two weeks? If it's timed right I might even take in Surf N Turf in November.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

You make a compelling argument there. Long distance travel to Central America, a visit to Paul's place and Surf-n-Turf. Would certainly be an adventure.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Sounds more like a pilgrimage than an adventure

...Maybe you can use the excuse that you had to go for work

 

[lomusass]

short bed..

Fellas, thanks so much for the input..
My original plan was to leave the 40 frame as is, but It will not work with the cab of a pick up, the rear wheel is way to close to the cab, we thought about cutting out and forming a recess, but it takes away the strength from the lower corners of the cab and just looks like s***.
The easiest solution is to spin around the hangers, that'll shove the rear diff back about 12 inches, but I dont like the position of the diff with regards the frame, and to get the bed to look right, it was just not working.
So this led us to where we are ..a frame extension, we'll proberbly add a tad at the back as well if you use a valance from the lpb style bed, thinking also about a repro Bandi tailgate too.
Made a load of those half cabs, I like them, but in this case I wanted a seperate bed,
Now if there are guys out there who want a half cab from steel let me know, it will be the same cab back as the pick up, same forms etc, we should be able to make it bolt on.
We already make fibreglass tops for the cab and also steel ones.
Anyways.
Please keep comming up with wants and needs and ideas
Kind Regards.
Paul.

 

[lomusass]

45 short bed..

forgot to mention that we can make those half cabs from fibreglass too..

 

[Marcfj-45]

Man you are too late i've done that .....Took me 5 years.

Nice work as usual Keep posting pic. of all the modification and restoration you did .Not only on this but for the fj45 you work on.


Marc-Antoine