Project Shute

4: Ute Conversion

Originally an extra cab back was ordered to use for the back of Shute. It was always going to have a different shape, but it turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. A new sheet was made up more to specs, and Alf folded the rest. As a note of interest, SWB Patrol's have a different roof height and shape to a LWB.

The new back then went on Shute, was braced up, gaps were filled, and we started to get an idea of the end product.

Shute with a new back

After trying rear windows from other makes and models, it was decided the only was to go was custom. That way I could get something that suited the shape of Shute, and also have a rear window larger than normal for visibility.

Shute with window cut-out

Shute was then moved down to Alf's shed where he went to work getting it ready for painting. Rather than patch any small imperfections, Alf being the type of person he is decided instead to fix them. Out came the bog that was hiding under the former coat.. Dents were beaten out.. panels were straightened.. Then Shute was primed, sanded, primed, sanded, primed, sanded.. get the picture? Alf is meticulous with this stuff.

Shute Primed

I hadn't been able to decide on a colour since the start of this buildup, but with no time left I was forced to decide. I was after something different to begin with, but when you really look into it there's not much left (except perhaps pink and there was no way in hell I was going to have a pink truck). I took out the kids colouring set with 120 or so different colours and started trying to find something I liked. The two colours that I thought went well together were a thick yellow and black. Problem was that meant either I'd have a yellow truck with black barwork, or a black truck with yellow barwork.. Yellow barwork didn't really appeal to me at all, and yellow panels didn't really do much for me either.. but as I'd run out of time, I picked yellow for the panels. I wasn't really happy with yellow, but I just couldn't find anything else.

When looking around at the colours, I also noticed that there are a lot of yellow and black signs. If Shute was yellow, you'd see it coming from a mile away which would be good for the 4WD Links signage on the truck. That thought helped ease my mind a bit to the fact that I was going to have a yellow truck, but not quite enough.. so I decided to paint the bonnet black to break it up a bit. I ran the idea past Alf, and he wanted to do 2 strips of black on the two bonnet humps with pin striping around.. A GT bonnet essentially. I was still struggling to come to terms with my colour decisions to begin with, so the bonnet idea was a real stretch, and in the end I just went for a solid black right across.

The spray booth was booked in. We then hid Alf's tools so he'd stop fixing little imperfections, and the paint was bought to stop me from changing my mind on the colours. Alf was still fixing imperfections on the morning of painting (under the sills no less - it's a 4WD Alf!!) and I was still thinking about changing the colour scheme.

Shute was then painted.

Ute Conversion complete and cab painted


Another view and painted bonnet

Well it's painted now. I'm impressed with the Cab conversion. It looks as though it's straight from factory, especially with the new coat of paint. My idea for an angled cut at the base of the rear wheel arch seems to look alright as well, so I'm pretty happy all round.

Now it's time to complete the fiddly bits, and wire and fire up the engine. I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks and hopefully getting it on (and off) the road.

For a lot more photos on the buildup, check out http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/gallery/shute


Shute Menu

1: The Early Days
2: The Plan
3: The Buildup Starts
4: Cab Complete

Media: Shute Photos



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