Yea but that doesn't preclude the platform from being used as buggies.. apparently these people did a similar thing, but it looks to be mainly just keep front cab metal and add box roll cage..
The pan is not really necessary if you have a full tube frame and the tube frame would be better. The pan is just a cheaper way to start the buggy. My first job as an adult was working in a VW/Porsche/Audi shop and there was a mech there who took a bus and shortened it, built the engine, then put big mud tires on it. He could pop wheelies with it and turn it around inside the shop.
I get what you're saying. What I'm trying to say... why don't these full tube cage designs exist? Why only cut down van bodies with some tubes?
Me thinkith that it's all about Go Fast toys for sand and off road, the Van doesn't really fit that niche, and unless you had a Westy with its 4X4 transaxle, it's not going to be very good at much of anything other then it might look kinda cool!
You've seen how stupidly popular 4x4/AWD vans have gotten in the last 10+ years, yeah? And dealers are finding its worth importing 25+ year old 4x4/AWD small vans like Toyota and Mitsubishis, to the US? Not to forget Pinzgauers/Haflingers and similar Euro 4x4 mini vans... I think some were able to import 25+ year old 4x4 VW combis/transporters too...
I never understood how the Side by Sides would ever become so damn popular, but here we are! Buddy just dropped nearly 40K on one, 40K for a cheaply made, prone to breaking buggy, he could have bought a Jeep Wrangler and been street legal in all 50 states, for less money, yet those damn things keep selling like there is no tomorrow!! Go figure! If I had his money, I would have bought an Older Ex German Army G-Wagon, and fixed that up into something super cool, probably would have been cheaper in the long run, and had a better and more useful rig!You've seen how stupidly popular 4x4/AWD vans have gotten in the last 10+ years, yeah? And dealers are finding its worth importing 25+ year old 4x4/AWD small vans like Toyota and Mitsubishis, to the US? Not to forget Pinzgauers/Haflingers and similar Euro 4x4 mini vans... I think some were able to import 25+ year old 4x4 VW combis/transporters too...
That tells me there's something that could be capitalized on.
A 6 seat people hauler 4x4 in full tube frame cage van with the same wheelbase as a long 2 seater sand rail? Why wouldn't that be fun!?
One day my brother and I were heading back to Monmouth area after a day of thrifting for reselling, on the I-5, passed us an obviously lifted, modified 4x4 rig.. I took note of a sticker in its window and pointed out to my bro that the owner of that rig is not a poser.. because they also have the Oregon ATV permit sticker on it, not just street tags. Easiest way to tell the difference between a very well maintained and used off roader and a pavement princess/Mall crawler rig besides the chrome and shiny paint
A surplus Geländewagen would likely have much better resale too. Saw a video of one recently, modded, that was pushing 450bhp.
Yeah, I've seen those conversion threads, however they often have in excess of 500K on them before they come up for sale.
Weight, slowness,,relative lack of armoring. Not everyone can weld up their versions of Killdozers
But SOME of us can
. That bucket has a boatload more armored capability than any Toyota pickup I've ever seen. Again, just food for thought.
The 4BT is too heavy for a Toyota PU or FJ and its powerband (peak power @ ~2K RPM) isn't meant for light small vehicles like the FJ. Some guy on Reddit tried to tell me I should put a 4BT in my Toy PU.
AFAIK - you need a GVWR of 10K# for a diesel to be exempt from DEQ where DEQ is required for vehicles (I look forward to moving out of WA county to get away from DEQ). Other than that I don't know about lighter vehicles, but yes, I would expect that if the host vehicle is pre-OBD then you would be GTG, but check before attempting the swap.
Take it from someone who has done diesel swaps on many rigs, the 4BT is WAY too heavy for your Toyota, the MBZ OM-617 would be the better swap over all, plenty of power once you do all the pump upgrades and turbo, or if you want stupid wheel spinning power, the OM-606 is your huckleberry, that engine will pin a grin on your face from the moment you put it in gear till you shut it off! I swapped a OM-606 into my Sprinter when the stock 3L V-6 went tits up, it was NOT an easy swap, but Holy Hell, what a difference, like night and day! We went from about 198 HP to over 380 HP and fuel milage actually increased, ( As long as I keep my right foot out of the Loud Pedal) and towing power went through the roof! In Hindsight, the OM-617 would have likely been the better swap, it sure would have been easier to get it to fit, and the power would have been more then adequate for the Sprinter, quite a bit more then the stock engine would ever have made, Bonus, is no computers to get all janked up, and sensors to fail, and the GM 4L80 trans worked out perfectly! Go on the Land Rover forums if you want to know all about Diesel Swaps, and what to look for and what to avoid! For small size Jeeps and the like, the Kubota V2203 and V2403 series engines are getting super popular, and I know it's only a matter of time before folks start to figure out the Yanmar 4 bangers are even better, going to be attempting a Yanmar swap into a CJ-3B here this summer!
Guess it really depends on whereBut SOME of us can
Yup - I have gotten tracked machines stuck more than once, not buried, but they could not move.Guess it really depends on where
With how soggy things have been lately.. and my specific town having the sticky clay soil... things will bog down if not on a thick layer of gravel/rocks.
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