MG Metalworks Build

[Ocsmb]

Originally Posted by shenrie

weve never met, but i swear we would get along well just by a lot of your responces i see from you... i was going to post the exact same thing. too funny

those seats are rad. what year sienna are they from?

some great fabwork so far, look forward to the rest of your build!

Lol. My assumption is we're both from the left coast and love automobiles.

[mgmetalworks]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

The seats are from a 2011 Toyota Sienna. I got them from a salvage yard that is located close to a Toyota factory so they buy take outs from vans destined to be outfitted for wheelchair access and seats with quality issues. I purchased 4 of the take-outs and 2 of the "quality rejects". There isn't much difference other than price...of course I find this out after I spent too much on the first 4. I did a pretty detailed write up about these seats over on the Expo forum. They are definitely comfortable and the leather is really nice.

I'm happy with seats in the front but they are much much different than the stock seats. You're IN the Sienna seat, not on top of a squishy mess like the Ford setup. It's taken a little getting used to for me but I'm happy I did it. My wife was in heaven from the first moment...as hard as she tries to keep me company on long drives, she can't fight off the sleep when sitting in these seats.

[carringb]

If you get a re-producable mount worked up for the mirrors, I'll buy a set from you!

I really want those mirrors too. I was going to swap heads to the SuperDuty lighted heads, but the thin LEDs don't really provide enough signaling during the day. Also the newer version you are working with has a much better spotter mirror.

What's you plan for bumpers?

BTW - John at QuadVan told me Rob's FourWheel drive did a 6.7L/E350 conversion, plus a few 5.9L conversions.

[mgmetalworks]

Originally Posted by carringb

If you get a re-producable mount worked up for the mirrors, I'll buy a set from you!

I really want those mirrors too. I was going to swap heads to the SuperDuty lighted heads, but the thin LEDs don't really provide enough signaling during the day. Also the newer version you are working with has a much better spotter mirror.

What's you plan for bumpers?

BTW - John at QuadVan told me Rob's FourWheel drive did a 6.7L/E350 conversion, plus a few 5.9L conversions.

I'm really trying to make the mirrors affordably reproducible... it is challenging though. The donor mirrors are expensive all by themselves so adding on a bunch more for conversion parts puts them close to the "yeah, right...you're crazy" category. It's been the plan all along to make these available to others but I still have some work to do on the design for manufacturability side of things. They are functionally a much better mirror. I had one side mounted on the van for a test and I could see MUCH more out of the new mirror vs. the old style. Yes, it is partially about styling for me but after seeing the difference, I'm very impressed with the function as well.

Bumper plans are hard to explain in text and I haven't gotten far enough along on the Solidworks models to have anything to show but I will say that I'll have some LEDs integrated into the design, adequate airflow (for the Cummins up front), recovery points, winch, etc... The back will have dual swing-outs, one side for tire carrier and the other I'm thinking a modular design with some interchangeability options.

I had heard through others about Rob's 4WD doing a conversion. I've been meaning to give them a call or go out and talk to them but I haven't had a chance yet. Thanks for the reminder though, I need to do that soon.

[mgmetalworks]

Here's a cool project I did for someone earlier this year. He wanted a bench seat that could be folded flat and used as a bed but also be folded up out of the way so you could use the van like a van. This was designed from scratch and I did all of the fabrication work in house (I did farm out the waterjet cutting though). From the first conversation about the concept to the installation was ~5 months. Sounds like a long time but I think the project moved pretty quickly considering I have a full-time job and two young kids...

A few pics of them after all the fab was done...




And a few after Dan got them mounted in the van...




Dan's working on other parts of the interior now so no pics of the upholstery yet.

[Ford_6L_E350]

Have you thought about selling the grab handles? My wife would be most thrilled.

Mike

[Ocsmb]

You are one cool dude MG. wish you were in so cal.

[buckkiller]

Yup plan on doing mine when I come out big dog!! Its a must for my wife and kids...8inch lift makes it tuff for them, not to mention I'm almost 40

[mgmetalworks]

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

Have you thought about selling the grab handles? My wife would be most thrilled.

Mike

I have actually. It is one of those things that I know its a good idea and it has worked out great for me but how do I make them cost effectively and easy for DIY'ers to install? Some more thought has to go into it before I come up with a marketable solution.

There isn't much to mount to under those interior panels and the seat belt mechanism is in the way of the best location. I may have to rethink where it is mounted in order to come up with part that will work for everyone.

Originally Posted by Ocsmb

You are one cool dude MG. wish you were in so cal.

Thanks!

[JWA]

Good gravy Man----without any hyperbole OR exaggeration you're a frickin' genius! Leonardo da Vinci didn't do work this great!

On a slightly different topic the Toyota Sienna seat conversion---I'm curious if that's something my cargo only work van would benefit from doing?