Wow that sounds like a homemade Camino Nice! Funny you mentioned hail damage on it. I got my S10 with the manual on a sweet deal because it was hail damaged. Never broke the paint so I never minded.Everything I own is a standard, except the wifes caravan. Even my current DD is a 2008 Chevy HHR LS wagon with a 5 speed. It's a bit hail damaged, and will need a hood and 1 fender. I will just source these from the junkyard if I do what I am thinking of doing. Most of the roof would be cut away so no worries about fixing hail dents. Looking at the front roof area, I could cut and put in a sunroof and eliminate most of the rest of the large dents.
Being I am an aircraft sheetmetal mechanic/fabricator by trade, and do automotive sheetmetal on the side, i looked at my LS wagon a bit the other day, and am thinking of turning it into a 2 seat mini pickup as well. I saw one done this way at a local cruise night. I scrutinized it pretty well. Looked factory done.
After gutting out the back behind the front seats, I can shorten, and splice back together and reupholster the headliner. Cut down the rear lift gate Move the rear window forward behind the front seats, weld the rear doors shut. JC whitney sells pickup bed floor sheetmetal with the corrugated bumps in it. Sheetmetalling the sides, cab wall and floor, then seam sealing it would be pretty easy.
Making a working tailgate would be a little rough, or I could just weld that piece shut since it's so low anything could be lifted over the sides. The bed floor would need to have a water sealed removable rear compartment lid. Maybe make a weatherstrip sealed hinged cover because the spare tire and vehicles battery are both in the trunk area.
After I get my maverick and this is a spare vehicle, I may get out the chop saw, and welder, and turn it into this.
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