MG Metalworks Van Build
- Thread starter mgmetalworks
- Start date
dcguillory
Adventurer
Wow that looks really great. Look forward to seeing the bases for sale at UJOR? Where did you get your grab handle?
mgmetalworks
Explorer
I haven't talked to Chris about the mounts yet. I'm a ways out from having the design finalized so I have to get that all dialed in before I will consider making run of them.
I fabricated the grab handle myself a while back.
steelheadbum
Adventurer
Do it so I can order all four seats and mounts please...
Buck
The Redneck Mexican
2002 E350 7.3 PSD 4x4 8inch lift pop top conversion....
Buck
The Redneck Mexican
2002 E350 7.3 PSD 4x4 8inch lift pop top conversion....
limatangobravo
Observer
I have a 1995 that is need of new front seats, will your front mounts work with my ancient style of seat belt receptacles or will I need to source some like what you have pictured?
mgmetalworks
Explorer
I couldn't tell you for sure without seeing a couple pictures of the part to compare to mine. The seat belt pre-tensioner in my van is really pretty simple. It has one bolt and a metal bracket with a tab (parallel to the bolt) which is designed to keep the whole assembly from rotating. To fit it to the Sienna seat, I removed the Ford bolt and replaced it with a bolt that would fit in the Toyota seat. I drilled a hole for the tab to slide into. I also had to use a spacer between the bracket and the seat for it to sit flat without binding the rest of the pre-tensioner mechanism.
If your seat belt receiver is anything remotely close to the current seat belt receivers, I bet it could be made to work with relative ease.
Overthetop
New member
Any concerns about airbag deployment in an accident when the seat is swiveled? Or will the swivel only be used when the vehicle is parked?
mgmetalworks
Explorer
Yeah, there are concerns. In my van I don't have a switch to turn the airbag off so my passengers will not be allowed to be swiveled while in motion. There is also no usable seat belt in the rear facing position (I'm not using the integrated seat belt in the Toyota seat for the front seats) so there's reason #2 that my passengers will not be facing backwards on the road. The swivel is intended to be used only when you're parked. Most if not all of the swivels that are on the market for vans are that way.
mgmetalworks
Explorer
Oh baby!!! Engine showed up today! The pallet was the size of a small car but at least it was packed well.
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A couple scrapes here and there but pretty much brand new otherwise....
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Exhaust doesn't even have soot in it yet.
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Lots of parts left to order and still some unanswered questions about the ECM but I'm hoping to move relatively quickly on this swap. I need to find a trans soon so I can get that all sorted out before I start tearing down the van. Looking for an '06-up Allison 1000 6-speed (with 4x4 tail shaft housing). Anyone? I check Ebay, Craigslist and car-part.com a couple times a day but haven't found anything worth jumping on yet.
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A couple scrapes here and there but pretty much brand new otherwise....
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Exhaust doesn't even have soot in it yet.
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Lots of parts left to order and still some unanswered questions about the ECM but I'm hoping to move relatively quickly on this swap. I need to find a trans soon so I can get that all sorted out before I start tearing down the van. Looking for an '06-up Allison 1000 6-speed (with 4x4 tail shaft housing). Anyone? I check Ebay, Craigslist and car-part.com a couple times a day but haven't found anything worth jumping on yet.
mgmetalworks
Explorer
Progress on the updated version of the Sienna front mounts... The prototype designs required a lot of welding mostly because one or two-off CNC formed parts can get out of hand cost-wise. In quantity, the advantages of formed parts start to make economic sense so I set out to turn the multi-component welded design into a one-piece formed part.
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Driver's side
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I'll send this and the passenger side parts out for quote this week at which point I'll be able to set a price on a set of mounts.
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We've put about 600 miles on the van with the Sienna seats installed up front. Night and day difference in comfort. And having a swivel on the passenger side is pretty awesome I must admit, especially with the reclining seat! One of the best features that you might not think much about are the adjustable arm rests! It doesn't sound like a big deal but man is it nice to be able to move those into different positions depending on how you're sitting in the seat!
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Progress on the Cummins conversion too... Parts are ordered for mating the transmission to the transfer case, parts for mating the engine to the tranny will be on order soon and I've got cooling system, fuel system and intercooler/intake system parts on their way. And just today I think I found a source for a transmission...fingers crossed! I've been able to find most of the answers I've been looking for concerning the ECM and wiring too. The conclusion is that there aren't any show stoppers but some things are going to be a bit of a challenge to learn as quickly as I need to learn them. Good thing I have all kinds of free time on my hands.
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Driver's side
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I'll send this and the passenger side parts out for quote this week at which point I'll be able to set a price on a set of mounts.
.
We've put about 600 miles on the van with the Sienna seats installed up front. Night and day difference in comfort. And having a swivel on the passenger side is pretty awesome I must admit, especially with the reclining seat! One of the best features that you might not think much about are the adjustable arm rests! It doesn't sound like a big deal but man is it nice to be able to move those into different positions depending on how you're sitting in the seat!
.
Progress on the Cummins conversion too... Parts are ordered for mating the transmission to the transfer case, parts for mating the engine to the tranny will be on order soon and I've got cooling system, fuel system and intercooler/intake system parts on their way. And just today I think I found a source for a transmission...fingers crossed! I've been able to find most of the answers I've been looking for concerning the ECM and wiring too. The conclusion is that there aren't any show stoppers but some things are going to be a bit of a challenge to learn as quickly as I need to learn them. Good thing I have all kinds of free time on my hands.
mgmetalworks
Explorer
Still no luck with finding an Allison trans. I didn't realize that they were made of precious metals and lubricated with unicorn tears. I missed one here locally by only a few minutes that was reasonably priced but since then, I'm coming up short on luck. I called on one a few days ago that had 250,000+ miles on it with a broken bell housing and they wanted $950 with a $450 core charge and $150 to ship. COME ON!!! Seriously!?
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The seat mounts got a nice sand blast and were then powdercoated. This how the passenger swivel turned out. The updated design will look a little different but this is a good representation.
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The seat mounts got a nice sand blast and were then powdercoated. This how the passenger swivel turned out. The updated design will look a little different but this is a good representation.
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mgmetalworks
Explorer
Thanks!!