[1026] More Every Van Musings

This is a continuation of my thoughts from this earlier blog. Plus I also re-watched a youtube video from Surplus TV featuring a DA17 Every Van. I prefer the Every Van variant because they automatically (unless I'm mistaken) have a high roof. The DA17W Every Wagon variant I feel just has too many features that make it too expensive a surplus vehicle. Plus whatever working features (because I'm pretty sure they don't come here with all features, like having airbags?) the DA17W has you can offset with modifications on a DA17V.

I'll just add to my earlier opinions about the DA17V. As of this moment, with all available surplus units I've seen on Youtube, the DA17V is indeed the ideal base model in the event I actually win the lottery and decide to get a Japan surplus Every Van.

• The engine should either be the naturally aspirated R06A auto-gear shift (AGS) variant or the turbocharged R06A automatic transmission variant. Basically any variant that offers an automatic transmission. The simplest explanation is because traffic here sucks and I'd rather not have to juggle a third pedal just to go toe-to-toe with other motorists. I'd really prefer the AGS variant because then you'd have an option to go manual mode which would be useful for long highway drives or when you're driving inclines and declines.
• It should be an all-power variant. Power windows and auto-folding, auto-adjusting side mirrors. The reason is this variant has a wide shelf above the driver and passenger seats. As stupid as this sounds I'd rather maximize the cargo space of the van. You can probably store your car documents there as well as some emergency change of clothes. 
• It should have rear split-folding seats. Or "captain's chairs" as a majority of local Japan surplus dealers call them.

That's it. That will be the blank canvas from which I will add modifications. Here are some mods I would think should be added, in order of importance. These would most likely be additional costs and modifications I'd ask the actual supplier to do instead of me adding these. Specially the roof carrier and top-loading registration.

• OBD 2 multifunction reader. The DA17V dashboard I think just has a speedometer and a series of warning lights. Adding an OBD 2 scanner will give me additional information and from what I've seen in some videos these include oil temp, engine RPM, real time fuel consumption, and it also scans and reads your car's faults.
• Android ready head unit with a back-up camera. Android ready so I can pair my phone with the head unit. Back-up camera for added safety when backing up.
• Dash cam front and rear. Again for additional safety. I'd probably splurge for this so I get clear front and rear videos even during night time.
• Custom spoiler. If there's a stock spoiler of a DA17W or DA17V that's what I want.
• Fog lamps. I'm a bit torn here but I've seen videos where the Japan surplus suppliers add fog lamps that look just like the stock fog lamps on a DA17W so I'll probably be happy with that.
• Roof cargo basket and top-loading registration. I don't know how useful this would be but it's something that might be useful in the future.

Aside from those I'd probably try to look for some quality of life improvements to the car, namely making sure the side mirrors are fixed so they work for left-hand drive vehicles and swapping the wiper and light switches so that they're all left-hand drive oriented.

I'm not sure if there's anything else I'd want to add. I'm pretty sure this would become a permanent project car in the sense that I'd be doing some modifications or improvements to it the whole time I own it. Maybe getting better tires and rims, better speakers, or some aftermarket headlights I saw online.

Out.