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what do wagon to ute chops REALLY cost ???
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:01 am
by nerida67
with relation to a thread not long ago where people assume they only cost a coupla hundred ($800 max),id like to know wat yours cost ???
so if
1 . youve done yours yourself ,
how many hours did it take how much $$$ and how much stuffin around was it
2 .if you got a shop/professional to do it how much $$$ they charged
u can tell us the name of the shop if u wish
oh and when u got it done also
im not really interested in the half finished "only a few hours to go"
sorta thing,to many variables on peoples"few hours"
more so the finished jobs
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:03 am
by YankeeDave
i chopped mine a few years ago and have since sold it
Chop was done alone at work with a 5" grinder, that took 2 hours.
Touching up the sides and finishing them off took another 6 hours.
I welded up the edges and capped them with folded checker plate. That cost about $60 in ally.
Then i build a roll cage for the truck and that took ages. There was about 15 hours just in that and was around $500 in material for the CDS pipe.
The custom soft top was made by a guy here in Vic for $600 and took him 2 days.

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:34 am
by nerida67
so that was engineered for road use ???
or just a comp style/off road truck ???
maybe i shoulda be been more thorogh in the op
wagon to extra cab fully engineered sorta thing
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:09 am
by Wozza244
Did all this myself, over about 2 wks not solid every day but it is a fair job and ya need to know a bit about a bit
Probably cost me bout $800 in parts, paint, beers etc
So much fiddly stuff involved though
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:10 am
by Wozza244
Did all this myself, over about 2 wks not solid every day but it is a fair job and ya need to know a bit about a bit
Probably cost me bout $800 in parts, paint, beers etc
So much fiddly stuff involved though
Check it out complete with pics
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic174926.php
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:23 am
by toaddog
In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:04 pm
by BrettInUte
Ive just done one. Gu wagon -> dual cab ute.
cost
$2300 for back wall chop + new wall, cut to fit my window, tray mounts, anchor points, no paint.
$700 for undercoat, hi fill, paint (merged) + baked, flares fiberglassed and repainted.
$600 for engineers cert
tray I got for nothing and will cost about $500 all done. But taken LOTS of time on this.
Have sold about $500 of off cuts/left overs to recover some money.
Still have to complete interior tidy up. (DIY)
Ive done all the wiring, bits and pieces, paperwork, running around, tray paint etc myself.
so less than $4K here.
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:44 pm
by money_killer
toaddog wrote:In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
16K

are u shitting me
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:57 pm
by bru21
cost me $1500 inc full respray
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:09 pm
by toaddog
money_killer wrote:toaddog wrote:In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
16K

are u shitting me
I shit you not. Theres a place up here that is doing heaps of them. Trying to find a link to there website.
Thats why I didnt put the 80 series in. Was looking for a panel beater to do the job at a more reasonable price.
Here it is
http://www.rwvconversions.com/rwvconv.htm
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:18 pm
by easeupturbo
been quoted $2500 for a cut and shut and mod plated with out the tray and stuff but said would be cheaper cause i'm sorting the paint out aswell
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:34 pm
by ISUZUROVER
toaddog wrote:money_killer wrote:toaddog wrote:In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
16K

are u shitting me
I shit you not. Theres a place up here that is doing heaps of them. Trying to find a link to there website.
Thats why I didnt put the 80 series in. Was looking for a panel beater to do the job at a more reasonable price.
Here it is
http://www.rwvconversions.com/rwvconv.htm
Can't people use google anymore???
2 seconds turns up the creative conversions price list (not in cairns but I am sure they are similar)...
PRICE LIST (all prices are up to date and include GST)
All Conversion Prices include, GST, cabin conversion, painting (allow $450 extra for metallic paint) pearl paint $POA, rustproofing, interior trim, Aluminium dropside tray, (add $1,650 for steel), QLD Transport approval, 12 mts warranty on all work, or equivalent to new vehicle warranty where applicable
TYPE OF CONVERSION WHEELBASE
PRICE
Wagon converted to a Dual Cab including alloy tray Standard $9,950
Wagon converted to a Dual Cab including alloy tray Extended $14,450
Wagon converted to an Extra Cab including alloy tray Standard $13,250
Wagon converted to an Extra Cab including alloy tray Extended $17,450
Wagon converted to a Single Cab including alloy tray Standard $12,500
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:03 pm
by TROY_86
$2500 and we will chop the cab, fit a rear wall and window, bog and paint in highfill primer. can also build trays, engine conversions, coil conversions, bar work etc for extra.
kritical kustoms located in newcastle.
pm if your interested
or call Troy on 0401651545 or aaron on 0431718878
see build up threads "the gq roverdore" and "HILUX build" for a few picks of our own trucks built.
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:57 pm
by nerida67
TROY,
so thats $2,500 to primer no tray no interior and no paint
is that engineered for road use ???
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:02 pm
by crankycruiser
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:17 pm
by TROY_86
nerida67 wrote:TROY,
so thats $2,500 to primer no tray no interior and no paint
is that engineered for road use ???
That will be eveything done to meet engineering in n.s.w.
We will supply the engineers certificate if its paid for. athol mullen engineering is who we have spoken to regarding all legal standards.
and yes $2500 is the cab cut and shut in extra cab or duel cab then bogged and primed. can work out prices if you require more like tray, sliders, tube bar, exo, respray etc etc
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:37 pm
by SCANAS
I bet the extra cab door gets used all the time crankcruiser.... That's a cool idea!
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:38 pm
by crankycruiser
SCANAS wrote:I bet the extra cab door gets used all the time crankcruiser.... That's a cool idea!
yeah i glad we decided to do that! was a great idea

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:12 pm
by S.CoXy
The only peole i know that that have done cab chops have done it this way...
1. Roll or put on its side and fully insured truck
2. Talk to or know the body shop you want to use
3. Pay the difference...(for the main work)
4. Deck it out ( crankycruiser has done well with bit)
Just a thought.... Unless you have mates or the time and gear your self
[/quote]
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:55 pm
by bogged
ISUZUROVER wrote:toaddog wrote:money_killer wrote:toaddog wrote:In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
16K

are u shitting me
I shit you not. Theres a place up here that is doing heaps of them. Trying to find a link to there website.
Thats why I didnt put the 80 series in. Was looking for a panel beater to do the job at a more reasonable price.
Here it is
http://www.rwvconversions.com/rwvconv.htm
Can't people use google anymore???
2 seconds turns up the creative conversions price list (not in cairns but I am sure they are similar)...
PRICE LIST (all prices are up to date and include GST)
All Conversion Prices include, GST, cabin conversion, painting (allow $450 extra for metallic paint) pearl paint $POA, rustproofing, interior trim, Aluminium dropside tray, (add $1,650 for steel), QLD Transport approval, 12 mts warranty on all work, or equivalent to new vehicle warranty where applicable
TYPE OF CONVERSION WHEELBASE
PRICE
Wagon converted to a Dual Cab including alloy tray Standard $9,950
Wagon converted to a Dual Cab including alloy tray Extended $14,450
Wagon converted to an Extra Cab including alloy tray Standard $13,250
Wagon converted to an Extra Cab including alloy tray Extended $17,450
Wagon converted to a Single Cab including alloy tray Standard $12,500
Yup, plenty of places charging similar prices....
makes me wonder what some of the jobs are like though that cost you $1.00 inc gst and shit.
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:34 pm
by thehanko
ISUZUROVER wrote:toaddog wrote:money_killer wrote:toaddog wrote:In cairns here drive in and drive out will set you back about $16000.
16K

are u shitting me
All Conversion Prices include, GST, cabin conversion, painting (allow $450 extra for metallic paint) pearl paint $POA, rustproofing, interior trim, Aluminium dropside tray, (add $1,650 for steel),
why would a steel tray cost $1650 more than an alloy one? I love that extra cab cranky!
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:17 pm
by nerida67
why would a steel tray cost more than alloy ???
every man and his dog make alloy trays
dont alloy trays come standard with two main rails underneath and u make brackets to suit
a steel tray would probably have to be made for the job i would expect
and yes some off these "$1,000 conversions"would have to be friggin corkers wouldnt they
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:21 pm
by bru21
nerida67 wrote:why would a steel tray cost more than alloy ???
every man and his dog make alloy trays
dont alloy trays come standard with two main rails underneath and u make brackets to suit
a steel tray would probably have to be made for the job i would expect
and yes some off these "$1,000 conversions"would have to be friggin corkers wouldnt they
yeah mine at $1500 was real shit
Its not that hard. and I had free labour - me!

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:49 pm
by rockcrawler31
It's amazing how many sins bog and paint will hide when looking at examples of past work. Trust me from experience price is no guide to quality of work.
A lot of these 2-3k jobs are being done by guys with low overheads in backyard sheds or by themselves. I can see where 10 k goes when you have a big shed and staff like the likes of creative conversions.
My cab was fixed/finally done by creative conversions who charged me a bomb to do it to bare steel finish. By comparison Dale from 2Dextreme is doing 2-3k jobs in a back yard operation that are second to none.
Then there was the cretin who botched my first cab

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:04 pm
by Big_GQ
rockcrawler31 wrote:It's amazing how many sins bog and paint will hide when looking at examples of past work. Trust me from experience price is no guide to quality of work.
A lot of these 2-3k jobs are being done by guys with low overheads in backyard sheds or by themselves. I can see where 10 k goes when you have a big shed and staff like the likes of creative conversions.
My cab was fixed/finally done by creative conversions who charged me a bomb to do it to bare steel finish. By comparison Dale from 2Dextreme is doing 2-3k jobs in a back yard operation that are second to none.
Then there was the cretin who botched my first cab

Who done the first cab?
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:53 pm
by nerida67
yeah i looked at an extra cab for $500 all welded up,but the wombat didnt check much before cutting and welding and the whole thing had a major twist in it , and would have cost more to fix than start fresh
it ended up at the scrap yard ,couldnt even give it away
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:36 am
by jim81
TROY_86 wrote:nerida67 wrote:TROY,
so thats $2,500 to primer no tray no interior and no paint
is that engineered for road use ???
That will be eveything done to meet engineering in n.s.w.
We will supply the engineers certificate if its paid for. athol mullen engineering is who we have spoken to regarding all legal standards.
and yes $2500 is the cab cut and shut in extra cab or duel cab then bogged and primed. can work out prices if you require more like tray, sliders, tube bar, exo, respray etc etc
Troy,
Have go got any photo's of the chops you have done?
Cheers
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:13 pm
by TROY_86
jim81 wrote:TROY_86 wrote:nerida67 wrote:TROY,
so thats $2,500 to primer no tray no interior and no paint
is that engineered for road use ???
That will be eveything done to meet engineering in n.s.w.
We will supply the engineers certificate if its paid for. athol mullen engineering is who we have spoken to regarding all legal standards.
and yes $2500 is the cab cut and shut in extra cab or duel cab then bogged and primed. can work out prices if you require more like tray, sliders, tube bar, exo, respray etc etc
Troy,
Have go got any photo's of the chops you have done?
Cheers
Here are a few pics of a gq patrol we duel cabbed on saturday. We have relocated rear body mounts, braced the rear wall with 35x35 rhs and fabricated the rear wall. Next weekend it will have a window and be bogged and painted in hi-fill primer.
This chop is completely legal and approved for engineereing in n.s.w.
We will post a few more pics as we go if anyone is interested.
Cheers Troy
Kritical Kustoms 0401651545

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:56 pm
by A.J.
Me and a few mates will be doing a dual-cab chop on my GU soon.
I will document it all with pics
It will be budget deluxe haha

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:10 pm
by smurf
Did my GQ Dual Cab Chop myself
Chopped, welded ,bogged, painted and LED lights $1500
Alloy tray ( for now ) from wreckers $200
Engineer $400
All up about $2100