Well the rollbar worked...

I will chop the roof off, and once I get the new one, I will make it fit, tack weld it all in place, then finish the interior cage. Once the cage is finished, I will take the cab back off and weld the cage in. This way I will be able to do full 360* welds, not something I would have done before, but since I can, I might as well.

I am trying to think of anything else I would like to do 'while I can', the lexan back glass is all I can really think of. If anyone else has any ideas, please let me know.

I plan on keeping the body, mainly because I want to have an enclosed cab, call me spoiled, but I like having heat in the winter, and being able to stay dry in the rain. I debated just pulling the cab off and building a buggy, but it would not be worth the downtime to me right now, plus I don't really have the money to fund all the small parts that would surely add up quickly.
 
One more thing, it did make me feel good when a couple of the guys at Tom Johnson's Camping Center told me that if the cage had been done, they thought I would have been able to drive it home. It was actually kind of neat seeing the reaction on the people's faces when both Rebecca and I walked away virtually unharmed. The whole time I was just in shock that I actually rolled my truck, but I don't think there was hardly a time I wasn't pretty lighthearted about it. I know it sucks I will have to fix it, but to see the outcome after it happened, I can't complain a bit. Someone above must have definetly had an eye on me (or her :) )
 
Tacoma747 said:
I called a junkyard today, they have a cab, and will let me cut the roof/pillars off for $200, which I think is a great price.
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Well, check, double check ALL the measurements as you are ready to weld this in. Go ahead and have a windshield handy to lay in there as well, it really helps you keep everything lined up.

Are the doors ok? If so, with a windshield laying in there, the back window (even though you are not leaving it) and both doors closed, you should be able to get the roof on there pretty tightly!

Where old roof meets NEW roof...there is a little crimping tool that will be REAL handy to have. What it does is literally put a lip in the metal so you can overlap them just a bit.

This really helps so you can butt them together and then finish over the two parts with a bit of plastic and you won't even see it! We actually considered cutting a roof or front of roof off an Excursion on mine, but we were able to rework that corner and get it straight.

Good luck and holler if you need a set of experienced eyeballs and I can get my dad to ride over with me to give you some advice!

Oh...send more pictures in the daylight...too hard to see those dark ones! :)

Sam
 
Tacoma747 said:
yes, I goosed it a little
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Well, I for one couldn't chuck rocks at you without breaking about 20,000 sqft of glass out of the front of my own house



Thing is...you can't be TOLD many of lifes little lessons. I know as a father I try to protect my son from all harm, but some lessons only come with scuffed knees or split lips no matter how you try to hammer it into someones head.


Lesson learned?
 
GFL getting that cab straight. Weld real slow, switch sides and check sq often. Glad you made it out OK. We ALL do stupid stuff at one time or the other.:D
 
You know this all gives me an idea, maybe the body shop at Forsyth Tech needs a project vehicle... I will have to call them and see about getting them to do it for me, it's a stretch, but worth a try.

Yea we learn from out mistakes, I just hope next time I flip it the outcome is better, but if the outcome was the same, I still have nothing to complain about.
 
It does suck that I have to work around an unfinished cage that is tied through the cab though:

2003_0707Image0005.jpg


2003_0707Image0006.jpg
 
Tacoma747 said:
You know this all gives me an idea, maybe the body shop at Forsyth Tech needs a project vehicle...
Click to expand...


just remember....it's basically free, but they do it on their own sweet time, so you can't be in ANY kind of a hurry

Dude, if it were me, I'd go ahead and build a tube buggy, then build my own firewall, panels, roof...etc. Look into whats going to keep it street legal and pass inspection. Maybe find a donor windshield and surrounding sheetmetal (a-pillar, roof, cowl) and incorperate that into what you fab.

You're creative, think outside the box (cab) :D
 
Tacoma747 said:
Yea we learn from out mistakes, I just hope next time I flip it the outcome is better, but if the outcome was the same, I still have nothing to complain about.
Click to expand...

Let's hope that next time you just flop, and don't flip.
 
Tacoma747 said:
You know this all gives me an idea, maybe the body shop at Forsyth Tech needs a project vehicle... I will have to call them and see about getting them to do it for me, it's a stretch, but worth a try.
Yea we learn from out mistakes, I just hope next time I flip it the outcome is better, but if the outcome was the same, I still have nothing to complain about.
Click to expand...


Ya, if your going to do something do it right.
 
Cant believe i missed this thread... im kinda suprised at how much the roof crushed in on the tacoma. My old nissan had a sunroof and when I rolled it, it landed on the roof after 2 rolls and the cab didnt crush except for the exteded cab part.

NissanRoll1.jpg


mabey you should get a nissan cab to relace teh taco one with...
 
It hit pavement covered in ice once before the dirt hit. All im saying is i thought the cab would be stronger than that. The cab on my truck was holding the entire truck up balanced perfectly on the roof. Figured toyota's being of the same hi japanese quality would hold up equally well.
 
Draw a straight line from the front bars to the b-pillar hoop... that's where it was balanced on.. his was right on the leading edge of the roof..

Tacos do have paper-thin sheet metal, that's for sure... (Not saying that from this incident)
 
I had a 93 Dodge Dakota 4x4 and the only thing that saved my life the was the rollbar and the seat belts. Thank god it had a sun-roof in it because we (my girlfriend & I) crawled out of it. The NCSHP didn't give me ticket either, he said it was due to road conditions.
 
Glad you were alright.


What are the chances of the girlfriend ever riding in the truck again?:D
 
It sucks when you roll something..I know I did mine at ure...
ai3.photobucket.com_albums_y70_jeepmike19_Picture10.jpg

Now it looks like this..So sometimes, something good dose become of thing
ai3.photobucket.com_albums_y70_jeepmike19_0201061715.jpg
 
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