Hi all,
I am looking at customising my Landcruiser 76 wagon by customising the rear.
What do I mean by that?
You might be thinking: "Yeah, so what? What's the big deal? I have already customised by wagon with drawers and storage, etc"
So let me explain:
1.I have two young kids so an LC79 single cab was out of the question when shopping for a new 4wd when I decided to upgrade my Prado (due to the lack of power with the 4 cylinder engine)
2.A dual cab LC79 didn't appeal due to the additional cost and the fact that I don't like the extra length and overhang behind the rear axle (same applies to all dual cab utes)
3.I realised that my ideal 4wd would actually be a wagon with the rear cargo area modified to be as functional as a ute canopy
4.I am looking to convert the rear by converting the rear to act as a ute canopy whereby the rear doors are not longer used (either sealed closed or removed and replaced with a custom rear) and the side panels/windows are converted to "gull wing" openings as found on ute canopies
5.Advantages of such a modification include: optimal use of the rear cargo area, retaining the shorter wheel base of wagon (compared to dual cab ute) & lower kerb weight (in theory) compared to a custom ute canopy
The purpose of this discussion is to ascertain the level of interest in such a modification to determine if I go it alone or whether there is an opportunity for crowd funding to assist with the engineering process.
As you may or may not know, an LC76 is cheaper to buy than an LC79 dual cab, from my experience the cost difference can be in excess of $20k - $25k on the second hand market. As long as you're not obsessed with having the additional space which an LC79 tray can accomodate I beliece this modification will cost less than the ute when including the initial purchase price of an LC76.
I hope this summary clearly articulates the vision and purpose of the modification and look forward to your responses, interest & feedback.
Cheers,
Nick