89 bed on 97 Tacoma

I was wondering if you can put 89 pickup bed on 97 Tacoma or if anyone has done it and how to

 

you should pm these guys, seems they have the same idea

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-put-a-1989-toyota-pickup-tailgate-on-97-tacoma.841172/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/89-toyota-pickup-bed-on-97-tacoma.840386/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1989-toyota-pickup-seats-in-a-97-tacoma.840243/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1989-toyota-pickup-grill-on-a-97-tacoma.839828/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1989-toyota-pickup-grill-on-97-tacoma.839778/

 

If you have a shell to measure against, or can have someone do it for you, the tape measure and a 36 inch straight edge are your friends. I have done this with a Dodge PU, and a friend retrofitted a Chevy squarebody shell to his 1994 Dodge Ram long bed.

• Measure the length of the tops of the frame rails of the truck.
• Measure the length of the bottom edges of the sides of the shell. Are they adequately close to the length of the frame rails? (You can't make a 5 foot shell fit a 6 foot bed without modification.)
  
• Measure the width of the top edge of the truck bed.
• Measure the width of the tailgate as well as the width of the truck bed from frame rail to frame rail.
• Measure the width of the bottom edge of the shell. Measure the width of the shell tailgate and the outer edges. Are they close to the analogous measurements from the truck?
• Use a straight edge (a carpenter level works) determine if the truck rear window will interfere vertically into the bed area. Does the truck have a faux "spoiler" built into the roof, like the 2024 Tacomas do?
  
• Similarly, determine if the shell is shaped so as to interfere with the rear window area of the truck.

If all looks good, the shell will probably fit, even if it was designed for some other truck. You may need to modify the shell a little, especially in the front. In my case, I had to replace the bottom front 1 inch by 1 inch aluminum angle with 2 inch by 2 inch angle to slide the shell back and properly seal the front, and (most important) also clear the tailgate. You may also need to use a bar clamp to squeeze the back end of the shell to fit at the tailgate. In my Dodge experience, I had to install a stainless steel tailgate cap to prevent the cap's hatch rubber seal from rubbing the paint off.

In my friend's case, retrofitting the Chevy to his 1994 Dodge, he squeezed the back of the shell closer each time he installed it. He just used a strong friend, being the cheap guy he is.

YMMV.

 

he's not installing a shell.

he's asking to take the truck bed off


and install this truck bed instead



which is going to take lots of steel/scrap steel for new mounts, multiple grinders, a welder, and a sawzall at a minimum.

 

With apologies, this is one of the worst misreadings of a post I have ever made. Flame away. I deserve it.

 

all your measurement suggestions are still somewhat accurate for a starting procedure.

this is still just as much work as making a chevy-anything fit a dodge-anything!

 

Well played.

 

I was going to do that. But then, as usual, I-Give-Up

 

Hehe, it happens, Lord knows I have never done the same! But your intentions were good, can't fault that!

 

new threads don't finish projects!

i love oddball stuff, and i'm all for helping anyone through figuring out oddball stuff, but the OP needs to show some effort--look into hijackzx1's multi-zone carpc/car audio build/ show vehicle build from back in 2010-ish.. he had tons of issues, but was extremely passionate about seeing it through, though i think project scope creep got to him eventually when it all outpaced his wallet... but i loved working with him on a lot of issues that no one else could explain, or were even trying at the time...

this guy seems to keep looking for someone else to lay out all the pieces and build a simple conversion for him and has all but turned down every chance someone's offered constructive advice and just keeps making new threads asking for the same thing. the bad news is that the answers not changing. and with a lack of new answers, it means the OP needs to alter his own perspective and approach to the project.