Custom fg XR6 Turbo Ute Tray

[Woodwould]

Comments like yours spoken face to face would be considered rude and most likely a chosen response of telling someone were to go would probably ensue,

You're just grumpy! I wrote what I wrote with a smile on my face and if I met Ben, I'm sure we'd both end up staring at his ute and having a laugh at it all.

[ben@SS&A]

Well there goes my best suggestion!

figured that would be the case.

Seriously, I would have left the ute alone. If you didn't like the look of it in the first place, why did you buy it?

ummmmm... because i wanted to put a tray on it.

It looks like you reversed the ute into a bus shelter. Trying to graft a tray made of welded RHS and treadplate to a pressed steel body with multi compound curves is never going to come off successfully.

So every tray back out there is a fail in your opinion?

I wouldn't give my business to anyone who thought a half-baked ute looked good. Now if you were a panelbeater and hand fabricated a pretty little step-side with an English wheel, well...

show me an example of what you are on about.

[ben@SS&A]

You're just grumpy! I wrote what I wrote with a smile on my face and if I met Ben, I'm sure we'd both end up staring at his ute and having a laugh at it all.

Im all for havin a laugh mate.
What im not all for is just outright critisism.
im all for honesty and respect you for giving it.
but follow it up with some sugestions next time to avoid comin off somewhat as a prick.
like i said, im not scared to take it off and start from scratch if i get some better suggestions.

[ian]

Actually.

How about, instead of just saying i have made a mess of my ute, offer some "constructive" criticism mate.
what dont you like?
what have i done wrong?
how could i do it better?
what would you have done?

Im not scared of scrapping the whole thing and starting again...
And dont start by saying get a Holden lol

without suggesting you get a Holden cab chasis ...

is the original Ford ute strong enough for what you've done to it?
I always understood that a ute was constructed like a car, very thin metal folded to get a bit of strength, while cab chasis had a "proper" chasis to which a load can be attached.
Have you effectively built a 1 tonner body on top of a 1/4 tonne frame and suspension?

might be worth knowing before you load the tray up and find the whole thing bends in the middle when you go over the first decent bump

[Jim Carroll]

The compliance plate will always show what the ute really is.

To get it changed to a 1 tonner you have to get different springs then get it engineered checked and certified. And a new compliance plate change the rego and insurance.

I was going to go through the same thing and decided not to.

With what you are doing it just looks like a 1 tonner and you want to advertise your business make it look like it is something different, show of your talents.

[ian]

Hi Jim
I wasn't so much thinking about a formal change to the compliance plate, but more along the lines
if it looks like a 1 tonner it'll be loaded up like a 1 tonner
and if it is so loaded what will happen

[Yonnee]

show me an example of what you are on about.

This is what's commonly refered to as a "sidestep" rear...
Attachment 167112

As with most thing automotive, or anything for that matter, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And just because Wouldwood won't give you his business, doesn't mean the business won't be a success.

Myself, I don't mind the tray, but promote the business, I would do the rear underneath section in stainless, with a stainless hoop bar, and a stainless box either side between the guard and the cab.
Also, I would have looked at tapering the tray from the front of the guard inwards to the cab... (just thinking out aloud)

[Jim Carroll]

IAn the only difference on the fords rear end is the springs

The tub body springs are rated at 750kg and the one tonner rear springs are rated at 1 tonne. the chassis and everything else is the same.

If he loads it like a 1 tonner the backside will scrape the ground and it will drive like a boat.

The normal ute springs drop reall easy with just a 1/2 cube of dirt in the back

[ben@SS&A]

without suggesting you get a Holden cab chasis ...

is the original Ford ute strong enough for what you've done to it?
I always understood that a ute was constructed like a car, very thin metal folded to get a bit of strength, while cab chasis had a "proper" chasis to which a load can be attached.
Have you effectively built a 1 tonner body on top of a 1/4 tonne frame and suspension?

might be worth knowing before you load the tray up and find the whole thing bends in the middle when you go over the first decent bump

because i put a tray on it does not mean i want it to carry a tonne. It will very rarely have anything accept me to carry around.
Latest holdens dont come in a cab chassis.
latest fords do.
I believe the only difference between mine and a 1 tonner is the suspension, rims and maybe the diff but im not sure. The chassis is identical. the tub has no impact on the structural integrity of the vehicle whatsoever. its only held on by 8 m10 bolts.
also the tray is actually lighter than the tub.

[ben@SS&A]

This is what's commonly refered to as a "sidestep" rear...
Attachment 167112

As with most thing automotive, or anything for that matter, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And just because Wouldwood won't give you his business, doesn't mean the business won't be a success.

Myself, I don't mind the tray, but promote the business, I would do the rear underneath section in stainless, with a stainless hoop bar, and a stainless box either side between the guard and the cab.
Also, I would have looked at tapering the tray from the front of the guard inwards to the cab... (just thinking out aloud)

Thanks for your input yonnee
so thats a sidestep. they look good on older cars, like a hq or hz kingswood or wb statesman etc, but im not convinced it would suit a 2010 fg xr6 so much.
up until i mounted the aluminium test piece underneath i was going to do it in stainless. but just stepping back with it on and picturing it in stainless i dunno anymore. before i put the ally on, in my head the stainless looked amazing and i could not wait to do it. ill paint up the ally and see how that looks. was suggested today to spray it same colour as my rims.
having little toolboxes to fill the void is also a good option i am considering.
as for tapering the front of the tray, i did template up a few options but none looked any good. because the cabin itself has a large radiused corner and also tapers forwards to the front of the car it just left a large gap that was exagerated by the tapered tray. that was another idea that looked fantastic in my head. i have all these ideas to make a genuinely unique tray, but some of them are coming unstuck when put to practice.
but yer thanks again for your ideas mate... thats exactly what im here for

[ben@SS&A]

IAn the only difference on the fords rear end is the springs

The tub body springs are rated at 750kg and the one tonner rear springs are rated at 1 tonne. the chassis and everything else is the same.

If he loads it like a 1 tonner the backside will scrape the ground and it will drive like a boat.

The normal ute springs drop reall easy with just a 1/2 cube of dirt in the back

Thanks Jim
guys i probly never said that i dont intend to make a 1 tonner.
i purely am converting this turbo xr6 into a tray for looks.
if i spend days preparing something, post an image here and get negative reaction from you guys i dont mind scrapping that at goin back to the drawing board. i want an end result that is eye catching for the right reasons haha.
so yer, its a tray and not ever intended to carry a tonne. (that will scratch my sexy shiny floor) haha.
also the rims and tires need to be rated for a 1 tonner.

[RustyArc]

guys i probly never said that i dont intend to make a 1 tonner.
i purely am converting this turbo xr6 into a tray for looks.

Actually you said exactly that on page 1.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f184/c...8/#post1294602

As I said before, I think less is more - you go making it stainless everything from the tail lights to the tyres and it'll look tasteless. In my view the underside of the tray should be as dark as possible so the tray appears to float - that'd almost be an argument against any kind of boxing under the tray, provided you could make sure there's no distracting clutter under there.

And for those who don't "get" the cab chassis look, I don't think there's much you can contribute.

[Yonnee]

As I said before, I think less is more - you go making it stainless everything from the tail lights to the tyres and it'll look tasteless. In my view the underside of the tray should be as dark as possible so the tray appears to float - that'd almost be an argument against any kind of boxing under the tray, provided you could make sure there's no distracting clutter under there.

And as I said, each to their own. If it's done right, it can look right.

HSV did this as a concept vehicle, but it never got off the ground. Jarrah tray, inlaid with HSV's logo.

Attachment 167213

[RustyArc]

HSV did this as a concept vehicle, but it never got off the ground. Jarrah tray, inlaid with HSV's logo.

You're right, the stretched Mighty Boy look is one that has been sorely missing from the market.

[ben@SS&A]

In my head i imagined the underneath box part to look somewhat like a drop tank.
Its purpose was to hide the chassis and give me somewhere to mount my taillights and rego plate.
Now its on its a different story, things change, ideas change. By the end of this adventure i may end up with a pink pyramid on the back of my car haha...

Actually one idea that was mentioned to me, cant remember where where said it, paint the underneath the same colour as the rims. They are a dark grey (Ego) That could also look pretty good...
As for that commydoor i seen that in magazine, it looks pretty good. that pic doesnt really do it justice.

Today i took a walk up to the front end of my car and undid some screws and put this in




Also wile the battery and airbox were out i thought id pop out the ugly yellow globes and replace with some nice crystal white ones


And sprayed up my airbox and battery relocation bracket I made a wile back


All in prep for the tune monday 320+rwkw

Heres my exhaust i will be manipulating into place tomorrow


And i cut out three more patterns for the taillights...
ill post pics of each mounted and get your opinions if you dont mind