I'm thinking about using some of my spare.parts up and making a YJ or TJ truck. This would be a long term project and probably won't happen u til I have all the parts I need at my disposal. My biggest question is how long to make the bed? My plans are to make a bed sort of like a Willy's truck or a m 715. I want to be able to haul a full size axle if need be, but not too long to look stupid. Your input.is greatly appreciated
Buy a small trailer. One reason our Jeeps work so well on the trail is the short wheelbase. You should be able to find a good used small trailer for a Grand or under. Sell the spare parts you plan to make an extended Wrangler from and enjoy your Jeep as is without all the brain damage.
Nobody ever listens so if you go ahead with your project, think about a CJ8 and what it looks like. It doesn't look stupid and you may be able to find a hardtop (or a soft top) that will fit.
Is there a TJU? A TJU hardtop may be adaptable to what you are considering. A drop down tailgate would be unique.
It shouldn't be too difficult a project if you have the rear frame section and rear section of a tub. I think there is a thread on this forum where a guy did as you are thinking.
I have a recently restored YJ and am looking to do a frame up on my YJ. The YJ is my trail rig and TJ is the daily driver, so this new project will be a totally new vehicle just to haul stuff and not a trail vehicle. I do like the Scramblers, but want to do something with a bed that looks kind of like a Willys truck. I think that bed is proportionate and would look good. Right now this is just a thought.
Does anyone know the wheel base of a Willys truck?
Are you talking about cutting the rear end off and adding a middle section then welding the rear section back on(like a CJ8 or LJ), or just adding a bed to an extended YJ frame?
I'm thinking about creating a cab and having the bed separate. But I want a bed long enough that if I want to haul lumber or and axle I can. I'm not talking 8 ft but something shorter and proportionate and not have a huge rear overhang.
Sounds to me like you should just forget this whole idea and sell the yj, or keep it. And get a Comanche. With such a short wheel base you will never be able to haul lumber without it looking absolutely ridiculous. I have a 2010 Ford F-150 with a 6.5 ft bed and have to add an extension to my rease hitch in order to haul boards over 8 ft. I don't think your looking to make a show truck or anything so I don't see the point. Save yourself from looking like a hillbilly and just get a truck! Just my 2cents!!!!!
Each has there own opinion, but I already have a 99 F150 that has 260000 on it. It's rusty and going down the road. As far as buying a MJ, they are hard to find in my neck of the woods and you can't take the top off. Yes, I'm not looking to make a show truck, but I am trying to bridge a gap I have until I get a new truck. I have seen a few of these builds and think they are cool and want to try building one. If I could find a cj-10a it would move things a lot faster but I am trying to use up the parts I have available.
People head down a wrong path all the time. This is one of those times. You'd be better looking for that replacement for the pickup rather than playing with a temp need Jeep project.
:banghead:
Well gl!!! Just seems like a whole hell of a lot of work just to haul an ax or axle. If I were to do such a thing I would search junk yards for an old Comanche truck bed and go from there maybe?
I'm not going to lie to you here- its your hard earned cash, spend it however you want, it won't bother me one bit. But I do have to say, it may just be easier(less headaches, less midnight runs to the local napa, less 3am interweb searching sessions, less cost) to get a truck. There's a company who sells truck cabs for YJs named GR8 tops. Maybe start with one of those, and a tub from another vehicle (that has a bed) to make the bed. Follow your dreams, but stay in touch wih reality; if you don't itll bring you down real quick.
OK, somehow this thread turn from getting a bed length to talking me out of a project. Trust me, if I really wanted a truck I'd buy one. I want to make a YJ truck and just need an idea for a bed length. I don't care about how easy it would be to find a truck or how less of a headache it would be. I am a machinist in a paper mill by trade and work on difficult projects all the time. This is something I WANT TO DO and have been thinking about for a while, so please if you can help please do so.
Subbed!
I don't understand why jeepers are trying to convince you not to mod your jeep.
Modding a jeep has been the reason many folks get one.
I have a YJ that I want to convert to a scrambler, lengthened jeep as well.
GL and keep us posted.
That might be an idea, I was thinking more along the lines of keeping it Jeep though. There's a guy not far from me that has a Willys truck for sale for parts, no title. I'm thinking that would work too. Older stepside trucks are hard to find in the rust belt that I happen to live in.
If you are set on this project, we should stop trying to talk you out of it and start helping you.
You might look up the specs on a Scrambler. The engineers have already made the proportions balanced. No sense to re-invent the wheel.
We don't know what parts you have in stock, but if you try to adapt what you have to the Scrambler wheelbase, you should come up with something that looks reasonably well proportioned.
I expect you will want to combine two YJ frames to make a longer wheelbase. Do you have two good frames? What parts do you have that you plan to use or buy? If we know what you will be working with we can be of more help.
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