Pick Up tippers with original buck / tub

[Dan@GBTE]

Good Evening All,

 

I'm Daniel and I work for a commercial vehicle body builder and firstly I'd like to thank Steve for allowing me to post this.

 

We're testing the waters at the moment to see if there is much interest in being able to own an L200 / Navara / Hilux / Isuzu Rodeo / Ford Ranger tipper making use of the original buck. From our research it would appear nobody is pushing any type of Japanese 4x4 with the original buck which can tip which we feel is a bit of a shame;

1) As an aftermarket body reduces the aesthetics of the truck, (we think the after market bodies look like they've just been plonked on with no regards to the vehicle styling).

2) when the bucks are already fitted and after market option is fitted the buck is scrap and additional costs are incurred from building a new body.

 

We've looked at this opportunity on a few 4x4 pickups and believe it can be done, and secondly, we've already had a enquiry for 7 on crew cabs.

 

So, I'd like to know if there is any additional interest in this sort of product, be it on single, king or crew cab, we currently estimate a cost of around £1000 + VAT.

 

We're hoping there may be a gap in the market with arboriculturists, builders, landscape gardeners, farmers etc for assisting with unloading of soil, sand, wood chip, mulch & animal feed etc (not all at the same time:tongue_smilie:)

 

I'd be most grateful if you could reply and if you could add any other comments or suggestions. We'd like to produce a product which is lead by the market so we need the help of you guys who use them to get it right for you. In addition we'd look at tailoring each product so say winch's & side extensions for arboriculturists, ladder gantries for builders etc. We're also looking at bespoke bodies to fit these vehicles similar to our commercial vehicle bodies.

 

Any input would be greatly received.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Daniel

GB Transport Engineering Ltd

[Stephen Blair]

Hi Daniel, so you are saying for a grand you could take a standard nissan navarra and turn it into a tipper that doesnt look like it has come out of rhubarb and custards shed, if so, could the body be put back to normal for sale and if so at what cost?

[Robert_S]

Is he not saying he is going to make the original body tip? so it still looks standard.

 

or am i reading all the post wrong:biggrin:

[Stephen Blair]

we will soon find out robert ha

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Yeah, quite interested tbh, pm me more please. Cheers.

 

Edit - the more I think about it, I love the idea. I would almost certainly like the feature altho making it affordable is important...

Edited February 6, 2010 by TimberCutterDartmoor

[Dan@GBTE]

Hi Daniel, so you are saying for a grand you could take a standard nissan navarra and turn it into a tipper that doesnt look like it has come out of rhubarb and custards shed, if so, could the body be put back to normal for sale and if so at what cost?

 

Hello, Thanks for the reply. This is very much our intention, yes. If we get positive feedback on the idea, we'll buy own vehicle, develop a tipping subframe and body subframe and tipping gear, test it and if it works we're on to something!

We understand that these vehicle are used as both recreational vehicles, workhorses and a combination of the two, and that just because you've used your vehicle for work the next person might not so we'd aim to build a solution which would be able to put back to standard when you come to sell it should you wish. The cost wouldn't be a great deal to put back to standard a couple of hundred pounds maybe, we'll get the bucks to tip first and work form there. Nothing set in stone yet, we're just seeing if there's demand first.

[_tc]

A chap near me has an 03 single cab hilux that he has made into a tipper himself using the original butt. it looks bloody ace and works very well too.

Would love to have a normal looking truck with the butt tipping so yes in answer to your question.

[dent]

would you leave the body as standard or would you modify it so you gain extra carrying capacity as the standard profiled bodys seem really uneconomical space wise

[Dan@GBTE]

Is he not saying he is going to make the original body tip? so it still looks standard.

 

or am i reading all the post wrong:biggrin:

 

You've got it!

 

That's our aim.

 

 

Yeah, quite interested tbh, pm me more please. Cheers.

 

I can't PM you any more at this time as we're only seeing if there is demand before we go on to develop a working prototype, sorry. I'm glad you like the idea though and with some favorable response we'll be off out to look for our own vehicle next week and have a bit more info soon!

[Stephen Blair]

it needs to be affordable mate, nothing you dont know already. If you could do it for a grand then i think you would have a queue as far as the eye could see, i am no engineer, i cant even weld, but i do have ideas, and i always get let down by guys with welders who dont want to try new ideas. A back that looks standard with a lid on it, but when you want to make it bigger, the top is in 2 halfs, they fold up to make your greedy sides, then 2 small bits unfold, 1 on each side and create the headboard. and then you just take out the canvass made to measure roof cover out of a lovely small bag, it fits as snug as a bug, bunjee it onto the tie down clips(that can be used when the sides are a top as well) job done.