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Post by ScooterNut on Jun 16, 2004 13:37:08 GMT -5
I just picked up an 89 Justy from a local junk yard. Haven't had one in a while, but my first car was an 87 Justy I restored from a junk yard as well, about ten years ago.
the reason i bought this car is i wanted to tear out the rear seat and convert it to a short bed truck that i could use to haul a scooter around.
the plan is simple: 1. rebuild engine 2. clean/repair interior 3. cut out roof and weld in "cab" back 4. cut roof and windows out 5. install truck bed 6. refit hatch bottom as swing down truck hatch
i just wanted to ask if anyone had any ideas or gotchas i should think about before tearing this beautiful car up? Has anyone done anything like this before?
i will make sure to take pictures and share the progress with everyone, although i already took out the rear seats and started removing the engine, without a picture ;) i'm a lazy photographer. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments, John
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Post by cdion on Jun 23, 2004 3:52:11 GMT -5
Look an think Really think a lot before cutting up too much.
Or you may end up with doors that wont open anymore.
There is no real frame, look underside.
You absolutely have to think about building a sort of a cage like in a race car to support the rear schock towers to the roof otherwise the car may fold just in front of the gaz tank.
You may also cut the doors halfway down. Weld and reinforce the lower part to provide some kind of support.
I do not know for a 4doors and if you want to keep the sheet metal or make a separate pick-up box as in a ford model T.
In such a case, a real frame and lot of job. Otherwise, if you keep the lower rear part of the body, be sure keep the rear hatch sill as this is an integral part of the supporting system for the rear suspension stiffness. This does not leave much space for a pick-up box though.
Nice project. Post pictures.
I refer you to a Fiat Panda's 4x4 clubs sites on the internet. There are many of them in Europe.
You may find hundreds of pictures of this small car wich looks like a smaller squarish Justy. Fiat produced them since 1983 in many models even a convertible called Cabrioni.
The original designer Giugiaro Giaguro made a jeep version right at the beginning in '80 with a folding windshield (Italdesign site, pic. #3 in their search engine for "Panda")
Just type Panda 4x4 in Google for inspirations about a Justy pick-up.
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chewey
i travel over 1200 clicks every year but never get to leave on my own country
Posts: 20
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Post by chewey on Jun 23, 2004 21:18:13 GMT -5
Let me get this straight...you want to make a truck out of a SUbaru Justy... are you on freakin glue?? where the did that idea come from?? please tell me you were drunk or high or anything....
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Post by ScooterNut on Jun 24, 2004 8:51:05 GMT -5
cdion, Thank you for your help, that is exactly what i needed to know before getting into the body work. So far, at a high level, i thought i would chop off the upper rear corner at the rear window line, and just behind the rear seats. I see how that could affect the design of the car. I will see where the placement of support tubes could alleviate that potential collapse. I will try to post pics of the work so far, soon. PS: chewey, i would not recommend trying something like this on drugs, welding and automotive work can be very dangerous. the idea came to me in a dream.
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Post by cdion on Jul 7, 2004 11:31:57 GMT -5
Hey,
Look at the body from the side, this part of the rear window is a main part for supporting the rear end.
Before cutting it, make sure you place the whole car on blocks. Mainly solid frame supports in front (under the pedals), center part (the end ot the frame rails or the trailing arms bushings), and rear end (either differential or spare tire pit or any other "solid" part)
Just make sure you support the body, not the suspension parts or the wheels as being "moveables parts" (unsuspended parts).
Because of floor deterioration I finally reinforced the whole frame after starting to just fix the driver seat anchors. I did put 2" x 2" aluminium square angles bolted with inox bolts alongside the support railings and criss-crossed them with flat aluminium 2" x 1/4" bars for more supports (50lbs of aluminium total). Since then the body is really "square" and the suspension really do its job. But I know I would still need some support between the rear struts towers and the roof as these reinforced frame rails can not extend past the tank or the rear trailing arms bushings. The car would still fold if I was to transform it into a pickup.
Good luck! Do it good. Look carefully under the car and figure out what you can cut and what is necessary to keep or replace with a new new frame member or cage. That would be the best, a complete race cage from the rear struts towers to the front ones.
Nie project.
Christian Dion
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Post by gpc jay on Jan 5, 2005 5:20:30 GMT -5
You may want to considerwelding in an undercarriadge/frame similar to what was done on the volkswagen beetle convertables. Just to help keep you in shape and prevent collapse
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Post by renaissanceman on Jan 7, 2005 23:33:34 GMT -5
So theres a junkyard in Nipomo that actually has a justy that they cut apart for the hell of it, and made it the "junkyard car" for hauling cores around and stuff. To my amazement theres no reinforcement and it didnt fold. However I dont think they drive it outside the yard.
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