Really, What does the Previa have over a larger already built 4wd? Do you want to be differient?

 

why not?

 

Because the Previa drives like..well, a minivan. Are you sure it will even drive right? What all underneath will you have to re locate? How much are you willing to spend on this project?

 

as much as it takes,it's a one of a kind swap that has to be possible,i like being different

 

Good luck ... it sounds like it will be an interesting project.

 

You might try the Previa owners group on Yahoo.com. They seem to be pretty knowledgeable about the parts. I thought I had read somewhere that the early Previa was not AWD but 4WD and you could even buy locking hubs for them. The earlier van was also single range 4WD. You already have an AWD Previa. The parts from the front end will probably work, take a look. It really depends on what you want to do with it when your finished. It may have to tall a profile and too narrow a track for too extreme a trail but it could be fun on forest service roads. You will have to do the research on the transfer case but it looks like you already have. If I recall, the front axle is similar to that of the 1st and 2nd gen 4runner and truck with IFS except that it had a 5 lug bolt pattern. I just remember it from a drawing that I saw on an old chiltons website that actually had the drawings(sorry, its no longer available). Someone mentioned the Celica All-Trac. Those are transverse mounted FWD with transfer shaft to a rear diff. The system was made for rally and later models came with a viscous coupling to drive the rear wheels. Different system than the Previa AWD. That is the same AWD system found in AWD Corolla's, Camry's, RAV4 and Highlanders. Interesting project since the later Previa came with 4 wheel disc brakes and a supercharger. Too bad it only has 1 engine option. Good luck

 

Previa's always had all-trac,i've never heard of anyone putting manual hubs on a previa,yes on a vanwagon,which the five-speeds also had low range,but not on a previa from what i've seen,yes it would be interesting to see,but i haven't course stuck up in the booney's you don't hear hardly anything about previa's and i've seen about 5 of the original vans.

 

I would like to offer a public apology for my actions despite what "nathan buchanan" and "king" said it does not excuse my actions.

 

Long ago I put a vw bug body on a cj frame.Worked out great but I wouldnt do it again for any amount of money.If you like keep it the way it is and go buy a 4x4.If you cant weld and fabricate your kidding yourself.For one thing what are you going to drive?It will take a while to do what your talking about.Working part time it took me over a year to build the vw.Good luck.

 

yeah i've got three other vehicles

 

He wants to do something we never done before?!!?!? THIS IS NOT ALLOWED!!! YOURE DUMB AND ITS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR MONEY!!! Sie müssen sich anpassen!!! Sie müssen sich anpassen!!! HEIL HILTER!!!

I'm just playin...

 

ive always wanted to take a volkswagen THANG and convert it to 4x4, that would be cool.

 

better watch out....that kind of outside the box thinking = Sicherheitsdienst shooting you in the head....

hehe just playing again...

 

This is giving me a migraine... It's like the warnings and advice fly right over his head!

If you HAVE to spend SO much money (which, by the way, can be better spent IMO, we are ALL willing to admit that), you REALLY need to consider buying a donor chassis, that is seriously the only way this is remotely possible, the unibody won't be able to take the stresses of off-camber off road situations, it will bend like a soft serve cone!!! (Although this might be fun to watch for some friendly a-lot-of-people-told-you-so banter afterwards ).

If you can get a donor frame and somehow magically make the body "bolt" on to it, then you'll be getting somewhere because the frame can take the loads; however, the problem is then that the van's steering and associated linkages will HAVE to be rerouted to the frame, etc, etc, etc... The list of problems can and will go on for miles...

I only hope you're up to the task if all you have ever done is some simple fabrication and changed a transmission... And if you have it done in a shop better make sure you credit cards empty, with limits in the four zeros range :cry:

Oh man, I think you need someone to talk you out of this idea really baaaad... it's going to get ugly real fast I guaruntee it

Why, oh why can't you just buy something that was DESIGNED AND BUILT specifically to be 4wd capable? "Why not" and "because I like different" can't cover the magnitude of what you are proposing, and belligerent, blind determination won't help you realize your "dream," if I can call it that

 

Hey, there's nothing wrong with a couple of people at least trying to be the voice of reason...

But I do enjoy some good sarcasm here and there

Since he's being allowed to go WILD, let's talk 572 big block V-8, bloted to a 1972 4-cyl Toyota tranny, and a WING!

Wings are cool and different, right?

 

Okay I live in Japan and over here those are called Estima vans. Yeap they are a dime a doz. All models available. Yes folks do seem to keep them once they get one, it is a Toyota and will almost run for ever with nothing being done to it. You might really want to listen to what they are telling you about the uni body. While is is great for dd on road stuff and maybe even some mild corners at speed it can not and will not hold up the stress created by off road, even the forest service road might be too much for it after you get it moded out to hold that front and the xfer. Then the lifting required to get some clearance for tire travel and it will be at best unstable. The first time one of those tires hits the sus limit the body will twist and maybe even bend. I have seen enough of them in minor accidents that had to be totaled. Yes the riders were fine as the van took all the damage, and they are setup to transfer that damage from the point of impact to the rest of the van. 50 kph front offset accident and the rear hatch door would no longer close correctly as the uni body was bent. I just do not think that the uni body of the van will take the stresses that it will have to endure to be a off roader. In the world of moded for show.......yes it will be a one of but only a very limited few will care, and it will not turn as many heads as that fully restored willies or vette, I think that a mint edsel will turn more heads than what you are planning. If you do manage to get it done post pics and tell us "I TOLD YOU IT COULD BE DONE"

 

2 things:
1. oh comon now! how can you NOT like a giant jelly bean on wheels! i loved when i inherited the family previa when i was 16/17! the chicks loved it! haha
2. do scions count as "toyota's ugliest cars ever"? cuz if so, you'll need to add those to your list.

 

My first "car" was a toyota van. We called it the silver bullet because it looked like a coors light can on wheels. I loved the versatility of that thing so much that I always wanted to get a 4x4 of that same model. It had seating for 7 and the rear seats folded into a bed (which was AWESOME in high school ) Correct me if I'm wrong but the 1st gen vans had a 2-speed Xfer case and a frame right? I also seem to recall that they more or less used the same suspension components as the trucks which might make lifting easy. Anybody else got info on the older vans? I tried the link posted earlier but it's dead.

 

Yeah, they had hi and lo ranges. My brother is on his second one. He likes them. The first had a 5 speed with power everything, and the second has an auto with manual windows etc. They both have the old style auto hubs.

 

actually the automatics didn't have a low range and no it didn't have a frame