New Jimny owner looking for advice

Hi to you all.
I have just aquired a 2001 Jimny JLX
The intention is to strip out the rear and make it into a dog/stalking transport (plus my two kids can learn how to drive it round our field)
I have just pulled the rear seats ot and found my first hole just under the jack storage and a bit of rust where the seat belts bolt on , is this a common fault.
The intention is to chequer plate the rear floor, and possibly the arches gaining a bit of space over the plastic covers.
Its black and I was thinking of a camouflage wrap, has any one done this? I,m looking at popping all the plastics off and doing as wellas I possibly can, any tips on those horible plastic rivets etc. Any advice on the roof rails and taking off the headlining to gain access ?
The tyres are road mostly duellers so if anyone out there has anything more off road that they are wanting to swap or sell please let me know.
Any general recommendations as to using it off road what is essential to protect with gaurds etc.
My last Suzuki was a bike its nice to be back.
I live on the north end of the Cotswolds between Stratford on Avon and Cheltenham.

regards to you all

Hopefully speak soon

Any advice on the roof rails and taking off the headlining to gain access ?

Yurp., Just prise off the end caps and you will see 2 nuts at each end, no need to remove the rooflining.

Boot floors are a weak rust point but easy to weld up.

If not using hard off road and just around a field, id recommend fitting a transferbox bash plate
like so
www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/jimny/jimny-tra...x-guard/prod_22.html

No lift would be needed saving alot of dosh, and a good set of all terrain/mud tyres will get you anywhere.

Welcome to Bigjimny

Hi Hawksthorn, welcome to BJ

sounds like another another Dog Taxi in the making :woohoo:

careful with the roof rail end caps - I've cracked one of mine as I had a strap just on it .........

get some cheap ladder bars and make up a cheap DIY £15 roof rack

Like your GWP
Hows it bred ?

Man dog shags woman dog, woman dog gets pregnant, woman dog has babies.

Municipal Waste wrote: Man dog shags woman dog, woman dog gets pregnant, woman dog has babies.

although in the case of our minature labradoodle - girl labrador, boy minature podle, chair!