[klp]

2015 T250, 148 wheelbase with just basic options. 3.7 3.73 combo.

It's a great truck! Ride and handling are nice, the view out is just incredible. Strong brakes, the tranny shifts well. I left VT on friday, drove to Detroit to pick it up. It was damaged in transit so Ford repaired and titled it, I bought it used with 700 miles.

The trip total I logged about 900 miles, I averaged about 19mpg on the readout. Empty with nothing but some seats in the back.

I got these from a seller in Battle Creek MI, about 100 miles west of Detroit. They are all Sienna leather seats, I have 3 of the lounge style with footrests, the seller included the tracks as well. They are very well made and OEM quality.

I also got two non footrest buckets.

This is going to be a Moto hauler/camper/family hauler like many on here. The plan is to sound deaden with MLV, mount the tracks then install oak floor. The tracks will be flush mounted. For the side finish I want simple panels and aluminum track with mounts all over. Someone here built a blue van up, mine will look similar.

I will mostly be hauling this as my other bikes can actually be ridden to where you want to use them lol. I want to haul minibikes too, my 6 year old son rides an Oset right now but I will soon get him a gas bike.

I plan to get the floor and seats in ASAP, after that the build will slow down. Plans include a generator, inverter, several tv's and game console. I will run a fan and screens in the windows.

 

[USMC Vet]

kip,

Well it is definitely yellow .
Keep us posted on your build, there are a lot of riders on the forum that are willing to share their ideas and modifications.

Semper Fi

 

[klp]

Thanks USMC!

I have already lifted a bunch of ideas from folks here - what a great resource! HaulinGas has a moto build here - his interior is about what I want to build.

Oh, the yellow? Yup, got lots of that! I found this and showed it to my kids they went nuts - my 6yo son named it. This is already a fun rig for the whole family and it's not even built yet.

 

[EddieZ]

As I recall, the yellow was not available for general public to order -- only for fleet bus operators. So, you've got a unique color for a van bought new-ish.

What damage did it have... did they tell you? There have been a few stories here of custom ordered vans getting body damage in transit. That's tough, when a person had waited for 3 or 4 months, then has to start over, or buy from dealer stock.

 

[RandomJoe]

Yep, I would have seriously considered yellow if it had been an option! Very nice looking.

 

[klp]

What damage did it have... did they tell you? There have been a few stories here of custom ordered vans getting body damage in transit.

Yeah the process is formal and upfront. The window sticker says 098 damaged or something like that. The dealer provided a printout of the work performed - it totaled 1400 or so. Right rear corner, right side, I forget it all now. It looks as new though.

In my search I found several of these yellow vans all with the same story, damaged in transit. Kind of odd that they would transport all the yellow ones in the same doomed train car.

 

[klp]

Update

Because... Pics!

Here are two of the seats cleaned up. I have 3 total.

I also have these two. Right now I think one will go in the drivers side and one in the back. This will give me seating for 6.

They are a little off color wise but it's hard to see.

Last week I redid the inside of my garage to make room for the van. I took all the stuff from one end and tucked it all to the right.

All of this was once at the end here.

In addition to the seats I have also been cleaning the tracks. I have them all set now, they just need some grinding on the bottom to fit the Transit floor.

These are all about done.

This is what I found inside the tracks.

And here is what makes it all worthwhile - my little girl fell asleep in one the other day and they are not even in the van yet!

Next up is to buy some MLV and sound deaden the entire floor and wheel wells. Once done I can mount the tracks and get the floor down.

 

[bicyclist]

Izzat a '69 450?

edit: Oops, newer, I think. Didn't see the front master cylinder at first glance.

 

[airmengarrettm]

Your van is going to be awesome thanks to those amazing seats and the sound deadening, can't wait to see it with the 6 comfy seats in!!!

 

[Byron the Painter]

OK...what the heck is that thing you found inside the tracks and why does it look like that?

 

[klp]

OK...what the heck is that thing you found inside the tracks and why does it look like that?

Lol. Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I have to be careful or this will turn into a garage build thread! I mounted some more cabinets to the wall to make room, pics to come. Even still I need to I need to pull bikes outside to get the van in - not ideal but good enough for now.

The bike is a '70, good eye! It's not mine, I am repairing it - the $ will fund my other bike needs. To help fund the van I plan to sell off some bikes in the Spring.

Byron, what you see is an old elastic, a penny, an old piece of paper and an old lollypop stick I think. All is coated in Toyotas finest grease.

 

[ilovehotshot]

I wish my garage was that clean and organized. The seats look great!

 

[klp]

Progress!

Thanks everyone!

I have done long term projects before, I have found that doing something every day or close to it is the only way to go. It does not have to be a huge amount of progress, just something.

In the spirit of that...

I have started to prep the Sienna tracks for my install.

On one track there is a bracket on each end.

They are held on with giant rivets, drill off the head and...

Off they come. I will probably paint any bare metal before installing them. There are also locating studs that I plan to remove, you can see one in my first pic. The tracks without the brackets also have threaded studs spot welded to them. I may use them but I'm not sure yet. My first instinct is to cut em off and start fresh!

The other clips will likely stay - they are there to capture the stock Toyota plastic trim. I don't plan to use the trim but it doesn't look like it's worth the effort to remove them.

Stay tuned if you like slow progress, if you don't better block this thread!

Next up is finish cleaning up the tracks and put a set on a seat to figure out where they will go. After that it's time to drill some holes in my floor! Good times.

 

[klp]

Thanks! The garage is a work in progress and the only area at my house that doesn't look like two young kids live there! It's a lot of work but in the end I really enjoy the space.

The seats are just great - I can't wait to get them in the van.

The cabinets against the far wall were on the floor last night. A couple beers and some careful wrangling later.

I promise my next update will include some van pics lol.

 

[klp]

More progress. I am so excited to get these seats in! First more garage shots lol. I got the lights done and at least now it is a functional space.

Here is a floor teaser. MLV then the plywood/oak. It's gonna look sharp!

I got the tracks prepped and cribbed up so I can move them solo without damaging the floor. It looks like the drivers side seat will line up close to behind the driver. The one next to it will be offset a bit when compared to the passenger seat. Looks to be plenty wide though, and still space to walk between them.

I have three of these seats so I am thinking the third one will go drivers side as close to the wheel well as possible. Not sure yet on that one. I have another non recliner to go in the back too - I still have to source the tracks and figure out how to mount it. So four seats in the back.

This is as far forward as you can sit but when the seatback forward it rolls all the way to the front of the track. These also remove quick and easy - about 60-70lbs apiece. I will definitely have to drop the fuel tank for the drivers side seats but that is a battle for another day!

 

[klp]

I got all 3 recliners in. Nothing is bolted down but this is about where they will go.

I hope there is nothing underneath that interferes as I have not looked around under there too much yet.

With all the seats in this position I have about 5' clear in the back. With them slid all the way forward I have 7'.

I will also install a non recliner to the right of this one - I don't have the tracks yet.

 

[Budsky]

I hope there is nothing underneath that interferes as I have not looked around under there too much yet.

Look and measure very carefully before you drill!
I put a Ford Transit Wagon 2 seater in my Van. Very precise alignment required so no through bolts end up in boxed sections you can't get into to place a nut.
I also had to drop the fuel tank to get to one of the rails mounting bolts.

You'll also find the floor is very thin- the reinforcements for the Wagon seats are not present in the van.

 

[klp]

I got some paint for the tracks and also where I drill holes. I will paint the reinforcement plates too. I have never used this paint but it gets great reviews and comes highly recommended. It was $40 for the quart!

And it came in Caterpillar yellow, which looks to be a pretty good match for my van.

More gratuitous garage pics. It will be done soon I promise and I need it set up to work effectively.

This is how you get to 1000 hours lol.

These are the stops for seat brackets, some were silver, others rusty so I sprayed them black. They will be mostly visible so I want them to look nice. I also plan to paint the slider part of the seat tracks yellow so it is easily seen when there is no seat in place. The floor will be stained dark.

I ordered the steel for the reinforcements and the hardware. I throw away all the receipts, I have tracked the spending on other projects and it makes for less fun lol.

Once the tracks are done it will be time to drill some holes.

I spent a few minutes looking around under the van - I should be able to work around the frame and cross bracing but the fuel tank is in the way on the left, the exhaust and some shielding on the right. No free lunch on this build lol.

 

[STANIMAL]

Curious , why yellow ?


PS , I am a sucker for supermoto....nice Berg !

 

[Deadwood]

All I can say is Dang,,, I love that Yellow. Not sure what it is about it but it totally rocks!!!