I have been thinking about figuring out a way to chop the back off of my Runner but make it removable. has anyone seen this done yet? I'd love to hear your ideas how to pull it off.

 

I've seen a lot of convertible mods done, but never to a 4runner. Could be interesting.. Might look pretty good and functional with a 2 door 2nd gen, but how would it work with a 4 door?

 

Sawzall, welder and sheet metal

 

buy a first gen

 

just cut it off and make it a bed... then go get a canvas top made.

 

doing something similar to my 3rd gen, but I want to make the entire top from the windshield back removable, but a lot of what Im suggesting is the same principal. My suggestion would be to cut it along the door lines and along the roof, like the threads on here have done for the chop jobs, weld some sheet metal over the hacked up stuff to cover your cuts, put some weather stripping (the rubber foam kind) all around the cap where it would rest on the body, so that it makes a tight seal and use some tension fasteners to hold the cap in place. two fasteners on each side of the cargo area and then two on the roof and maybe one on each pillar should give you a nice water tight seal once your fasteners are adjusted correctly.

As far as the rear window, correct me if im wrong, but the window slides down into the tailgate on the 2nd gen, so you wont have to deal with chopping into a lift-gate like on the 3rd gen and above. If thats correct, just roll down your rear window when you take the top off, but just make sure that the top is lined back up correctly when it goes back on so you dont end up shattering your rear glass

 

Also, MossyRocks did a chop job on his 3rd gen that came out looking great. Like I said, his was a 3rd gen, but the prinicpal should be about the same

http://ttora.com/forum/showthread.ph...t=4runner+chop

 

Thats exactly what Ive been leaning towards using weather stripping and all. And on the back is hacked off I was thinking about using some sheet metal to fill in the sides like ive seen guys do, but usually they use tubing for the top, but I was thinking of just squaring it off with some 1" square tubing chopped in half. A guy i work with has the machine to bend square tubing but keeping the flat parts in shape and doing the same with the bottom part of the remove able top. And as far as the top part mating the the "bed" I came up with using 1/2" square tubing welded onto the 1" on the top and bottom. The removable would have the 1/2" welded to the outside of the 1", and the bed would have the 1/2" welded to the inside of the 1" so it all mates up perfectly. Then I was thinking i could drill holes all around and weld studs facing down that slip in the holes on the tubing of the bed then fasten that from the inside with wing nuts. The 1" square would be welded flush with the sheet so about 1/2" would have to cut off the bed of the top for it to sit flush on top.

 

Actually if I just didnt do any of that with the 1/2", only the 1" with weatherstripping on top with fasteners that would be much easier. Pretty much exactly What that guy did in that link you posted. Thats pretty sick thanks for showing me that!! that pretty much exactly what I'd like to do! Only, on the roof it would go as far forward until it almost gets to the sun roof almost like a 1st gen. and @ sebastianholmes and MaK92-4RnR i could but I gotta be different ya know? haha besides all us Toyota guys gotta be different. Why get a f150 and throw in 6" blocks like everyone else when we could turn ours in beasts?

 

ya know, after i read what you posted about the tubing, i had an epiphany. If you made a recess into the bed area that the 1/2" square could rest into, you would be able to make a tighter seal, have your cap line up better on your "bed" and it would act as a guide to ensure that the cap was always properly lined up to make sure that your rear window glass never bound up and shattered.

So in short, you could still use the 1" and 1/2" tubing with the "bed" side recessed so that you maintain the level roof line, but instead of using the bolts to secure it, use the tension fasteners and weather stripping. Just a thought, but it sent my mind spinning. It would definitely be easier to just go with the stripping and fasteners, but I figured I would put in my thoughts.

 

Yeah thats what i was trying to get at was that the seal might be a bit tighter and its be cool to almost slide the top on like a drawler so Itd be a little easier if Im alone. But I like best how MossyRocks did it simple yet effective and looked pretty damn close to stock. I tend to over think things haha

 

dude i actually kinda like the idea, youre right, it would make removing and putting back on much easier, especially if you greased it up a bit. I think I might actually think about using something like that for mine. Also, when I replied to that I had just woken up and my brain wasnt functioning enough yet to really understand what you were getting at, so I just ended up saying exactly what you had said hahaha!! I just reread your idea and it made perfect sense, so, sorry about that and its a kick ass idea! Great minds think alike, right?!

Like you said tho, MossyRocks' was simple, easy and clean. I guess you gotta weigh the options of what you want to do. It would be cool to be able to slide the top right on, but I think I might just stick with the simple tie down for the simple fact that its easier work and would be faster to finish.

Any thoughts on how your going to take the roof off? For what Im planning on doing, its definitely not a one man job to just lift it off. What I was thinking of doing was using an engine hoist to just raise the top off. If you want to go all the way to the sunroof like you said, its gonna be a lot of weight for you too. Any suggestions on that?

 

I hadn't gotten that far yet how I would get it off haha. It would be much lighter without that part of the roof but I like the idea of it being open above the back seat. I could always do the good 'ol ratchet strap to a tree trick haha. Yeah This is something I've wanted to do for quite a while since I got the runner. I just thought It would be cool to see how other people did it or their ideas how to do it

 

Heres the thread that I started for my chop, dont know if youve seen it yet or not or if youre interested, but keep track of it as the project goes along if you want; Im gonna follow yours as well, maybe we can bump some ideas off of eachother as our projects go forward

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f88/.../#post51854711

 

Oh sick thanks. I subscribes so Ill be watching to see how it comes along.

 

I know I didnt start with a 4door 4runner but same concept

You might have seen my post in the build section but if not here it is

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f199...runner-250003/

 

I saw your thread on Pirate..Very cool. tons of work.
I like the gas tank mod

 

Check this thread, it was removable until he dropped it one day....

http://ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56001&page=3