After years of ferrying rural retirees around their respective parishes, scores of second-hand Suzuki Jimnys are being given a new lease of life as working farm vehicles.

The craze for morphing these pocket-sized off-roaders into UTV-rivalling mini pickup trucks has been spiralling over the past decade, with several companies stepping up to offer professional conversions.

Each has a slightly different approach, but the basic formula involves carving off the rear half of the body and fitting a new cab back, before bolting a pickup bed to the newly exposed chassis rails.

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Yorkshire firm Yomper goes a stage or two further, stripping the vehicle down to its bare bones before giving it a custom rebuild.

This comes in three iterations: the Bergan with body-moulded pickup back; the Field Star with standard-sized aluminium load bed; and the long-wheelbase Commercial.

The latter model is the one that makes Yomper stand out in the agricultural sector. While most Jimny conversions leave the chassis untouched, Yomper slices it in half and welds in extra metal, extending the wheelbase by 500mm.

Together with an additional 200mm added at the rear, this makes space for a generous 1,600×1,750mm load bed with 500kg carrying capacity.

At the same time, the firm cleans and repaints the chassis, treats it to a suspension lift and fits a new set of wheel rims with road-legal mud-terrain tyres.

Conversions are also lavished with a shiny new paint job, custom decals and a liberal dose of rust inhibitor to protect the underside from the elements.

All this work means the vehicle is no longer classed as a Suzuki Jimny. Instead, it goes through IVA testing and becomes a Yomper, complete with commercial vehicle status and an official raising of the payload so that it’s all above board.

First build

The Commercial was the first vehicle built by the company back in 2017, after owner Giles Walker saw a gap in the market.

Through his existing business, Samson Engineering, he had a wealth of experience modifying and repairing vehicles, as well as carrying out custom fabrication work. And after seeing a Jimny pickup conversion owned by one of his customers, he reckoned there was potential to take the idea further.

“When I saw the conversion, I thought it was a great idea, but the finish had room for improvement and the rear load area was a bit on the small side,” says Mr Walker.

He was convinced the vehicle could be adapted to take a larger load, so set about drawing up some plans.

“I wanted to get the design right from the outset, so spent a lot of time working on the proportions – if you look at the end result, I think it looks like the vehicle was always intended to be that length.”

Donor vehicle

The starting point for a Yomper Commercial is a standard old-shape Suzuki Jimny. Age isn’t important, but the vehicle needs to have a sound chassis and mechanicals, as well as decent bodywork.

Once the car has been stripped down, the chassis is placed on a custom-built jig before it is sliced in half. This prevents it twisting and allows the two sections to slide apart with millimetre accuracy before new sections are welded in.

All signs of rust are removed and treated before the completed frame is painted with tough “chassis black” paint.

The Jimny’s cabin is cut through just behind the front seats and a sturdy metal roll-over frame is welded in place. A new fibreglass rear panel with an optional sliding window is then bonded over the top.

This is made to a mould designed by Yomper, which has detailing to blend in with the Jimny’s existing bodywork. Finally, the paintwork is flatted, ready to be resprayed in the buyer’s colour of choice.

As for the engine, it is given a thorough service and inspection, before being reinstalled in its standard 83hp configuration.

The transmission, transfer box and axles are also checked over and given an oil change if required. 

Due to the Yomper’s extended wheelbase, a new prop shaft and stainless-steel exhaust system are made to measure.

Mud-plugging ability

To improve off-road performance, uprated adjustable gas shocks are fitted, and the vehicle is given a 50mm lift that makes room for larger 15in rims and off-road tyres.

Insa Turbo Dakar Mud Terrains are the rubber of choice, offering a decent balance between mud plugging ability and road handling.

Higher lift and bigger flotation tyres can be fitted if the customer desires, but Mr Walker advises against going too extreme as it ruins the road handling. 

To help effectively anchor the truck, the original rear drum brakes are also replaced with a disc brake conversion.

Carrying ability is what the Commercial model is all about, so Yomper builds its own high-capacity load bed from folded aluminium profiles.

It can carry a half-tonne payload, is large enough to accommodate a Euro pallet and has fold-down sides so that it can be easily loaded with a telehandler or forklift.

The firm has also thought about how the load will be secured, fitting retractable hooks in the base and installing a front rack that allows long items such as fencing materials to be secured over the roof.

Buyers can spec it as a tipper, so they don’t have to hop in with a shovel to unload loose materials. Handily, the design leaves room for a full-size spare wheel to be stowed underneath.

Finishing touches include a secure mount and lockable cap for the fuel filler, a larger set of mirrors and rally-style Kaylan mudflaps. The original roof bars are also shortened, making the ideal mounting point for a light bar.

Before delivery, the underside of the vehicle is treated with a generous dose of lanolin. This is a rust inhibitor extracted from sheep’s wool, which the firm deems to be the best way of keeping the rot at bay.

Handling

Jimnys have an excellent turning circle, so even with the chassis stretch, Mr Walker says the Commercial is handy to move around in tight spaces.

Thanks to the centre of the bed being positioned over the rear axle, it also manages to haul heavier payloads without unbalancing the vehicle.

Off-road performance clearly can’t match the original shorter-chassis vehicle, but he says the difference is marginal.

The only notable downgrade is reducing the official braked towing capacity from 1,300kg to 750kg. This applies purely to the Commercial vehicle, though, to avoid overloading it when the larger load bed is filled.

Models and prices

All Yompers are made to order, and prices vary according to the age of vehicle picked for the conversion and the options chosen by the customer.

The example pictured here is based on a 2015 Jimny with 36,000 miles on the clock and has a typical Commercial model spec with fixed rear load bed. It cost the customer £22,000.

Those who prefer a pickup conversion on an unstretched chassis have the option of the Field Star.

This is a far simpler build than the Commercial and, providing it’s based on a tidy donor car, doesn’t require a full rebuild.

These can be purchased for less than £10,000, including the cost of the donor Jimny.

The final model in Yomper’s portfolio is the Bergan, which is geared more towards leisure than work.

To this end, the rear pickup bed is coach built with a box-section frame clad with a steel skin, which is painted the same colour as the rest of the car. Prices for these start at about £16,500.

The firm also offers chassis-cab versions that allow customers to fit their own rear bodies, such as flat-beds, cage backs, micro campers, log cradles or boxes.

Although Yompers are based on a used Jimny, Mr Walker says the level of work he carries out means they are almost like a new vehicle.

All models come with a 12-month parts and labour warranty, and he estimates they will have a working lifespan of at least 20 years if properly maintained.