rygill

Hi all,
I've had great luck with this forum in the past, tapping into the deep knowledge that has a home here, so I'm hoping for some solutions.

I have an '89 regular cab long box (88.5" long) 4x4. The box has succumbed to rust and I took drastic and decisive action recently: I took an angle grinder and cut the left bed side off. So now I'm committed.

I've removed the box and had good look everywhere. There are a few small holes in the bed, one of the supporting members is rusted out just above the tailpipe, holes in the right wheel well, and of course the missing left bed side.

So now I'm not sure if it's worth getting a body shop to resurrect the box (doubtful), build a flat deck (I find most flatdecks look a little ghetto, but I like the NZ ute style), or order a fiberglass bed (probably worth more than the truck).

Would an older style pickup box fit on the '89 frame mounts? How would the older, more square box match up with the rounder cab? How much am I looking at spending to get this truck functional again, ie not the 4wd, two seater golf cart that it currently is...


Thanks!!

slacker

iTrader: (1)

I know this dosent help you right now .. But I will have fiberglass sides only avaliable by the end of the year ..

just like the ones for the short boxes ..

RobD

It's worth looking at the Toyotafiberglass panels. He's down in Penticton and does good work with his stuff. I have a pair of his front fenders and they look great.

Talk to Corey www.toyotafiberglass.com

rygill

Thanks for the replies. I am definately considering the panels, the only problem is waiting until the end of the year. I'm going to need a truck by the end of the month so I'm getting desperate!
Has anyone seen an older box on a newer style truck? I know the imported hilux has what looks like an older box on the rounder cab, but I think it might just be that it has the flange along the top rail. A box like that from toyotafiberglass might be my best option if it works. Like I said, the truck has far more value to me as a working truck than it's worth monetarily, so I'm not sure I want to start forking cash into it... But I've got to do something.

Thanks again.

xzyragon

u could go buy a tube bed. Some look sweet. The one on the deceased Swampthing 2 was bitchin

jefmac2

Hey Guy-

Tell me about it! I was in same situation- aren't we all- and just thought that I really liked the engineering on the original design too much to scrap it and flatbed it. So- Makita grinder and new blade in the sawzall and took out the sides pretty much ( man- cutting thru that custom paint was killer...) then I installed bulkheads with the exact curvature of the original profile attached to the inside walls with 3/4" gussets. Then I laboriously cut and routered oak 1 bys and attached with stainless steel recessed screws finished with oak holeplugs. 3 coats and counting on the Messmer's exterior stain. Man- she is sweeter than before- looks like a styled old woody or old OLD ford from the 1910-20 era.She is constantly turning heads! If you want more info or pics, let me know.

87 IFS PU (trussed so no spread)
trutrak front
detroit softlocker rear
5.29
4" lift
NWOR tri Ys
Cam
Weber
35x12.5s
IFS dual shocks front
custom springs/traction bar rear

yoder519

post up some pics of this bad boy i wanna see it lol. set up a free account on photobucket.com and copy the image code and paste it on a thread

rygill

Yes, post some pics! I don't think I would go that route, but it sounds like a project worthy of a boat builder!

Maybe I'll just buy a welder, learn how to weld and then build my own deck!

jefmac2

Think I've got this...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/...8f67b1d7_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/...5e4dc6c0_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/...e01e9cd2_o.jpg

Old mac os- won't do photobucket...

jeff