AUSTRALIA'S ICONIC 2ND STAGE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER
Why should you choose Creative Conversions?
As Australia’s iconic 2nd stage vehicle manufacturer specialising in Landcruiser conversions, with over 30 years of experience and thousands of conversions completed, you can rest assured that your 4×4 is in safe hands.
The Toyota brand is built to last, created to perform, and designed for life! The Toyota brand stands for ensuring value, safety, and quality wherever your adventure takes you! With the added addition of converting your Toyota to a Dual-Cab conversion this significantly improve your vehicle-turning it into the ultimate Touring- Towing and or Work Vehicle.
Our ongoing research and development, our meticulous attention to detail and our rigorous off-road testing enables us to build the ultimate touring, towing and or work vehicle.
From the time a vehicle arrives on site to when it leaves, it is on our multi-stage production line.
From the time it arrives on site, it is considered in our manufacturing process system and progresses through each section of our 13-step assembly line.
1. Strip
This is the first stage of the conversion! This includes removal of all necessary parts including; Interior trims, roof lining, sunroofs, electrical parts – essentially all components and trims from the “A” pillars back and from the rear of the front seats back are removed for refit or repurpose later in the build. The rear cab is then separated from the main body with a reciprocating saw to avoid sparks that may damage windows or paintwork. This is where the word “chop” comes from however, as you will discover this is almost the most straight forward and basic process in the whole 2nd stage manufacturing process.
2. Chassis
After the rear of the cab has been removed, the undercarriage is stripped out. This includes: exhaust, tail shaft, and fuel tanks The main body is disconnected from the chassis. At specifically designed points on each model or variation, the chassis rails are extended and reinforced with overlapping outer and fish plates to ensure structural integrity of the vehicle. All service lines needed for braking, fuel, breather, and safety systems are also extended. On all extensions greater than 300mm an additional cross member and centre bearing is manufactured and installed to ensure long term reliable performance of the vehicle’s drive shafts. Axle housing, suspension and differential mounting strengthening is also completed at this point to finalise the wheelbase extension.
3. PANEL
The process of manufacturing the reconfigured cabin begins. The rear wall is fabricated using laser cut and pressed light gauge steel components. Depending on the vehicle model, such as our 300 Series, which have integrated storage compartments, the critical complex panels are pressed with model specific tooling which is designed to suit each individual model vehicle. Our unique welding process ensures even heat distribution which avoids warping and ensures your vehicle body remains true. New high strength bonding technology is used where aluminium panels need to be connected to steel panels. Further rear chassis area bracing, and strengthening is incorporated into the specific body/tray mounts and reinforced to ensure a solid foundation for your tray or canopy setup.
4. Prep Refinish
Prepping your vehicle ready to paint in our state of the art paint booth is a combination of state of the art equipment and time honed skills to ensure the vehicle presents as factory. Approx 90 man applied hours across 4 working days takes the vehicle from raw panels to fully prepared and then a specialised high fill polyester primer that is imported from the US is applied. The vehicle then has a minimum 48 hour cure period.
5. Paint Refinish
Painting the vehicle to OEM standards requires another 14 man hours of preparation prior to applying our high quality paint utilising a specially developed process. Each vehicle is fully prepared and painted in our state-of-the-art 9m x 3.5m on floor full downdraft paint booth and oven.
6. Electrical
Reconfiguring all the wiring from a wagon to a Dual-Cab is a significant and complex task, especially when you think about modern day vehicles with many electrical and safety systems are controlled by ECU’s. Here at Creative Conversions, we have been doing this process for an exceptionally long time. We make sure that your electronics are expertly reconfigured with OEM standard wiring harnesses and function as intended, working seamlessly between being a wagon and a Dual-Cab Ute. Or as an extended wheelbase Ute.
7. Retrim
Whilst there are significant changes to the outside of your vehicle, the inside gets just as much of a makeover. The various trims and carpets are modified and shaped to restore the vehicle to an original factory standard on the inside. Our carpeted back wall also ensures a clean finish to the comprehensive wiring hidden behind it.
8. Rustproof
The vehicle’s chassis is coated with either a rust proof or enamel coating externally and, internally with a wax based chemical coating that protects your vehicle from corrosion. This is applied in house to your vehicle by experienced technicians who make sure that every nook and cranny is protected.
9. Accessory
In this section we install all of the upgraded componentry and fit out the additional parts of the vehicle that have been added during the cab reconfiguration and wheelbase extension. On LC 300 Series models this includes central locking hardware, integrated vertical lift, drop hinges and bushes, weather seals and linings. Upgraded components include carefully developed and selected upgraded Suspension components, wheels, tyres.
Any aftermarket accessories you have chosen to install to your vehicle, this can range from on board compressors, snorkels, roof racks, LED light bars, electronic rust protection, clearview mirrors and brown davis long range tanks.
10. Detail
Our experienced detailing crew will go over your vehicle with a fine-tooth comb. The vehicle is cleaned inside and out as well as being clay blocked to ensure a smooth finish on your vehicle’s paintwork.
11. Complete
In this section your vehicle is just about ready to leave our facilities. The vehicle is double checked by our production team to ensure the absolute best quality control for your vehicle. All vehicles are personally signed off on by our production manager Mark who has almost 20 years’ experience building our vehicles.
12. Sublet
It takes a village to build one of our vehicles which is why we work closely with many businesses to make your Touring, Towing and or Work Vehicle happen. Whether it be for trays and canopies or non-Creative Conversions OEM accessories such as ARB bull-bars, brush-bars and side-steps just to name a few.
13. COLLECTION
This is the most exciting part of the whole build! Getting to see you drive away with your Creative Conversions vehicle! Or as many do, be loaded on to the truck to deliver your vehicle anywhere in Australia. The experience doesn’t end there, once you have one of our vehicles, we consider you part of our family which has members all over Australia! We love to see photos of your rig doing what it does best, taking you on adventures.
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