Would a e30 truck feel anything like an e30?

[eur04lif3]

Sup r3v,

I've recently become a new home owner. Quickly i realized that i would need a truck for just usual hauling things around the place. Even something as simple as getting a lawn mower needs something bigger to haul in, something bigger than my e30's trunk.

Anyways, I began looking around for a truck (tacoma, S10's etc.), then i daunted at me...why not e30, as i've seen a couple builds already.

Now i know that there are strong feelings on both sides of the fence regards to taking god's chariot and start chopping--but that's not what this thread is about. I myself, think its awesome and would be quite cool, but with one great caveat--as long as it would handle empty as a proper e30 coupe would. If it looses the great feeling that you would get in a couple chassis, then it would be pointless.


Keeping this short, mainly i'm hoping that someone that has been though this(small chance) would chime in, or some good points why it would or not. Another thing that I've started thinking about is suspension, i don't plan i putting too much weight in it(500lbs max, mainly the benefit is size), but would it require any reinforcement?
Also, I'm thinking from a strength perspective, would a vert chassis be a better choice to start with verse a couple? Due to the fact that it engineered/reinforced to not have the pillars....etc.

Discuss away.

[Balleristic31]

Why not buy a small toyota or Nissan truck and call it a day?

[eur04lif3]

Why not buy a small toyota or Nissan truck and call it a day?

It would serve as my daily, and i would much rather daily an e30 truck that would handle "like an e30", then drive any other PU.

[bataangpinoy]

lol

[JasonC]

It would serve as my daily, and i would much rather daily an e30 truck that would handle "like an e30", then drive any other PU.

And how is this e30 truck going to handle after half the roof is removed along with glass, trunk and a few extra pounds here and there. Is it going to be the same handling e30?

If you have the time, money and resources to do this and and make it look correct plus think you'd be happy with it, then go for it. Personally i've had many trucks as dailys and had no problems. My current daily is a 91 GMC Sonoma 4x4.

[alB5]

I agree with just buying a Pickup, save the "e30 feel" for actual e30's. Not chopped up ones. I'd go for an old ranger/comanche/tons of other examples that i can't think of right now.

[Kozworth]

See the issue is I would think it would be too ass end light and the UNi body would be compromised. Maybe a vert that was chopped would hold better. But think about it.. It would be less then a 6 foot bed. I'd be surprised if you could haul a folded up hoist and a b25 on stock height let alone lowered.

I would love an e30 truck and even had a cancer ridden donor I could have transformed. It is much easier to get a pos truck. Trust me, I naught an 88 f150 for 900 and I have an 8 foot bed to easily jam whatever car parts or trash I want

[McGyver]

well a vert gets its strength from the reinforcement behind the back seat and the deeper rocker panels. and even with both of those its no where near as rigid as a couple. after cutting out the supports behind the rear seats, you might as well have just started with a coupe. i highly doubt it would retain any "e30 feeling", especially after being so significantly lightened in the back.

i would say no to the idea unless you have a rusty beater shell that couldnt be brought back to life as a semi-clean e30.

[eur04lif3]

And how is this e30 truck going to handle after half the roof is removed along with glass, trunk and a few extra pounds here and there. Is it going to be the same handling e30?

If you have the time, money and resources to do this and and make it look correct plus think you'd be happy with it, then go for it. Personally i've had many trucks as dailys and had no problems. My current daily is a 91 GMC Sonoma 4x4.

I would imagine as well as a vert would, to a certain degree.

[eur04lif3]

I agree with just buying a Pickup, save the "e30 feel" for actual e30's. Not chopped up ones. I'd go for an old ranger/comanche/tons of other examples that i can't think of right now.

Might have to go with that, and it would be even a cheaper route. After all, you can pick one of these up to fairly cheap--cheaper than it would take to actually make a pickup out of an e30.

well a vert gets its strength from the reinforcement behind the back seat and the deeper rocker panels. and even with both of those its no where near as rigid as a couple. after cutting out the supports behind the rear seats, you might as well have just started with a coupe. i highly doubt it would retain any "e30 feeling", especially after being so significantly lightened in the back.

i would say no to the idea unless you have a rusty beater shell that couldnt be brought back to life as a semi-clean e30.

Good to know, see that's something i wasn't too familiar with. I knew there was some reinforcement done, but didn't know where.

Thanks for the input!

[JasonC]

Another thing, i have yet to see an e30 truck with a tailgate. ever try to load and unload a truck without a functioning tailgate? It's a PITA lol.

[eur04lif3]

Another thing, i have yet to see an e30 truck with a tailgate. ever try to load and unload a truck without a functioning tailgate? It's a PITA lol.

lol yeah, i noticed that too. Also realized that it would take some serious fabing to actually have a functional tailgate.

[evandael]

there's tons of C and K series out there for under $3000. want a truck? buy a truck.

[cmcgrogan]

Another thing, i have yet to see an e30 truck with a tailgate. ever try to load and unload a truck without a functioning tailgate? It's a PITA lol.

literally my thought exactly. a lot of the e30 "trucks" i have scene are more different than cool too me. it wont hold anything, there wont be a tail gate unless some serious fab work is done and your chopping up a perfectly good car (might not be good if its rotted out)

[VinniE30]

There people on here that have done a "truck e30". Ask one of them.
"e30_325es" in maryland has one done it was at bimmerfest last year
michael hockman in PA is building one right now
I've seen several others too.