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The photo on the right shows a rear wall of a 100 series landcruiser Dual Cab. The same type of construction is used on most Creative Conversions.The metal used on all conversions is Zinc Anneal ranging from 1mm to 1.6mm thick.according to the requirements of the National Code of practice. The deep ribbed section in the middle serves not only as protection against load intrusion into the rear passenger area but also as a vibration and sound dampener which can be a major problem with some other conversions constructed with flat rear walls. The original rear seats,seat belts and mounts are used as with a lot of the original interior trim. The rear wall is a combination of several sections welded together designed to allow for flexability and twist to reduce the chance of stress fractures or fatigue over a long period of time.Extensive use of Silicon Bronze welding is used.This type of welding while expensive is used to eliminate buckling due to excessive heat build up which in turn means a better job and less finishing off. One of the reasons we have been so successfull over the last 10 years is our attention to detail. Flow through ventilation, a large toughned glass rear screen designed to eliminate blind spots and extra rear cab mounts are some things you may not find on other conversions. A wheelbase extension is achieved by cutting the chassis in the area below the rear seat position, forward of any existing suspension mounting points. By using this method we are able to move the entire rear suspension and pick up points back as one. Everything remains standard including Fuel tank, mounts, exaust system, suspension, and towbars etc. The original driveshaft is used in combination with a centre bearing and lay shaft to gain the extra length required. The handbrake cable is extended by adding a new one piece inner cable (no joins). The chassis extension joint is singularly the most important part of any conversion so a fair amount of time is spent on this area. Most chassis's are formed by two channels welded to form a box section, We first cut the chassis then add a new section of inner channel according to the amount of extension needed, a new section of outer channel is then welded in place to overlap the ends of the original inner piece. To finish the job an angle fischeplate (or plates depending on the length of extension) is then welded over the entire joint area extending beyond each end to form the final structure. This entire process is first calculated by determining the Bending Moment and MPA requirements according to the National Code of Practice Over the years we have completed hundreds (check the counter on our Home Page for up to date numbers) of extended wheelbase conversions for almost every purpose, from purely work vehicles to touring type vehicles set up with slide on campers etc.a lot of which are over loaded to the max.a good test for our workmanship but of course I must drawer your attension to the fact that it is illegal to drive your vehicle on the road if the GVM is exceeded. (Go to CARRYING CAPACITY on this page for more on this topic)

The photo on the right shows the interior of a rear wall of a 100 series landcruiser Dual Cab with the rear seat folded forward. A similar style of interior trim is used on all of our conversions. Before any trimming is started the rear wall and associated braces are rustproofed. Wherever possible we use the original trim from the vehicle as can be seen in the photo (Hoodlining, side pillar trims, seatbelts etc are all standard). The main section on the top half of the wall is then trimmed with marine quality carpet to match as near as possible the original colour.If you noticed the deep ribs in the wall (in our photo under the heading CONSTRUCTION) are missing,thats because we add a seperate trimming panel to the lower half to not only give a nice flush finish but it is also the reason our conversions are as quiet inside as the original donar vehicle. A 50mm air gap might not seem like much but it makes all the difference to sound absorbsion The painting process starts during construction with some hard to get at sections being rustproofed before other panels are put in the way. Once the main work is done the cab is etch primed first followed by 2 coats of 2 pak primer. The vehicle is then prepared for the finishing coats before entering the spray booth for the last time. All conversions are finished off in 2 pak paint according to the paint manufacturers recommendations, the number of coats depends on the paint being used eg. Metalic, Solid, or Pearl To finish the job all modified areas are then rustproofed using special wands to get into awkward places

First I should explain what the GVM is. The GROSS VEHICLE MASS of a vehicle is the maximum all up weight of a loaded vehicle including fuel, people, and goods etc. All vehicles and models of the same vehicle can be different. The GVM for your vehicle can be found on the Manufacturers Plate on the fire wall in the engine bay. The amount you can carry depends on the weight of your vehicle to start with, the lighter your vehicle the more you can carry.For this reason it is best to consider fitting lightweight accessories to start with eg.alluminium Bull Bars and Side Steps instead of steel, alluminium trays and toolboxes etc. instead of the steel equivelent. Because the vehicle will be converted to something totally different it is impossible to say accuratley just what the finished vehicle will weigh,but I can give you a guide as to what to expect. A Standard 100 series Diesel Wagon weighs approx 2300 kgs empty, If we cut the rear off and replace it with our Dual Cab wall and extend the chassis, the weight should end up about the same.So you can see if you subtract 2300kgs from the GVM on the manufacturers plate (in this case 3200kgs) you will have a carrying capacity of 900kgs. Keep in mind you don't have a tray or people on board at this point, so this is where you have to make up your mind as to whether to fit a a Steel (approx 240kgs) or an Alluminium tray (approx 125kgs) It is possible in some states to have a GVM upgraded by an engineer on most vehicles by using different springs and shocks etc.The amount you may be able to upgrade a GVM varies between models . Talk to your local State Dept of Transport for more specific info. The only way to increase the carrying capacity dramaticly is to have a Lazy Axle fitted (see the difference in the photos on the right) which can be organised by us during the conversion process. A GVM of 4500kgs or even higher is possible with most large vehicles using this method. Click on LAZY AXLES on the left for a lot more info on this process

To extend or not to extend this is the question most people want answered when it comes time to turn their vehicle into a Dual Cab or for that matter an Extra Cab. Looks does come into it, most people would aggree the conversion on the bottom looks more balanced with it's extended wheelbase and we know for sure that a conversion with a wheelbase extension has a much better resale value than one without. However it is far more important to have the vehicle constructed to a type to suit your requrements. The top photo shows a standard wheelbase Dual Cab, this is a great way to go if you need a vehicle for general light goods carrying or camping gear etc. The turning circle is standard and it is easier to park in hard to get spots, however because the tray is mainly behind the rear wheels care must be taken to load the vehicle accordingly to avoid light steering which can be dangerous in different situations. The bottom photo shows an extended wheelbase Dual Cab which has almost the same load carrying capacity as the top one but it is far easier to load correctly, of course you will have a larger turning circle but the longer wheelbase makes for a better handling vehicle for towing and at speed on the highway The wheelbase can be extended different amounts depending your requirements, we can advise you on what might suit you before the job is started. A few things to keep in mind when considering how much to extend your wheelbase. 1....Keep the length of the tray as short as possible to suit your needs.(this keeps the turning circle down) 2....Consider the position of the towbar in relation to the end of the tray. 3....Consider the position of the rear axle under the tray to give the correct load balance. 4....Rear overhang must be no more than 60% of the wheelbase.

Under Sect.8 FRINGE BENIFITS TAX ASSESMENTS ACT because your vehicle has been permantly modified and the total number of seating positions multiplied by 68kg is less than half the carrying capacity you are exempt from paying Fringe Benifits Tax providing you meet the appropriate criteria. If you require a vehicle rated at 1 tonne as a cab/chassis to avoid filling out log books you might need to consider a small GVM upgrade as explained in the section Carrying Capacity (some conversions like single cabs and extra cabs don't require this they just scrape in) With regard any of the above matters please make sure you check with your own accontant or tax advisor.