Thread: RRC ute conversion

Will follow this with interest. Would one day like to chop my '86 into a tray back. Will be at a guys place that has a single cab/tray rangie comp truck (is, or was registered in NSW) in a few weeks, intend to give the cab a good going over as to how it was chopped.

Originally Posted by Rick1970

Will follow this with interest. Would one day like to chop my '86 into a tray back. Will be at a guys place that has a single cab/tray rangie comp truck (is, or was registered in NSW) in a few weeks, intend to give the cab a good going over as to how it was chopped.

Rick,

If you can, put some pictures up. All of the pictures I have found on the net don't show any close up detail, just of an angle from 20ft away.

Cheers

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Will try and get some pix, i'm hoping the rear of the cab isn't trimmed as such, so can get some idea of how it was chopped.


Hope to get a good look at this one, hope you don't mind Dave

That would be good. If you can, could you get some pics of how the tray is mounted to the chassis. I'd like to get a tool box made up and I just had some concern about how to mount it. Looks like I will have to weld on some mounting points.

I also found some time today to give Les Richmond Automotive a call to follow up the Email I sent last week. Turns out that the guru for the ute conversion is away until Monday. So I'm looking forward to that conversation, to get a better idea about the tray back kit.

I was also advised that there is a couple of week turn around in getting the kit as they only stock the steel bits and have the fibreglass parts made as required.

Will update as I find out more.

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*Update*

Spoke with the guru about the ute kit. They supply the back panel, brackets, fibreglass bits and the vinyl wrap around bits for the C pillar. The only thing you need to sort are bolts, rivits and glass for the back panel.

He also said that, for the tray back, they cut the body at the top of the 45? in front of the back seat and steal the quarter glass out of the back door and the existing C pillar. That fits behind the B pillar and then the gap left by the rear door is filled with some panels they supply and the corners are finished off with a fibreglass corner panel after the back panel is fitted.

Sounds pretty neat and well finished. Also sounds a damn lot simpler than just cutting and hoping for the best. It also comes with a letter to hand to the rego people to help get the changes through.

So attached is a pic of what I will be attacking. All I need for it is a gearbox, possibly a engine and gearbox. If anyone has a 2.4lt diesel and gearbox floating about, let me know.

Can't wait to get started.


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Sounds like you may have a VM diesel. 300TDi is probably a better (IMO) option

Originally Posted by pop058

Sounds like you may have a VM diesel. 300TDi is probably a better (IMO) option

Oh it most definitely is a VM.

The 300TDi is a good option and I have already sourced one from another member on this site, but from what I have read here, the swap requires engine mounts from a discovery. Sourcing them here will be impossible. So if the engine is good, il stick with that until I get back down south.

Either way, I will still need a gearbox/transfer case.

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Chances are the engine won't be good - they never were...

Getting mounts to suit the 300tdi should be straightforward I would have thought.