Hiace 4WD 2.8 4 Berth Camper - Restomods!

Recently been doing some restoration and improvements to our family Hiace LH119 pop roof camper with a view to making it usable for the next 10 years as a weekend getaway tool. It had a complete body restoration and some heavy maintenance (timing belt, new sump & new radiator fitted by Toyota).
Aside from the body improvements, paint, wheels, etc. it's now got a 2,100W concealed 14 speaker sound system with Parrott Smart voice activated head unit / hands free phone, reversing camera (necessary when carrying the bike!) remote central locking, Recaro driver's seat, HID headlights & driving lights, etc.

Will be raising the rear a little to compensate for the leverage that occurs when carrying the Husqvarna on the back. Also planning a custom stainless steel exhaust and a few other things, but it's pretty much finished now. Just need to coat the entire underside with a good rust preventative as the plan is to use it for winter sports this season too.

We're on holiday at my wife's parents place on a small island till the new year so I've been tinkering with it when I have time. Before we head back to Tokyo I'll give it a wash and wax then shoot some decent pics of it and post some more.

Below are a few phone pics of when we collected it from the paint shop a couple of months ago and test fitting the bike carrier last week.

Fantastic!

Gave it a wash and took some pictures this afternoon. For anybody interested in the finer details of the restoration and improvements fitted, I wrote a detailed post this afternoon for our family  blog: http://eco-kominka.blogspot.jp/2016/01/restoring-improving-our-hiace-4wd-28.html

Looks great, where did you get the wheel arch flares from?

I bought them at a Hiace enthusiasts meet in Odaiba, Tokyo. Could get a set for you if wanted, some, they'd be £428.00 incl. postage to the UK. They come unpainted and you'd need to use rivet nuts and obtain stainless steel bolts to fit these with as well. New wheels would also be needed to fill the arches. 15 x 8.5 + 0 size works well with these.

It hadn't been polished since coming from the paint shop a couple of months ago, so I spent a couple of hours on it with a machine polisher to give it some protection this morning. Did the roof using the telescopic ladder we use to get upstairs when camping. No sweat.
Have a large cover coming from the States (made for a U.S. model Ford Van) which will go over it when not in use.

Paint looks deeper & more reflective than before, but not sure any difference will show in these pics.







Felt a difference driving it as a sort of hum when cruising along with it today, then after a while realised I had switched on the 4WD (by accident) & the front hubs weren't connected. Pressing the button in the dash sorted it. Running perfectly. 4WD is only needed occasionally. No point wasting fuel & tyres when not needed. Driving 800km home with the family in a couple of days, it'll run perfectly no doubt. Then it'll be put away till the next time.

Should anybody in future want to see an original Toyota dealer Cruising Cabin Japanese catalogue I've uploaded here. Unfiortunately I don't have a scanner, so this is the best I could do with an iPhone.

Stunning looking van. Love those wheels.

The van looks great! I like the Japanese (watanabe?) wheels. And the interior seems very practical.

Thanks for the compliments. They're Watanabe wheels, which I ordered new. 15 x 9J + 0 on the rear and 15 x 8J + 13 on the front. I especially ordered them in this size, after finding a person in Japan who had put similar arches on his and had Watanabes on his, so I didn't have to mess around trying to figure out what sizes would work.

The side-door swivelling runner is not original but one that swings the door out further. Even so, it still brushes against the tyre when the door is fully opened. Does improve the look of the vehicle a lot to have these wheels & arches though.

Ace van. Love the wats