Chop Toohey

[Kiwijero]

Have been considering for a long time how to protect the body of my truck, internal roll bar ? external cage ?



Meanwhile the body keeps getting further beaten up. And I needed to replace the std rear bumper with a steel bar, damage to front pillars, roof line etc. The truck is well used as a bush truck but needs to stay road legal as I don't have room for a trailer.

So I decided to get the back cut down to a Cab Ute (like Mad Geordies http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/sutra1490 ... t=#1490941) but add an external roll cage over the cab. As the rear quarters on my truck are fairly battered, I picked up another rear door surround from a mate scrapping a SWB, to use to form the rear of the cab.

However on the way to drop the truck off at the Engineer's I decided...... full cab cut and tray back with front external cage. Do it all now and not piecemeal later.

So.... the back has been chopped off !




They folded up a rear wall section, ready for the rear window (heated glass etc) to install above., and then started on the cab corners. As the body is wider at the B piller than at the rear, he welded the corners in first and then filled along the roof line with the gutter section off the rear door opening.


The window and surround cut off the rear door were tacked into the opening, and plated in at the sides.





Cab is finished outside, still work to do in the cab, mounts for the harness, tidy up, paint and get as much of the lining back up.



Next build the Tray, move the fuel tank up and underneath the tray, shorten the chassis, and mount the spare wheel behind the roll cage hoop. Then build the external roll cage over the cab.......

[GetAShorty]

that looks cool man.. im thinkin of doin the same to mine in a few years when i would be able to afford it.. cant wait to see wat it looks like when its done..

[big wheel sigma]

Looking good mate. What kind of tray r u doing.
doing mine atm, chop, tube tray, exo cage.
Cheers Jeff

[MUMSRIG]

What a wicked little beast..

This thing looks tuff as!

[WACKO]

very cool man... very nice tidy job!
is that brians workshop in naenae? they did the modifications to my diff housing when i did the SAS on my paj. think i also know that paj from around the hutt a while back.

i will be watching this thread with interest as its somthing i intend to do to mine when i get back from overseas.

Sam

[Kiwijero]

Rear crossmember's been shortend and replaced. The standard pajero Rear hitch for hook has been moved to the new xmember. We will also mount a warn 9000 below and behind the rear xmember.




Have now confirmed where the spare tyre and fuel tank will go. Toolbox will mount to the rear of the tyre on the deck.


Now the build of the tray continues....

[big wheel sigma]

the trays looking good man. i was gunna do the same with the spare but was worried about seeing past it, and was also gunna have the spare sitting on an angle like in the pics i sent ya but now will bolt to top of tray only cause there wasn't anyware to mount the number plate

[Kiwijero]

Hi Sam

Yes it is Brians workshop. I've had the truck about 4 years now, so yes you probably have seen it around the Hutt a few times, maybe in the Akas.

cheers

Charles

[the pajeee]

love this build, id love to do it to mine someday but duel cab. keep this pics comin

[WACKO]

Hi Sam

Yes it is Brians workshop. I've had the truck about 4 years now, so yes you probably have seen it around the Hutt a few times, maybe in the Akas.

cheers

Charles

i didnt realise it was you Charles. thought it was bens brothers old one, but ive actually been on a trip that you were on through the 10hr track a few years back, i was a passenger. whens the SAS happeneing then?

Sam

[Kiwijero]

Hi sam
No SAS it the moment.... Front locker gives me all the additional traction I need.

maybe when I get sick off replacing bent idler arms every warrant of fitness

[Kiwijero]

The exo-cage is built, with the front bar coming down onto the side bar.





Had to remove the snorkel to fit the right hand side bar, so considering either shortening the snorkel where it mounts along the body panel, or building a new one from stainless pipe (3"). There's no rush to do this as it has to come off to remove the tray and cage to get it powder coated.

Pipe work almost finished, just weld tags onto the pipe where we will fit tread plate for the deck and sides.

[Kiwijero]

Work to do....
mount XD9000 winch to rear cross member
tags to pipe to mount tread plate deck
cut tread plate to fit
Mount high lift jack to rear cage
mount & wire stop lights
mount rear flood lights (maybe LCD) for reversing
harness mounts in cab
mount new seats
sand & bog cab and then paint cab inside/out
replace roof lining, interior wall lining where we can
replace dented fuel
power coat tray and cage
resolve snorkel design

GET IT DIRTY

[wb800]

Looks Awesome mate

[opindown]

nice work.

[NJV6]

YES!!!

[scorpion 42]

Looks ok, but mad geordies only lasted one trip after he finished bodging it LOL, now yours, what about some decent rock sliders under thoughs sills, that bit of pipe wont last long in serious hacking, hope you are going to be tieing that petrol tank down real good, for when you turn it upside down, to test out that roll cage,

[Turoa]

thats looking real good charles. jade isnt doing a half bad job shouldve wacked another few inches in the wheel base while it was apart though

[-Scott-]

thats looking real good charles. jade isnt doing a half bad job shouldve wacked another few inches in the wheel base while it was apart though

I agree. Something like this on the long wheel base, with the SWB rear overhang, would be excellent.

[NJV6]

Looks great Charles.

How have you attached the tray to the chassis?
Glen

[big wheel sigma]

Hi Charles, EXO looks good not over done like mine, ha ha ha.
I've finished all the bog work on mine and starting to prime today and will be all painted by sunday, a lot of bog work and glad to be finished. Finished welding the EXO and tray on mine last Sat, just gotta tidy a few welds and paint.
Any idea on what colours the cab and bar works gunna be mate.'
Jeff

[Kiwijero]

Those rock sliders have been there for over 4 years now....... and have seen a fair bit of action in that so no won't be changing them.....

Hi Turoa, yes Jade has done a great job !! I did think about the wheel base, and agree that it would have been good to lengthen now, but decided that didn't have the time (or money) to look at that now....

[Kiwijero]

Hi Glen

The cage bolts to mounts on the side of the chassis (abt where the swaybar mount was) and on top of the chassis at the rear, and then onto the side bar at the front. That way its easily removed to paint.

[Kiwijero]

Will stick with the existing truck colour, blue, prob with a clear coat over it.
The bar/tray will be powder coated black. I have found this is a lot more durable long term.

[Kiwijero]

Got the truck home now. All the tube and chassis work is done. Now the hard work for me.... sand, fill, paint !!

[macneil]

nice work! i have done this same sort of cut to a patrol looks easier todo on a paj tho.. exo looks awesome by the way

[Guy]

Have you considered a bar between the back of the cab down to the corner of the slider ? add strength and somewhere to put a bit of a mud guard to keep your mirrors\windows a bit cleaner.

[-Scott-]

Have you considered a bar between the back of the cab down to the corner of the slider ? add strength and somewhere to put a bit of a mud guard to keep your mirrors\windows a bit cleaner.

I agree. If nothing else, I think it will visually tie them together.

Have a play with paintshop?

[big wheel sigma]

looking good mate nearly there. should have mine finished by easter

[iwan]

looks really cool. certainly one mean machine you got there..