would it be possible to convert a van into a flat bedded ute?
would there be much work in it or would you just have to cut the section out and weld in a new section to make the 'cab'?
and how expensive is engineering?

i've found a van that has pretty bad rust in the rear windows and just got thinking....


CHeers James

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'75 windowless van
~LOLA~

James,
It would want to be very bad rust around those windows ie no side panel at all for me to go and hack up a van.

I have become a bit of a van enthusiast during my restoration. But if you did a good job of the conversion there is no doubt that I would applaud you.

It could very easily be done. Much like the ute conversion except you wouldn't have to fabricate a tailgate.

A couple of weeks ago a mini semi sold on ebay (it was talked about on ausmini). A bloke here in the riverina bought it and I saw it in the flesh. The rear had been modified to accept dual rear wheels by joinning two sub frames together. What I am getting at is making an extended tray flat top ute

In fact the semi does not look that bad in real life - shocking on ebay though.

Making a styleside ute is fairly easy but a flat tray would be a bit harder. You would need to fabricate some structure that gives the car equivalent strength in bending to the original van. The van sides, roof and sills form a deep structure that means the middle of the car doesn't bend & touch the road when you load it up. With a low tray, you get a shallower structure, which is less efficient so you'll need lots of steel.

I reckon you'd have to use some rectangular hollow section or 'C' channel which is quite deep (guess 100mm) under the tray, above the rear subframe and some how connect that to the existing cab structure in a way that spreads the load to the sills and roof. It's not a project I would take on without getting your engineer involved early.

M

I stand corrected. Never put any thought in to the structural integrity of the thing, just the mental picture in my head.

Speak to an engineer first, but it could be done if you fitted a roll bar & used that to stiffen the body by bracing it back to the rear shockie mounts
(I'm doing the same on the moke)

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Too many cars, and too little time.

i have had the exact same idea mate.....

would look the part if done properly...

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Hi there,

I've seen several van-to-pick-up conversions and all of them were pretty obvious to see the difference: a van's rear end is sloping and a pick-up's rear end is totally vertical. On most of the conversions the remaing end is still sloping and easy to spot if you know about it. Also, the rear window section seems to be hard to find so some of the owners just use a wooden pannel or "chequerplate (?) to cover. They also keep the van lights mostly. Also, the part between the side window and the pannel in the side of a pannelvan isn't as wide as on a pick-up, so another thing to look after.

Here's a converted one with the mentioned characteristics.



Some even convert a saloon into a pick-up..

There would be no way in hell you'd get a peice of wood for the rear of the cab passed over here. I'm half way through doing my conversion at the moment, I'm using almost 2mm thick steel plate.. The engineer still thinks I might have to re-enforce the seat belt mounts.

i was thinkin more of the lines of something like this.....

but as a mini.....




but just a flat metal bed without the side metal panels....

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It would definitely be an engineering feat to make a tray back Mini ute out of a van, especially considering the whole monocoque body thing. Nothing is impossible though....

I've seen MANY earlier model Morris Minors with it. Can't see why it can't be done.
Just think about how it will look, a classic car with a modern back. I wouldn't stick an alloy tray on the back, but a steel and jarrah. I love the styleside roundnoses myself, but some of those polished timber floors on the Minors look great.

Admitingly the Minors were utes to start off with, but the vans would have a similar principle.

Would a mini shell on a different chassis work ? I seen some escort vans on suzuki 4x4 chassis's

Morrie Minor vans and utes had a chassis (full or 3/4 , can't remember now) though , it would be possible to do though you'd have to basically make a rear 3/4 chassis that was welded to the front subframe , you'de be adding 100kg or so extra weight in steel and would need to have some pretty impressive designs and drawings to show an engineer before you started and work with their ideas . I'v often thought of doing a mini clubman "one tonner" with a step side tray (inner tray would be the size of a wheelbarrow but it'd look great) , sort of like a 1/3 sized GMC or F100 stepside ....

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yup, minor ute and van both have a full chassis (i have a chassis) for a mini flat bed project, i would tend to use a morris chassis, and make a mini-based cab, you would need a clubbie front and the tunnell would be kinda big, but you would get a descent load carying ability from cart springs.

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...