Toyota Sienna AWD Sportsmobile - Page 4

TomsBeast · 11-30-2012, 09:53 AM

I just saw a lime-green w/penthouse Juicy rental Chrysler mini van over the Thanksgiving holiday, rolling down I-5 through the central valley. Great option for Europeans coming to California on Holiday to tour the big parks (a popular vacation, I understand)

Quote:

Originally Posted by witoke

You can make a camper out of just about anything with a bit of creativity.... As far as what's available here though, check out this:

http://www.jucyrentals.com/vehicles/jucy-champ.aspx.

sinbad · 12-14-2012, 09:37 PM

Hi,

I have a 2006 AWD Sienna which has a pop top by GTRV. I did the interior similar to the old VW Wesfalia - cabinet behind driver with sink and Dometic RM2193 AC/DC refer. A pair of gel cells under the passengers side under the van, a custom 6 gallon water tank under the driver's side under the van. I changed the run flat tires when I bought the van to standard aluminum Sienna 16" wheels with Goodyear Comfortred Assurance 215/65/16 tires. I now have over 130,000 miles on the van and it has not missed a beat as yet - great van. We have one 12 Volt florescent fixture in the pop top and one in the rear fixed area over the rear of the platform bed. A 115 VAC to 12 V marine 20 amp charger is mounted under the van. I also included a 115 VAC system with GFI and DC battery digital monitor. I use a standard compact spare on the 17" rim, I believe it is a 175/17/80 tire in the inside rear well. The rear of the van has a platform bed which extended like the VW so we have a 60" wide x 75" long queen size bed. The rear storage holds a lot for a small van and the seat bottom of the bench seat tilts up for access to the inside under the seat storage (hindged door so I can get into the storage area with the bed down). We live where is snows a lot and the ground clearance has never been a problem - unless it snows more than 18" at a time (then I wait for a neighbor who has a 4x4 truck and I follow in his tracts). We have camped this van in the USA, Canada and Europe and it works great. I have used the spare and it works fine. A full size spare will fit in the same space on a 16" rim with a 215/65/16 tire ( a run flat tire on the 17" rim will not fit), but the full size takes up storage space. Write if you have any questions.
Sinbad

jage · 12-15-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinbad

Write if you have any questions.

Dear Sinbad,

It occurs to me

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES?

Sincerely,
j

copescobra · 12-15-2012, 07:43 PM

I have noticed a lot of Asian vehicles being imported to Vancouver Canada and being sold for great prices. all used but under $10K usually. Most are 4x4 Campers already.
I understand they have ways to convert them to US standards without alot of hassle even when less than 15 years old.
They are Mitsu and Toyota brands mostly. Sightly smaller and narrow for our roads as all are imports from other countries. If I find a link with pics will provide. They are really cool set ups and loaded with features. Quite a few are diesels as well.

sinbad · 12-15-2012, 09:07 PM

I thought I had the pictures in my wife's laptop, but alas, no they in our desktop and we are not home at present. So, I will have to take a few and post them.
Sinbad

sinbad · 12-16-2012, 10:41 PM

Here are a few pictures. Our Sienna is a XLE AWD. The picture with the top up shows only 1 of the screened windows in the material of the top - there are 2 more windows on the sides of the material - all have rain flaps inside. The awning is 1/2 of a Coleman nylon cover with aluminum poles - very handy when it gets hot for shade.
I made the table in the interior to pivot on an aluminum swing arm (with turnbutton screw to stop the motion if desired) in two pieces - so one can be used for laptop computer and whole table when we want it. The seat pull forward so it rests against the rear of the refer cabinet. Gives a queen size bed. The nice thing about the Sienna is the passenger seat moves about 1 foot forward so the PortaPotti (which normally sits behind the passenger seat - not shown in the photo) can be used at night.
Rear picture shows platform bed and storage underneath. I did make two removeable hatches in the platform bottom - we always seem to want something under the bed at night when the bed it made up and I don't feel like getting dressed to go outside. The interior is made from Baltic Birch pre-finished plywood - great stuff to work, hold fastenings well. Above the Dometic RM2193 refrigerator are two drawers, AC outlet, DC outlet, DC monitor panel. The top of this cabinet has a hand water pump and a stainless sink.
Sinbad

sinbad · 12-16-2012, 10:53 PM

Here are the photos, upload did not work first time.

Sinbad

shenrie · 12-17-2012, 07:29 AM

nice sinbad! thats a cool little ride, well done!

rockbender · 12-17-2012, 12:33 PM

Can you tell me a bit more about your seat belt solution? Are your seat belts removable and clipping into an anchor? Are you still using shoulder belts, or are these just lap belts?

sinbad · 12-17-2012, 10:06 PM

I removed both sets of rear and middle seats along with the shoulder belt anchors as they would not reach properly in the new position of the rear bench (bed) seat. There are 3 lap belts which come through slots in the plywood bulkhead which you see in the rear picture. The belts stay in the seat storage area until they are needed, then one reaches a hand in the slight crack between the seat bottom and back to retrieve the seat belts. The anchor to the seat belts are the metal loop anchors which use to anchor the front of the third row of seats. I used a chain connectors with a threaded section which is at least as strong as the seat belt. The center loop anchors have two chain connectors so all 6 ends of the 3 seat belts are securely fastened to the frame of the van.
Sinbad