Forklift completed lots of fab work.

[4shorts]

Well for those who have been asking about my old forklift project I'm happy to say that I got it completed. This ends a very long rebuild for me with this old forklift. I purchased it around this time last year and started in to rebuild it shortly after. I wanted it to be a fun project and to a point it was only for all the hard long hours it took to get it to this point.

Basically everything had to be done. I had to remove all the paint, rust and crap others had done with it over the years before I could even begin to start the rebuild. the first thing I had to do was build a new engine hood for the beast. Toyota wanted over $3000. just for the hood so I fabricated the one you see on it now out of 1/8th plate. This one will be awhile before it rusts out.

Basically I went right through the complete machine. New rings, bearings, lapped the valves and installed new valve stem oils seals. I rebuilt the mast. all new bearings in it as well and had to rebuild some of the hydraulic cylinders because they were leaking. Some of them had to even be re-chromed due to the pitting on them.

After all that was done I sand blasted, primed and painted it. I fabricated the custom stuff such as the headlamp guards. Custom built the rear light bar and all the lights you see in it are strobes. I built sun visor as well and added some more aluminum plate to the sides to pimp it out a bit. The top have a plexy glass top in it now. I added all new gauges and even fabricated new sections of the dash because it was in pretty bad shape. It even has air horns now along with chrome duel exhaust stacks. I had to design some custom adapters to get them to work on the lift but they sound nice so it was worth it.

I removed the old Toyota charging system and it's external voltage regulator and installed a GM alternator with a built in regulator. Of course that's harder than it sounds because I had to make up new brackets to get it to fit. I also added a cool hook up to the engine cover that I can just plug my booster cables into so I don't have to pull up the lid to do it.

Anyway there's much more to this story but I'm sure you'll see by the pictures there was a lot of work involved. One thing I did learn out of this. Never try and rebuild a forklift unless you have a forklift to help. These buggers a very heavy. I'm happy with the outcome. It's runs like new and will come in handy around the shop. Here's some photo's.








New charging system installed:



Some of the old wiring I removed:



Booster cable hook up:

[4shorts]

Completed:

[William McCormick Jr]

Originally Posted by 4shorts

Completed:

What the heck did that cost you? Ha-ha.

It looks unbelievable. Nice work.

Sincerely,


William McCormick

[hillco]

Beautiful job!! What a difference!!

[JC'sWelding]

That is a massive project. Great job. Love the diamond plat and the stacks, cool touch. Just curious, what did that rear counter balance weight weigh?

[4shorts]

Originally Posted by JC'sWelding

That is a massive project. Great job. Love the diamond plat and the stacks, cool touch. Just curious, what did that rear counter balance weight weigh?

JC the counter weight weighs 3 ton. There easy to remove IF you can lift them. I like diamond plate as well but some hate the stuff. Each to his own I guess. I attached a few more pics of the light bar in the making. It was all tig welded. took me almost two days to make that thing

Gordon my friend. Your going to give me a complex saying those things. I really appreciate your comments sir. Hope all is well across the pond. Thanks guys!

[gordon stephenson]

Hello Paul,
Top class job,(no less than than we all expected from "the master"
Rebuilt by Paul Short says it all ! Huge task with no detail too small to be overlooked. every man on this forum would be proud to turn out projects that even approached your standards..

P.S do you do all the graphics as well, or get them custom made,
Congratulations once again 10/10.

Cheers from across the pond. Gordon.

[4shorts]

Originally Posted by gordon stephenson

Hello Paul,
P.S do you do all the graphics as well, or get them custom made,

Gordon I have a good friend who prints the graphics for me. He's the best that's around. He's been doing all my graphics for the last 15 years.

Originally Posted by sn0border88

Great job, im sure its better than new by a long shot. However i just cant wrap my head around the stacks, and the diamond plate looks good but doesnt fit with the rest of the machine. To each his own I guess.

sn0border88;282697. I appreciate your comment. This old forklift was on it's death bed. I was hoping that I could not only bring it back from certain death but also make it look a little different and have fun doing so. This lift won't be used every day so I figured by adding a few custom touches it would make nice lawn art when not in use. I realize everyone won't like everything I do and to be honest I don't mind that. As you said "to each his own" I'm happy with the outcome and that's all that really matters to me anyway.

[\\NV.Welding//]

thats one bad@$$ forklift! nice work

[mrmikey]

Nothing to say but a beautiful piece of work, you should be proud.....Mike

[sn0border88]

Great job, im sure its better than new by a long shot. However i just cant wrap my head around the stacks, and the diamond plate looks good but doesnt fit with the rest of the machine. To each his own I guess.

[Sparky#1]

Originally Posted by sn0border88

Great job, im sure its better than new by a long shot. However i just cant wrap my head around the stacks, and the diamond plate looks good but doesnt fit with the rest of the machine. To each his own I guess.

He made it his,looks alot better than Toyota did it. A+

[chenry]

no propane conversion ?

[Craig in Denver]

Another A+

Thanks for the pics.

[Pipeliner]

The jumper cable q/c should be standard equipment. No more leaning the seats up to get at the batts. Would be really handy out on a cold whse dock.

[app-ironworksllc]

pardon me but all I can say about that is .....
...dayum.....

[SpyGuy]

Wow.
Just .... wow.

I can't believe the massive amount of work you did to rebuild the forklift - the "before" pictures are absolutely hideous, but the "after" pictures are truly awesome. I like the diamond plate work you did on the lift, and the plexy roof is a good idea for those days when ya gotta drive in the rain (been there, done that, got soaked). I do see one very important thing missing on the lift .... the name of the builder (as in YOU) stencilled on the side by the seat. If you're going to build it, you gotta sign it .....

Nice dashboard ....... where's the stereo system gonna mount so you have tunes?

[4shorts]

Originally Posted by chenry

no propane conversion ?

No propane. This will only used outside and for me it's easier to service the gas version than the propane version.

Originally Posted by denrep

Really, it's hard to believe it's the same truck.
Nice job!

I hate to say it, and I don't know the truck's application, but I see a few things that would cause the truck to flunk a certain test.

Seat belt - It's a must have.

Left fork - The left fork's heel appears to show very heavy wear. The test aside, be careful about lifting max loads.

Lift chain - Usually when a chain bleeds rust it won't "gauge" because of wear and stretch.

Maybe it's just the pictures, or maybe for the truck's purposes these aren't concerns at all.

Good Luck

May be the way it looks in the photo's but the chains have grease on them which happens to be a very dark red color.

As for the forks. I looked at much newer trucks and they all looked the same. I don't think just the heel could wear because with the mast tilted back the heals can't even touch the ground.

I'm guilty of the seat belt and there's no reason not to have one. I have one in my new Kubota and I never put it on. I'm the only operator of this lift truck and it will only be used a few times a week either to tow a vehicle in our shop or to lift a sheet of 1/4 plate. Heck I may even use it to put the trash out. If it can't handle that I'm not going to real happy about it Your right though. It would flunk certain tests. The size of the steering wheel. The exhaust system. The lighting system (rear lights reflect off the chrome stacks) but please understand that although this was a big project I just had to have a little fun doing so and as one guy had said yesterday when he stopped in to have a look at it "It compliments your business by having it here". I hope he is right!

Originally Posted by SpyGuy

Wow.
Just .... wow.

I can't believe the massive amount of work you did to rebuild the forklift - the "before" pictures are absolutely hideous, but the "after" pictures are truly awesome. I like the diamond plate work you did on the lift, and the plexy roof is a good idea for those days when ya gotta drive in the rain (been there, done that, got soaked). I do see one very important thing missing on the lift .... the name of the builder (as in YOU) stencilled on the side by the seat. If you're going to build it, you gotta sign it .....

Nice dashboard ....... where's the stereo system gonna mount so you have tunes?

Ha! Ha!. Good thing we don't work together because we would have some wild things done with this project. I told a customer last winter that I was going to put a GPS and a DVD player on it and I thought he was going to die laughing. I think I should have done it Thanks man. Glad you liked it.

Originally Posted by Pipeliner

The jumper cable q/c should be standard equipment. No more leaning the seats up to get at the batts. Would be really handy out on a cold whse dock.

Man I agree. Every now and then I have to boost vehicles here so I decided to add the quick attach to the little beast to make it faster and easier to do. I think the adapters were $25. for the set and a bit of wire and you got it.

Thanks everyone. When you change the look of anything two things happen. some love it and some hate it. Thanks what makes this world interesting.

If you like looking at this sort of thing I have restored/customised many more items and most of the pictures are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15602393@N05/

[denrep]

Originally Posted by 4shorts

...As for the forks. I looked at much newer trucks and they all looked the same....

The heel's base was originally as thick as the upright section. Comparing to a newer truck isn't a good gauge, because a "heel dragging" operator can wear down a fork in no time.

If you don't overload or travel in circles where worn forks are considered cash cows, you'll probably be okay.

Good Luck

[Ken Dennis]

Now if that don't beat all I've ever seen, a pimped out forklift, too cool!
I am surprised you didn't put some of that diamond plate on the dash panel around the gages too.
I think that would have looked great on there!

[specter]

Looks like something Tim Allen would do for his old show Tool Time. With those exhaust pipes I envision Tim putting in a 350 with all the goodies. And of course seeing Tim Allen doing wheelies across the shows stage floor as he drives it through the stage walls.

That forklift looks like something too good to use for work! Looks more like something that would be on the Toyota's showroom floor to get the customer's attention.


Good Work,

Tom

[Sr SQ]

4Shorts, looks like you did a beautiful job.
We have many of those little Toyotas at work and they are incredible machines.
When I seen the stacks I hoped to see a little diesel conversion so they could actually roll some coal out of them LOL
Thanks for the pics

[Oldtimer]

Well, no one can accuse you of doing things half-way. What a beautiful machine. I consider it like a custom truck, car, or motorcycle. Yes I understand restoring machinery to it's original condition but customizing is just as good and sometimes better. I think the exhaust stacks are a great addition as is the all the diamond plate. The only thing I would have done different would have been to put a solid top on. The sun gets so hot here that any shade is welcome.

[rode2rouen]

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

The only thing I would have done different would have been to put a solid top on. The sun gets so hot here that any shade is welcome.

A retractable sunroof would fit the overall concept nicely!!
Great work!


Rex

[SundownIII]

4shorts,

Man, that's one tricked out lift.

Beautiful work.

Put me in the camp that definitely "likes" what you've done. Great attention to detail.

No where close to looking as good as your machine, but thought (for giggles) I'd post up a picture of my "rough terrain tig cart".