EWAYota

I've searched here, with poor results, and Pirate is impossible to search thru. I know this has been done before, just can't get any info on it.

Driving a car with the added interior room is making me realize that added room in my truck would be well appreciated and would have many benefits for myself. So I've been pondering swapping a Ext. cab onto my truck one way or another. Searching thru here, I read that I would have to notch the back of the cab since the frames aren't the same, and fab or buy body mounts for the back of the cab. Also, I would have to bob my bed since the cab is longer, which I have no problem doing.

Would just doing a straight cab swap be the easiest, or my other idea is cutting the back of my cab off and welding the Ext. cab portion of another onto the back. I like the 2nd idea over the first since you don't have to take everything apart and rewire everything.

Just looking for ideas. My body has enjoyed the fact that I can recline my seat and have more leg room for not only me, but for passengers as well, and my knees have been very happy. Plus, I'd rather swap a cab than have to sell one truck and buy another.

So what do you all think? Any links or write-ups or anything would be awesome.

Glenn

How about buying an extended cab truck? Unless your fab skills are really good, I think that is gonna be a big job to do right.

AxleIke

yeah, that is a HUGE amount of work, and to make it look right is just that much more. Plus, you'll have to bob the bed to make it fit on the frame right.

Good luck.

EWAYota

my trucks paid for. i doubt that I will be able to sell my truck and find a ext. cab truck around here that I can get without out of pocket. plus, besides screwing up a easy gasket fix, my truck has a new engine in it. i'd rather keep what i've got and mod it than worry about possibly needing to tear into the engine.

bobbing the bed, no problem. I'd be happy with no bed at all.

I know that the idea of cutting and welding a ext. cab section on would be a big job. I wouldn't do it myself, I'd ask some local shops and see what they would charge, or ask for some favors from some friends with fab skills. What about just doing a cab swap? notching the rear and getting some body mounts?

This is from about the only thread I could find any good info about the subject here on YT:

I think this is the truck mentioned above


I think if I were to do it, just swapping the whole cab would be easiest I would think. Don't really know. I was just looking for other possible ideas (the cutting and welding idea), or write-ups or a point in the right direction to someone who has done it before. I think there was one done on Pirate, I just can't find the thread.

Edit:

Just found some info on that truck:
Ellinger- "It is really a sleeper. Most of the other guys that I wheel with get a lot more attention than me. It has a 22RE turning 39 Swampers on Toyota axles. The lift was kept low with severely cut fenders and hybrid springs based off of Wrangler springs in the front and Mazda springs in the rear. The body is an Xtra Cab on a short wheelbase frame with a double bobbed bed. The truck is a test bed and has most of our products on it, such as our twin stick, crossmember, traction bar, bumpers, wide and vented kit, and full floater kit. It also has dual transfer cases, a Detroit in the rear, and an Air Locker in the front."

Guess I'll try and dig up some info on how to contact him.

MMA_Alex

I think it would be way easier to sell it, and buy one. I think if you wanted to weld one together it would be difficult to make structurally sound, and look good.

4runnermt

I think you should take another cab with doors and create a four door truck with a super short box. That would be awesome.

EWAYota

I agree that would look awesome and theres actually a write-up on that.

It would be easier to get a extended cab truck, fabrication and time wise, but I'd rather work with my platform and go from there and make it what I want. Its like wanting to put a solid axle under your truck. Why not just sell it and buy one already done or pre 85? I think it would be cool as heck to have a SWB extended cab and I know the quirks of my truck and like it, just want the added room.

aviator

There is another option... I've seen these little "sleeper caps" that go on the top of the bed and connect to the cab with a grommit [you have to remove the back window] they are about 18-24" long and allow you to still use the whole bed area from the rails down.
Or you could do what toyota did for the pre-4runners
[would that be the 4runner's fore runner? ]back in 82-83 permanently mount a cap to the bed remove the rear of the cab and front of the bed and connect the two with a rubber grommit. For more info on this check out the 4runner archive section on the forum.

Cheers Aviator

trythis

I would buy an extrended cab that has a missing engine, and swap yours into it. The amount of work you are talking about is not going to go fast, and in no way would be free. All the energy you would be putting into that would be better served making the dough to just buy a truck you want. But if you just wanna do it, there is thread somewhere ino the net where a guy turned a 81 or 82 into a extended cab model. LOADS of work and time. You arent married are you?
Maybe you should buy this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-...spagenameZWDVW

mr toytech

according to the title of the thread i would buy one. now the cheapest would be to build one.

04 Rocko Taco

If your set on doing it, swap one a new caband bob the bed, or go bedless. Either way keep us updated.

BAZ

I'm all for getting creative and home-fabbing, etc. but this sounds like waaay too much BS. I would hold out for an ext. cab or 4runner. With the amount of money/time invested you will be happier in the end.

Kinda off topic but how's the gas mileage w/4.10's and 32's? I'm gonna be running the same combination soon. How's the driveabilty??

MMA_Alex

Um I seem to be the only person in the thread running 32's so ill answer i guess... I get about 24 mpg highway, and I dont even bother calculating city cause I live 2 miles from work so im sure its bad. It drives just fine, but can be kind of a pain on uphill highway stretches (aka you're stuck in 4th).

BAZ

Nice, yeah I got you and the tread starter mixed up apparently. Thanks for the reply though. I'm guessing you're runnig 4.10's?

Sorry for the hijack BTW.

dwh91102

http://pics.rickbeatty.com/cabswap/priddycabswap01 Heres the guy that rolled his taco on guardrail in tellico last year.
Heres a write up on another one
http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum...ad.php?t=14777

trythis

It's great how that guy is not wearing any safety gear, while sledging a truck body, and worse, several pictures gringing a hole for the gas filler with bare eyes.

MMA_Alex

yeah im running 4.10's. When I get that cash i may regear, but for now I can deal with it.

Sonofmayhem

take off your bed and cab, drop in the new cab, flatbed the truck. I believe aviator is talking about a trekker which okitoyota is selling for 1000 bucks.

AxleIke

Yeah, get another cab, and extended cab, and swap. WAAY easyier than the rest of that. You can do it without taking out your engine or drivetrain, and worst case you have to weld on a couple body mounts. Done and done. Do it in a week.

Find a nice cab, and get it done.

Sonofmayhem

i wanna make a hilux, 4door. hmmmmmm