Engineering a rebodied vehicle

[toughnut]

G'day guys.
Just a quick one. Is there anything that stops you from putting a later model body on an older model chassis? Just sorting through a few ideas for my next project.

Cheers

[5inchgq]

Mate I was told I couldn't put a G60 body on a GQ chassis in QLD recently, but I have since learned it has more to do with the engineer you use than anything else.......

[micka1]

G'day guys.
Just a quick one. Is there anything that stops you from putting a later model body on an older model chassis? Just sorting through a few ideas for my next project.

Cheers

Usually this is not a problem cause the later model body complys to more adrs etc .. you'll find if you say put a gu cab on a gq chassis you'll just have to fulfil the gq or chassis your putting it ons adrs / engineering requirements- this is in nsw and last time we did something like this anyway .. hope you get the drift .

[toughnut]

Thanks guys. I'll be chatting to a couple of engineers anyway but I'm just trying to plan out a few things.

Cheers

[justinshere]

I just got a 97 Hilux Xcab body engineered on a 90 single cab chassis.
I can PM you the engineer details if you like. He's in your area.
Cheers

[stilivn]

I just got a 97 Hilux Xcab body engineered on a 90 single cab chassis.
I can PM you the engineer details if you like. He's in your area.
Cheers

How much did this cost you mate. Im looking at doing something similar too.

[toughnut]

I just got a 97 Hilux Xcab body engineered on a 90 single cab chassis.
I can PM you the engineer details if you like. He's in your area.
Cheers

That would be awesome mate. I'm still trying to choose a decent engineer. I'm not trying to be dodgy just someone that doesn't get scared when new ideas are put in front of them. lol

[KUSTOMV840]

G'day guys.
Just a quick one. Is there anything that stops you from putting a later model body on an older model chassis? Just sorting through a few ideas for my next project.

Cheers

Usually this is not a problem cause the later model body complys to more adrs etc .. you'll find if you say put a gu cab on a gq chassis you'll just have to fulfil the gq or chassis your putting it ons adrs / engineering requirements- this is in nsw and last time we did something like this anyway .. hope you get the drift .

Thats right Micka. I was going to put a 45 body on a 80 chassis.. I just had to meet the ADR's and emissions of the chassis yr... This is NSW so other states could be different. Doesn't matter what body you use, its all down to the chassis yr made is what you have to comply to.

KUSTOM.

[84sloth]

had no drama's getting my compiled. 84hj47 cab to 1991 hzj80 chassis.. being diesel i spose it doesnt have emission control like a petrol one would. only thing my engineer was worried about was hj47 booster to 80 brakes.. i ended up putting 80series master onto my booster. and he was happy. oh and also steering. keeping stock components from different models is fine aslong as there is no cutting or weakening of it. all in good old QLD but
cant see why it would be any different in your case. later model body to early chassis. if anything that would be easier?

[toughnut]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm heading back to work on friday for another month in China so nothing will happen until I get back from there but this looks like the direction that I'll be heading.

[justinshere]

I just got a 97 Hilux Xcab body engineered on a 90 single cab chassis.
I can PM you the engineer details if you like. He's in your area.
Cheers

How much did this cost you mate. Im looking at doing something similar too.

I got quite a few other things on the papers also, every area on the front page of the certificate apart from "wheels and tyres' and 'engine' was modified. It was 700 total.

Cheers

[BlueSuzy]

I looked into using a 00 jimny chassis with a 88 lwb sierra body.

Problem is this chassis had airbags and the new body needed to be brought up to adr specs for safety etc, and use airbags and guages etc.

So late model chassis is abit hard to do. I did have all the parts, but not ideal timewise. So much time for so little gain, but it would of drove nicer than a sierra.

[DUDELUX]

Let me know the details on your engineer too please Justin.
If I cant find a LN65 dual cab in decent condition, then Ill have to go a later model cab on my chassis.

Cheers mate.

[DUDELUX]

Just curious about something.

Im going to fit an 84 dual cab Lux shell onto my 86 dual cab Lux chassis, wil this need to be engineered??

It would be alot easier to just swap my good parts onto the 84(as its a complete car), but it was last regoed in QLD, and has been out of rego since 09.
So Im thinking that if I want to get it re-regoed here(NSW), then it will have to go over the pits for blue slip then pink slip, plus engineering for my good stuff.

[thehanko]

Just curious about something.

Im going to fit an 84 dual cab Lux shell onto my 86 dual cab Lux chassis, wil this need to be engineered??

It would be alot easier to just swap my good parts onto the 84(as its a complete car), but it was last regoed in QLD, and has been out of rego since 09.
So Im thinking that if I want to get it re-regoed here(NSW), then it will have to go over the pits for blue slip then pink slip, plus engineering for my good stuff.

Is the 84 the same model? if so then no engineer needed.

To rego the new (older truck) it will need a blue slip - but not a pink slip its one or the other.

Im not 100% sure but i think putting the 84 body onto your 86 chassis will still need a blue slip to modify the rego details / records. but not 100% sure on that though as its chassis and engine listed on rego not body number. but if you put the correct compliance plate on your 84 cab and they are the same... who would ever know.


if going for a bluey you want a fairly stocker car they can be pretty strict depending on the inspector of course - e.g get the 84 blue slipped then put your goodies onto it if going down that route.

[DUDELUX]

Thanks mate.

Im actually thinking about just sorting out the 84 lux, and getting it blueslipped then regoed.

A cab swap seems like alot of work.

But compare that to all the stuff that will need to be swapped over from the 86 lux(engine, gearbox, diffs, axles, brakes, master cyl and booster- just because I know the history of them and they have either been upgraded, replaced or maintained, where as I have no idea about the history of the 84)
If that makes sense.

Im sure itll be alot easier to swap and engine and gearbox, than it would be to swap a complete cab.

Should I talk to an engineer about it??
Or just find a blue slip inspector locally and have a chat to them??

[stilivn]

Thanks mate.

Im actually thinking about just sorting out the 84 lux, and getting it blueslipped then regoed.

A cab swap seems like alot of work.

But compare that to all the stuff that will need to be swapped over from the 86 lux(engine, gearbox, diffs, axles, brakes, master cyl and booster- just because I know the history of them and they have either been upgraded, replaced or maintained, where as I have no idea about the history of the 84)
If that makes sense.

Im sure itll be alot easier to swap and engine and gearbox, than it would be to swap a complete cab.

Should I talk to an engineer about it??
Or just find a blue slip inspector locally and have a chat to them??

The body does have its own number, not sure where it would be recorded but. You will also need a blue slip for change of colour, highly advisable in a modded 4by as if a cop runs your plate and the colours dont match up they will pull you over and start inspecting. You will also need engine no. Updated somehow.

[thehanko]

Thanks mate.

Im actually thinking about just sorting out the 84 lux, and getting it blueslipped then regoed.

A cab swap seems like alot of work.

But compare that to all the stuff that will need to be swapped over from the 86 lux(engine, gearbox, diffs, axles, brakes, master cyl and booster- just because I know the history of them and they have either been upgraded, replaced or maintained, where as I have no idea about the history of the 84)
If that makes sense.

Im sure itll be alot easier to swap and engine and gearbox, than it would be to swap a complete cab.

Should I talk to an engineer about it??
Or just find a blue slip inspector locally and have a chat to them??

The body does have its own number, not sure where it would be recorded but. You will also need a blue slip for change of colour, highly advisable in a modded 4by as if a cop runs your plate and the colours dont match up they will pull you over and start inspecting. You will also need engine no. Updated somehow.

very good to know.

[thehanko]

Thanks mate.

Im actually thinking about just sorting out the 84 lux, and getting it blueslipped then regoed.

A cab swap seems like alot of work.

But compare that to all the stuff that will need to be swapped over from the 86 lux(engine, gearbox, diffs, axles, brakes, master cyl and booster- just because I know the history of them and they have either been upgraded, replaced or maintained, where as I have no idea about the history of the 84)
If that makes sense.

Im sure itll be alot easier to swap and engine and gearbox, than it would be to swap a complete cab.

Should I talk to an engineer about it??
Or just find a blue slip inspector locally and have a chat to them??

swapping a cab is a bit of work indeed but not as much as you would think. I'm pretty sure i could swap a cab quicker than all the other things you mentioned. The fact that its a dually will make it weight a bit more, ive only done singles. do you have a way of lifting it? you need that bit whether its engine or body though i guess - a tree and a block and tackle would suffice.

When i pulled a cab off, i just unplugged the wiring from the engine disconnected rad and removed it, brake booster and clutch from fire wall, steering arm, wiring plugs under the floor etc, then lift off and repeat on other truck. its an easier job than you probably imagine. especially if they are same cab same loom etc as it will un plug and re plug. you might need to loosen and rotate in towards the block things like alternators etc or remove them in a worst case but i wouldn't expect to need to. then bolted a 2 x 4 to the rear cab mounts and a 2 x 4 to the front cab mounts and four of us lifted and walked away - the hard part was getting past the tyres lol.

2 guys could swap a cab with time for beers at the end in a day.