Ideas on mini truck

[jwt101]

I see there are a few on here that have cut there car and made a mini truck. I would like to do this as a winter project and have a couple of questions about the back window fab up. I would like to know if there are any small pickups toyota,datsun,mazda where the back of the cab would meet the festy roof and sides fairly close? I have seen a couple that looked like what they did was weld in the back of a cab from a truck. I do have plenty of fab skills and could make my own, but to make it cleaner looking this is what i would like to do. Also is there any body or frame strengthening that should be addressed?

[91_festy_Gl]

Cut the hatch right under the rear window and slide it forward. it almost lines up perfect with the cab, or find a window of your choice.

[jwt101]

I thought about that as well but not using the original glass as it goes a little far down for my taste. So i could use part of the hatch frame and then have a new piece of glass cut to fit where it would meet the lower sheet metal i would be putting in to fill the back.

[91_festy_Gl]

Ya you could do that. Not sure what a custom piece of glass costs but it could be done. Using half the hatch to me looks the cleanest.

[Basement_Modder]

Old S-10 or ranger rear metal could be cut to fit. One truckstiva used a silverado rear glass! Just cut and weld...

[Nerd Racing]

you should do it to a festiva that is less clean... maybe something with roof/tree damage?

AND you won't sacrifice the hockey stripes...

[jwt101]

Im going to do some measuring this weekend and then hit up the one and only wrecking yard around here to take a look at what they have that might work. I know a late 80's nissan and s10 are to wide to use with original glass because i have those and already checked. I was thinking the older datsuns and toyota's early/late 70's were not as wide. If not then i will have to do some more checking. I want it too look like factory not like someone took a saw and cut the top while drinking the late night brew. The rest of the car is in great shape no rust or anything and it was a well cared for car.

[91_festy_Gl]

My brothers truckstiva looks pretty factory besides the huge window in the back. Countless hours of welding and body work has worked wonders.

[jwt101]

I think i saw that one on here. Is it the one with the hatch for the back and the rear seat used up front as a bench?

[91_festy_Gl]

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36676&highlight=truckstiva

[jwt101]

That is the first one i saw here and made me want to do my car into a truck. This is for Nerd racing. I know it is a clean car to cut but this is what i was looking for. I dont want to find a beat car that i have to do a complete rebuild job on. It will be time consuming enough just for the conversion and new paint.

[neanderpaul]

Jack's fessup used the back of a cab from a Dodge D-50. But he had to narrow it and the back glass is lexan or plexi. He put a vinyl (I think) tint on it. The kind that has tiny holes. He also extended the rear end. That's what sets his apart from the rest imo.

[Pgh5spd]

Instead, how about taking the nose off of one, smoothing the firewall, and making a small camping trailer? You oughtta easily be able to sleep in one. Someone must have done this already.

[Banana Bonanza]

Look for older American pickup cabs. I had a 1967 Chev with the small rear window. If junkyards in your area havent crushed all that old stuff, shouldnt be hard to find a rusted out cab with the small rear window. It will have rubber gasket around the window, but shouldnt be hard to find new one in reproduction parts catalog. And if you look hard at some of catalogs, might find new sliding rear window that would fit the opening. Depends where you live if you can find even older stuff with smaller rear windows. Course sixties kinda cut off, go way back and people start thinking parts or body panels and good glass are worth the moon. Well unless you buy a whole vehicle off somebody that just wants rid of it. Chevy and Ford probably best bet on reproduction parts. You get something like early Datsun/Toyota from 60s and you just arent going to find parts if say the glass got broken. You'd end up having to get custom glass. Oh just thought, some companies are privately importing those micro mini Japanese 4wd pickups as a cheaper alternative to Gator type off road vehicles. Those are Festy width so rear glass from them should work. And dont forget those 3 wheel type mini cushman vehicles some cities bought for their meter maids to use. Think out of box. Or maybe half a windshield from an old WWII type Willys Jeep. Flat glass two piece windshield.

[neanderpaul]

That is a lot of SOLID advice.