Well I managed to get the spare to fit in the (US) OEM location, so no history making today.....maybe next week.

 

Has anyone imported a Prado 150 Rear door and swapped out for a GX rear door?

I ask as the Prado 150 rear door can hold the spare tire.

not sure it's even possible to import but since I know we can get the roof rails i thought it might be. Probably very costly uniless you know someone that can save one from a wrecked Prado overseas.

 

The tire isnt on the back door in all Prado markets... I believe the hinge and body panel design is different when it is to accomodate the extra load of carrying around 50lbs on the back door.

 

you are correct, not all of them have a spare on the rear door.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried to obtain one of those rear doors and swapped it out with a USA Lexus GX460.
I would be surprised if Toyota retools for just that specific door. might be cost prohibitive, then again...I am not an expert nor do I design cars/factories.

Ascertaining no one has tried this. I imagine it's is cost prohibitive. Was hoping to find a unicorn!

 

there is a member in Wisconsin that's done a lot of Prado conversions to his GX but not the rear door. Forget his forum name right now... he did the license plate insert and along the way a lot of research on all things conversion... he'd be my first PM.

 

is it the guy on ih8mud who’s build title went something along the lines of “good luck kichiro”?

 

@Greenbow is the member I was thinking about

 

Looks like we are talking about the same guy
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/goo...story.1115968/

 

@nuclearn8 @ObsidianBl thank you both!

 

I think Greenbow sold his 460 a few weeks back but have still seen him on IH8Mud at times.

 

I tried to buy a Prado rear door from a wrecked one in Australia. They wouldn't agree to ship it so that's where it ended. I think I would need to actually go to AUS myself, find one that has what I want (back up camera - which is located on the spare tire) and ship it to the USA.

I think the hinge is the same for the doors with and without the spare.

 

I`d do the import if they made a prado door that worked like the LX tailgate. Of course thats impossible but hey if your reading this board Lexus, hint hint! I`m down for a focus group if need be lol

 

I read once that Toyota produces at such high volume, it is cost beneficial for them to customize vehicles for each market. The example I read about was that shocks installed on Corollas in Brazil were 2mm bigger due to rougher roads!

 

Sounds expensive. The becky or JW would give you fairly close results for a fraction of cost. If money isn't a problem, would love to see someone get it done.

 

Hey from Australia! I just saw this thread and I'm a little curious of this conversion too. I'm looking at relocating to the States for a few years and would buy the Lexus 460 as its pretty much the equivalent of the Prado. I'd prefer the rear tyre on the tailgate door for two reasons, 1, like the look of the tyre on the back (over here they come with colour coded hard covers) but mostly for the bigger fuel tank, my Prado has a 140 litre tank which I think is about 37 gallons.

Let me know if you are still looking at this option, i'd be more than happy to help you out with locating one here and shipping it over there and i'd be very keen to know if it works.

Cheers