bobtail??

[dannyboy77]

hi all, thinking of cutting the big rear ass off the surf but trying to save some weight and look good at the same time! as i have the gas tank right over the rear axle i cant really use the boot to its full 6ft potential and its really an off road car now and day use but dont ship stuff about in it! get a transit for that ha! so im thinking of bobbing it and keeping some of the space for tools and tents etc when go off roading. i dont have the back seats in so thats my kind of boot! just use the doors for access. its now going to look like old school ford fiesta jacked up ha! will trim it after the back door so the strutural intgrity is still in tact. not sure how to finish off the back, if it opens, and whether to use perspex or get glass cut? less to smash and break the better! i will try to fit a rear winch bumper so can move the winich from front to back! All comments welcome as usual!

these pics below are hopefully what it will look like! but mine will hopefully look like the top one

[shokenore]

Most people have polarised views on bobtails.

I think it looks worse than a FSO Polonez.


However as I will never bobtail I would be interested in any pics you post of the conversion.

[yoshie]

Danny as an off road toy it's a cracking mod that will actually make a real world difference to your trucks ability. Go for it mate and take plenty pictures.

We can compare results in the Lakes next summer.

[Jimpics57]

Billybob Bobtail Surf

Heres a Bobtail Surf designed for Offroading!!

[BUSHWHACKER]

They look shit!

[Jimpics57]

Shit

But they do go offroad fella and dont need the scratches polishing out!!

[BUSHWHACKER]

But they do go offroad fella and dont need the scratches polishing out!!

Not saying they are shit, just that they look shit.

[Jimpics57]

They look much better in the Forests (if you can find them!!) and generate a lot of questions about Surfs, especially when we lead Land Rover Clubs around our routes! The LR Guys know that other 4x4's are available, are capable, are comfortable and are reliable!!

[captain_chaos]

Most people have polarised views on bobtails.

I think it looks worse than a FSO Polonez.


However as I will never bobtail I would be interested in any pics you post of the conversion.

Hah ha ha. My uncle had an fso polonez, it was crap lol.
As for bob tailing; it improves the departure angle of the truck. However, it just doesn't look right. Kind of like it's been rear ended and squashed

[dannyboy77]

Thanks for all the constructive subjective comments. Bobtails do cause a lot of discussion on here normally either it looks shite or ok but the point is for off roading. I personally think it looks ok and will help off roading and not dinting the back end on trees and stone!

[BUSHWHACKER]

I just don't get it, why chop the back off a perfectly good body, just sell it and get something shorter like a Zook or landrover?

I don't understand drinking or smoking either, perhaps I'm wired up wrong?

[TonyN]

They look great done properly, but can easily look like an abortion.

Not a big fan of ropey hack jobs, even on just offroad motors.

[wishbone]

Could probably graft in a hatchbacks rear door so you get real glass and hinges etc....

I like a tidy bobtail. Don't like traybacks they look weird...

[TonyN]

I just don't get it, why chop the back off a perfectly good body, just sell it and get something shorter like a Zook or landrover?

For me, the only flaw in the Surfs offroad ability is the rear overhang, address that and its the perfect offroad/on road toy.

Why buy a Zook or Lamerover, when you can have a Surf?

[dannyboy77]

I agree the back end does hand over more than other 4x4sm the styling is beftter than any of the other 4x4s that's we all have one but it does hamper off roading! If they built it with a solid front axle and bobbed the back and still mke it look as good as it does then it would be perfect! Just need to make the bob look as good as it can be as noted by tony n! I wanted to try and keep as much of the body and styling as possible as don't want a lot of scaffolding in the back.