MG Metalworks Build - Page 6

Pschitt · 03-21-2014, 12:06 AM

Definitely interested in the mirror conversion. Please let us know when you'll be done with this project.

buckkiller · 03-21-2014, 10:09 PM

I've been waiting for awhile!!! :grin:
Buck

pinz712 · 03-23-2014, 09:38 PM

^^

mgmetalworks · 03-24-2014, 10:22 AM

I am going to finish this mirror project I swear!!!

The mounting base design is dialed in and works great. I still need to finish the design for the plastic surrounding piece before declaring victory. I have been trying to find the CAD data for the door to make this easier but I don't have it yet. Taking college classes really caused the biggest delays though. But now that I'm done with classes, my van projects can move forward.

To be honest... one of the more challenging aspects of this project is making it a cheap enough conversion that you guys will still want to pay for it. The mirrors themselves are usually pretty expensive. The full power/heated mirrors can be close to $1000 for genuine Ford parts and that doesn't even include the switches and wiring harness...which could burn through a couple hundo pretty quickly. I'm doing what I can to make the parts I design inexpensive and keep the overall conversion cost in the "reasonably priced" category.

mgmetalworks · 03-24-2014, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gh0ztkid21

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

What bracket did you use to allow the seat to swivle like that? Im currently looking for the same seats and was the passanger seat to swivle 180. Great build btw awesome job

I designed and made my own mounts for the Sienna seats...including the swivel. I'm currently making a batch of mounts...PM me if you're interested in more details.

mgmetalworks · 07-27-2014, 10:02 PM

At long last, I have the Super Duty truck mirrors on the van...

The plastics turned out pretty good for a first attempt (after an exhausting multi-step process for finishing, texturing and painting). I don't have all of the functions wired up to the switches yet but I did check that the motors were working and they fold/extend like they should.

The real pay off of this project is that visibility out of these mirrors is INSANE!!! The old mirrors just don't compare. Shame on Ford for not updating the design for the vans.

I explained on another forum that these are just far too involved (and expensive) to make any sort of "production run" so at this point I have no plans to do more of them. Sorry...

01E350AZ · 07-27-2014, 11:06 PM

The mirrors look awesome!

carringb · 07-28-2014, 12:18 AM

Would they be simpler to produce if the power-fold feature was left out?

Cause I know somebody who needs new mirrors real bad

JWA · 07-28-2014, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmetalworks

The real pay off of this project is that visibility out of these mirrors is INSANE!!! The old mirrors just don't compare. Shame on Ford for not updating the design for the vans.

Ford definitely dropped the ball mirror-wise on the E-Series. Even the extendable towing mirrors don't really improve field of vision past the pedestal types pre-02, when the dual element versions first appeared. I had to modify my own stock power mirrors, using the single larger element from '07 versions.

These look sharp in place---too bad there's no chance of them being made available as I know there'd be a market from them.

mgmetalworks · 07-28-2014, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01E350AZ

The mirrors look awesome!

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by carringb

Would they be simpler to produce if the power-fold feature was left out?

The mirror features don't have much to do with how to mount them or the plastic shroud piece. I think the right way to do this is to make these parts like they're made for the truck. Unfortunately, that requires some injection molding and die casting. Those processes are great for making lots of parts but the up front tooling costs are more than I'm capable of handling. I started down the road of trying to simplify things and come up with a conversion "kit" but it just isn't going to work out that way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWA

These look sharp in place---too bad there's no chance of them being made available as I know there'd be a market from them.

Thank you! I think there is a market too but it would require a lot more effort and $$$ before you'd realize a return.