dual cab TOYOTA's

[ellard]

Hi there all

I am not sure this is the correct forum to ask within - but I am intersted in getting a 75 or 80 series and coverting into a dual cab. I have looked at the hilux but they are a little underpowered and I do alot of towing (would like the 6 cylinder diesel)

My little BJ73 is great as a second car but its painfull as the kids are also keen off roaders and theres nothing worse than having only two doors and they climb over the seats.

There are many different variants around has anyone on the forum have any insight into these sorts of builds or pictures.

I hope someone may be able to help

Many thanks

Wayne

[JohnLG]

Ellard,

I own a 1992 75 series crew cab, an ex miner which I purchased about 12 years ago.

In my opinion they are just the bees knees as a camping and recreational truck. They start out life as a single cab chassis, are then chopped in half and an extraq 200mm welded in to give them some length. The roof and rear window are then removed and the extar passenger cab is grafted onto the back and a complete new roof assembley fitted. Looks like a factory job when complete.

There is buckets of room inside and the tray/canopy can be any size you like but about 1600mm long would be about the maximum you can sensibly go without creating to much overhang.

I contemplated trading mine just recently with a view to getting a new one with the latest turbo diesel but the cost was prohibitive. Instead I invested $20k in the devil I knew which included new canopy, complete strip and paint, turbo, diff locks, winch etc etc So hopefully now it's pretty much new again and will give me another 10 years faithful service.

I do have some pictures but being new to this forum really wouldn't have a clue on how to post them. advise me of your email by member messenger and we may be able to provide you with some pics that way.

The manufacturer I am not sure of but do know that Scarborough Toyota have supplied a lot of these to miners so they may be worth a ring.

Enjoy the hunt.

John G

[ellard]

Hi there John

I work within the mining industry - I have seen these trucks, but we dont have them here. We run predominately toyota troopies underground fitted with the side axcess doors (Toyota should have this conversion as standard).

I have some question regarding your 75 dual cab - there was a conversion around a few years ago call a goanna back - a fibre glass dual cab for the 75's is your one of these or a steel conversion.

I would love to see some pictures - and your truck sounds like a very capable rig with its rebuild.

hear from you soon

Wayne

[JohnLG]

Wayne,

Yes, they were commonly called "Goanna-Cabs" but in my experience these were the first rendition of an attempt at converting 75's to dual cabs and the results were less than pretty. They were generally not well finished, looked 'stuck on' and had quite a high roof line which did nothing for the aesthetics of the vehicle.

My vehicle is all steel and looks factory built, even down to the rear door profiles, but I have actually not seen many like this. As chance has it, I am currently working in Collie where this vehicle was initially put into service for the Coal Co down here and have seen the odd dual cab around town. Perhaps I could have a yarn to one of those drivers and find out more. They were initially built to ferry miners around the site with a tray on the back to carry the bits & pieces. I am aware they are still in production tho as i was recently in Tom Price and saw a late model 2005 dual cab running around but didn't bother to run him to ground to find out who manufactured it.

I suppose you have to decide on a budget and take it from there. When i did the sums I figured for a new tojo Turbo it would be $45k for the cab chassis and probably $20k+ for the conversion plus $7k for an Al canopy.
By the time we fit out with radios, fridges, bull bar, lights etc etc etc the figure ended up in the $90+ region. Would end up an ultimate truck but a bit rich for my blood. I know there is a mob in Qld who converts and stretches 100series - "Custom Conversions" - I think but don't know about the workhorse Tojo.

I will make a few enquiries if you like and see if I can track down the manufacturer but really in my opinion you would probably be best finding one second hand and giving it a makeover - as I said previously - as far as a bush camper/tourer they are unequalled by anything on the market. I have had both utes and troopies over the years and my son has a new 100 series but this beats them cold when it comes down to doing the job whilst being able to cart the neccesities for a long offroad trip.

With the addition of the turbo and diff lockers they become a fairly potent offroader and consider this the best money I ever spent.

Email me at johnlg@fabricprinter.com.au and I will send you some pics.

Hope this helps

John G

[mooboy]

Wayne,

I work in Tom Price FIFO and have seen the duel cab crusers running around, was talking to a panel beater mate and he told me that T&L in Perth make the rear section for cutting down wagons ( I was thinking of doing this at on stage) you "just cut back off and weld the panel on" bit more involved than that I think, ball park figure of $4k for the panel with rear glass, also I think Langlies (prob not how spelt) do the same conversion try google.... Hope this might help

cheers

JohnB