It's a '92 low roof purchased for one main reason, to fit into low underground parking. I already have the other end of the spectrum (my van!) but this one is for my wife. She won't be using it off-road (she doesn't know what she'll be missing) and will be solely used for the city. Going to work and carrying baby around.
So if there's no need to jack it up, might as well do it the other way, down! I've seen one on the UK forum that although might not be lowered it did look awesome:
cool lowered van.png (167.3 KiB) Viewed 11075 times
I've already started sourcing different wheels. Might go for some 17" from a Toyota Tundra TRD (or I might keep those and give her my 15"??? ) But man those wheels are very tempting although I've never seen them here.
Got a nice wood steering wheel from Mardy, (once you've had one you can't go without!).
Don't want to just lower without any regards for ride handling, got to be safe and provide a good handling.
So, is it possible?
Cheers,
David
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:41 pm
by Mystery Machine
That van belongs to my best mate Mark.
He bought the wheels about 2 years after getting the motor and they look 10 times better in the flesh.
That L300 isn't actually lowered although it does look it! We are currently working on a complete re-design of his suspension to slam it right down.....but I doubt this mod would be any use to you because it will be quite $$$$ intensive and lots of man hours too!
There are ways to get it a bit lower....but I'm too tired to engage brain right now. I'll get back to you in a day or two with some suggestions about lowering.
Regards,
Bruce.
P.S. The wheels in the photo are 17"
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:55 pm
by Mystery Machine
Here are some pics of his & mine taken a few years ago.
His is standard height in these photos and will be lowered in the future. Mine has gone up at least 2" since these pics were taken. Imagine what the difference will be when he finishes the suspension mods on his!
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:47 am
by delicat
Thanks Bruce,
Both van look great, kinda bi-polar... I'll definitely be on the lookout for your info. Tell your mate to hide his wheels while I visit, he might find his van on blocks after I leave...
David
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:03 pm
by stubblebut
Praise the Lowered!
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:34 pm
by mararmeisto
Check out this: L300 gets low
Sadly for you, it looks like the gasoline van, so it's probably much lower to begin with and there would be little or no concern for the loss of the 4WD capability.
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:50 pm
by Mystery Machine
mararmeisto wrote:Check out this: L300 gets low
That's a 2WD L300 (5 stud hub) so is already lower and also a LOT easier to lower more. They don't have a front axle or large front subframe to deal with and the leaf springs run under the axle, not over it....making it a good 5" or more lower as standard.
If you want to see some real eye candy then check out these bad boys:
Pick-up anyone??
LOVING the retro 'euro' look of this one:
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:58 am
by mararmeisto
B I T C H I N ' !
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:46 am
by docsavage
Take that olive beauty and do a bit of a chop - say 6 inches to go with taht drop and that would be a sweet sweet ride.
James
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:13 pm
by josh
Bruce,
That olive slammed one, was it a 4wd, or a 2wd? And it looks to me like a long wheelbase, which are not so common are they? It also seems like the long wheel base had sliders all around (rather than on just three windows), is that true or a mod? Anyhow, i know these questions are a sidetrack, but was just curious. I must agree with James, if you gave the olive one a haircut of about 6" it would be one sick looking ride. (rather impractical for up here though!)
Josh
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:37 am
by jwfchase
YEEEEUUUUUCHHH!!!! (My 2cents)
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:08 am
by mararmeisto
jwfchase wrote:YEEEEUUUUUCHHH!!!! (My 2cents)
The idea of lowering? Or the colour?
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:34 am
by Duke
The idea of lowering? Or the colour?
For me both, the color is ok(well more on the not side), but 4 by's grow not get amputated.
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:08 am
by Mystery Machine
Duke wrote:
The idea of lowering? Or the colour?
For me both, the color is ok(well more on the not side), but 4 by's grow not get amputated.
But they are 2WD (the van and the pick-up) so what they have done is more apt than lifting them...
Re: Lowered?
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:32 am
by jwfchase
Mystery Machine wrote:
Duke wrote:
The idea of lowering? Or the colour?
For me both, the color is ok(well more on the not side), but 4 by's grow not get amputated.
But they are 2WD (the van and the pick-up) so what they have done is more apt than lifting them...
For me, function before fashion (though the Delica is SOOO Purty!), so unless lowering it has a purpose- say aerodynamics or parking garages- I just think lowering almost always looks kinda goofy. Some sports cars look pretty hot slammed down, but any kind of truck shaped vehicle just looks, well... Odd. And yeah, that colour's not helping...