P.U. Bedside Panels For Burb?

[bagged91]

Tommy,
Here's the best way I can figure how to do it where it would look 1/2 decent... You still have the issue with the wheelarch being "incorrect". With all of the labor involved, you would probably be better off selling your bed and buying a decent SWB...

Anyway, remove the wheelarch from behind the wheel to the front of the bed and up to the top in the area that the front bedwall(bulkhead) bolts in. Shorten upper section of bedrail to SWB length. Take wheelarch and position so that the wheelbase is correct and mark the bedside. Cut out the area you marked and weld in the wheel arch. Weld in front area of bedside where bulkhead bolts in. Make patch for behind wheel arch to bumper area. Now you still have to shorten the inside of the bedside and the bedfloor...

That's what I come up with...

L8R - Joe

[hotrodmtodd]

Joe,
That's neat how you can do that with those panels. Looking at the pictures you sent, I now see the subtle differences in the wheel openings. I don't think it would be much of a concern to me because, as long as both sides were the same, I think it would be OK. (after all, the purists will be too busy freaking out about the extra door to notice the arches!) Did you give any thought to what I said about the pillars? I haven't had a chance to dig deeper on mine. Let me know your advise AND dissent. Take care, Mike

[CG]

Originally Posted by hotrodmtodd

OK Guys,
I can't possibly be the first one to think of this one. In all this quarter panel talk, I realized that I am going to fabricate a 4th door on the drivers side of this thing. I looked LONG & HARD at it today and realized that it would be alot of work, but nothing that a GM trained body man/Hot rodder couldn't handle. Possibly suicide hinges, or a modified truck skin with reversed frame on a Burb door. Has anybody done this? I also have no doubt that I could make truck bedsides work (with a little finessing) and some Burb tailight panels. (Not to mention the beer and band-aids suggested above.) Keep the suggestions coming guys, you got me excited about this project! I am WORKING on the picture thing.Take care, Mike

first off ... sounds like a ton of work to me. here is what i like about the burbs, the fact it only has 3 doors. this still amazes most people that see these things. i always loved the reaction when i drove my burb around, you mean it came stock that way? why didnt they put another door on it? lol. if you spend all the time and effort to make it a 4 door i would say 90 percent (or more) of the people wouldnt think a thing of it. they would just assume its stock. its like my 61 lincoln suicide door. people tell me i should shave the handles to smooth up the sides. if i did that it would ruin the...oh man cool that old car has suicide doors...the layman would never notice them if i shaved the handles. i think part of the fun of driving the old trucks and cars is the attention you get but then again everyone on this board would be impressed if you could pull it off...i know i would. good luck on however you build this baby....i love the burbs.

[55454]

Thanks Joe, the new bed sides would be the way to go now that they are availiable. It was always a thought since the late eighties. I am sure you have seen people cutting just the back off. I couldn't figure out the horizontal body line with verticle cuts. That makes total sense, would their be any difference on the horizontal body line in the front of the bed to the top of the bed if so I dont think it would be much.

Thanks Tommy

72 BB
68 C/10
1 14yr old Chihuahua
92 Black Wheel Barrow (over inflated tire for lift, more lift stiffer ride)

[hotrodmtodd]

Tommy,
To shed some light on your original question: Yes, to make vertical cuts on both ends would be like cutting the ends off of a football and removing part of the middle. Then trying to get everything to line up again wouldn't work without adding at the top or bottom. Clear as MUD right? Take care, Mike

[bagged91]

Mike,
Well, I went out and looked again. Here's what I think...

If you want to keep the doors opening as they currently do, then you will definitely need to obtain another burb B pillar as a donor(or a similar one from a donor vehicle like maybe an old International Carryall or crewcab, 73+ Burb/Crewcab, ect...) The pass B pillar is "thinner" because the door needs to swing into it so it doesn't affect the opening of the front door. If you notice, the 3rd door hinge area(on the door itself) is deeper than the same area on a front door. This is to give the door more pivot on the hinges.

If you wanted to "suicide" the rear doors, that would make your life a little easier on the drivers side but you will still need to fabricate a doorjamb for the latch.

I have often wondered how hard it would be to suicide the rear doors, eliminate the B pillar and use the rear door itself as the latch jamb for the front doors(sorta like a 67-70 panel rear door, van rear door or the newer GM extended cab trucks...)

L8R - Joe

[hotrodmtodd]

Joe, I like the way you think brother! A little overlap so that the suicides aren't quite so suicidal! Man, 17,000 heads ARE better than 1! This is taking off like a rocket! Keep it up and this thing will have a H U D and an auto-pilot before it's all over! Thanks for the on-going brainstorming session guys. Take care, Mike

[newin72]

ttt