12" Narrowed, 1983 Toyota Hilux trail truck build "Killer B"

[Killer B]

I wont bore every1 with too many detals but recently after doing a chop top on a customers truck it got me to thinking about a rust free arizona cab that I had and to what benifit if any a serious body mod would make.

I already have a 1983 trail truck with anything you could add but had some serious rust issues in the floor (midwest snow, salt you do the math)

So the project became much easier to strip down to a bare cab then just transfer everthing over.

1. narrowing the cab 12 inches allowed me to keep a factory looking grill as each grill section is 6" so from 6 section to 4 (original 79-81 trucks have 4 sections but larger) as well as making it a bit more stable as well as more nimble(less side overhang)

2. I can move the cab on the frame to shift weight (handling) and allow for a larger tire as well.

3. Stretching the wheel base and repairng a rusty frame @ the same time, again stability

4.FJ80 axle up front and a 98 4runner axle housing in the rear should really emphasize the small cab with wider axles, again for stability and handling.

here is the cab after I cut the area where it rolled down a hill an hit a tree (no one got to enjoy the ride, it did it on its own)

[Killer B]

here is a shot of the jig to I made to slide it together as 1 peice holding all of it in place

[Killer B]

The cab after hours of measuring and marking, it was a bitch to find 12, 6, 4, 3,2 inch increments/sections to cut to add up to 12.

You cant just cut 12 out of any place except the roof.

[Killer B]

No I am not muslim, Al qaida or the Taliban.

Its deer season and I like to be warm!!
These were taken over the winter, I am much further on this truck than what I am posting up. trying to catch up to where I am right now with posts n pics.

[Killer B]

Floorboard drivers side, you can see the transmission tunnel as well. this is after the cuts were made and slid togetther

5 inches out of floor area and 2 at the trans hump and of course 5 more on pass. side floor



What kind of seats will I use? for now Mazda miata seats will work fine as they were the most narrow I could find, I can tie them into the rollcage.

I would like to put mastercraft baja suspension seats in later.

[Killer B]

5 Inch piece removed and cab slid together.

[Killer B]

I will be using 1 wiper as it covers the whole windsheild in 1 swipe, I have to modify the stroke radius at the wiper motor arm a bit to get it right.

here is a pic of the center wiper bit, the marker lines are what I am cutting out.

oh yeah and that VIN plate will go back, yeah I know blah blah illegal blah blah

[Killer B]

the three peices together.

I hate body work so I try to fit most all my metal tight, sand the paint off and tig weld the sheet metal then grind. it hardly needed any bondo at all.

bondo is your friend.

[Killer B]

All kinds of metal missing here.

Thats why I made a jig to hold this in place.

Blurry I know, but its from my phone which is outdated

[Killer B]

Here is a shot of some of the peices together and the original wiper. a 2 inch longer blade insert and it swipes from side to side fine.

The windsheild is going to be a polycarbonate (like what bulletproof security glassis made out of) from polysheilds. they make replacement winsheilds with many different coatings and hardened surfaces to reduce wiper scratchs.

[Killer B]

If you look carefully at the above pic you can see both seats. there is room for a shifter and transfer case lever.

I was hoping to use 2 landcruiser Ebraker handles/pull and cables (already have) for rear cutting brakes but I found the previa vans have a sweet set up as well so when the tubes get bent for the cage I will ad bracketry for the Ebrake levers.

If you are wondering about the cutting brakes they are awsome to have and the way I will be running them is to use the brake light switch on both Ebrake levers to wire my air locker/elocker so if locked when pulled it will unlock locker (right now I have a detroit so its either electric or air locker with 5.29s) and allow for that tire to be dragged to help with the turn.

[Killer B]

The truck in my avatar is the cab its replacing.
Why not buy a diff. one? sentimental reasons I guess, I have had it 20 years and I had a rust free cab.

its all geared out so its a no brainer

[Killer B]

80 series axle sans bracketry ground out n sanded where ground almost ready for primer.

[Killer B]

Axle primed to keep it from rusting up- will sand blast later pic.

I made a jig to hold the axle centered to be able to weld on the spring pads and it can be rotated for different caster/degrees before welding spring pads, pics later

[Killer B]

Back of the cab marked and ready to cut.

[Killer B]

Here is a shot of the truck after I re-done it the 1st time

[Killer B]

2 seats will be tight but it keeps me from dating "thick" chicks ryt?!
lol, me and a guy my size have already sat in those seats in the truck (and made engine noises and held up an imaginary steering wheel... dont we all do that?)
and it is tight but for a trail truck no big deal- me and a girl in it would be much better off!!

The part that I am not happy about is my steering wheel will be off center a bit, 3-4 inches. it isnt worth trying to move or mess with it.
that would open another can of worms, that isnt worth it to me at this point, later maybe... I will have an entire dash to mess with when im done and can swap it all later

I am wanting this truck to handle roads as well as it can (sway bar front and rear w/disconnects)

[Killer B]

The back of the cab after cutting

I cut the raised portion inside the cab staggered to the overall cut for structural stability instead of doing 1 straight cut.

This was down to 6 inches to be slid together

[Killer B]

Front shot, it becomes a big pain in the ass but you have to keep setting it all in place to get an overall feel for the body lines making sure each one lines up.

Here is the hood too.

[Killer B]

I made a jig to hold the hood and allow it to slide together without flopping around.
all my cuts that went thru any 2 peices that were together for bracing, cuts were made thru 1 peice and then further away on the next (inner hood structure as well as cab) you can see what I mean in this photo. it keeps alot of the structural integrity if not all
this way- an overlaping effect where the joints are.

[Killer B]

Let the sparks fly!!

[Killer B]

1st 6 inch strip down- 1 to go

[Killer B]

Cab in referance to a person.

[85dhor]

I'll be watching this. question though... Why soooo narrow on 80 axles I presume? Keep up the great work I hate sheetmetal welding.

[Killer B]

Originally Posted by 85dhor

I'll be watching this. question though... Why soooo narrow on 80 axles I presume? Keep up the great work I hate sheetmetal welding.

You and me both brother!! I am not a big fan of welding this thin ass sheet metal either (I always have to practice on scrap before I commence to welding on it)

I was going to swap in the 80 axle anyway (especially after Billybobs hellfire steering knuckles came out) the fact that I am narrowing it (plus the 80 axle)and moving it back on the frame will increase the stability by a ton.

I had the cab and it needed repair so I started measuring and cuttting.... it ended up like this!
I went to town like a crackhead with a sawzall!!!!! lol, no sawzall- all air

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