I agree -- keep it as simple as possible...

 

I like what you've done so far, the exhaust is huge! I think maybe it would look a little better rounder looking if that makes any sense-at least to my tastes. How about some interior shots now lol.

 

The exhaust is a tip. I have one similar to that on both of our aeros. I sell a lot off different styles of exhaust tips, and have looked at about 3 dozen differnt pieces. The one I selected here just seems to suit the Aerostar, but everyone does have different tastes.

This is the real tip on a real van.
http://web.mac.com/tyranitar/iWeb/Lo...s/IMG_0145.jpg

I am working on the interior, lots of texture mapping there, but I think you will like it.

 

Ok I got it, I can picture a tip like on a F350 or the like. I like the tip on the van, I've been thinking about doing something similar since my cousin owns a metal fab shop..

 

Ok, here is the first sneak peek of the inside of my concept van. It needs a lot more work, but you get the idea.
http://web.mac.com/tyranitar/iWeb/Lo.../sneakpeek.jpg

 

I'll chime in with a few thoughts after reading these posts...

Anyone remember the Simpson's episode where Herb gives Homer free reign to design the car for the common man? 'It has to have a bubble top, chrome everywhere, tail fins and a horn that plays "La Cucaracha"' (or something like that).

Stow'n'go or hideaway seats are a good idea for people who can't lift seats in and out of a van, but have you ever sat on one of them? The "cushions" look really thin, flat and just plain uncomfortable. Then again, nobody but the kids ever sits on the rear seat in a minivan (usually). A hideaway third row bench would be possible in a RWD van, but it would seriously reduce the towing capability since the frame would have to get cut short to make room.

Removable benches are OK, but when you really need them, they are in the back of the garage. GM got it right in the Montana with those modular seats that all fold & tumble - you can free up a lot of cargo space quickly without killing your back, and each kid gets their own seat. Seats that fold up to the side wall like the Honda Element would be cool (now there's a vehicle that is even uglier than the Aztec) for the back row, but they seem to be pretty thin & flat, too. I like the idea of a second sliding door with a three-place middle seat (three narrow buckets or a tri-split bench that will fold & tumble). If the low cost seating option has to be benches, make a rear bench that can fold, tumble and securely clip up-side down to the top of the folded middle bench.

I think I would also get rid of the short & extended models and build one middle-length van (like the Windstar), provided there is room for a full-size spare under the floor. With sensible seating choices, you would have more cargo space than the extended Aero.

If you're going to widen the van, the floor can be lowered a bit without compromising space for the fuel tank & exhaust, and stadium-style seating could be used.

I always preferred the barn doors on the rear of a van, but the Dutch door on the later Astro's was a popular option. And lately since I've been using my van as a work truck, I appreciate the hatch overhead on rainy days. Dutch doors are now my choice.

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Eric

 

Eric! About the Simpson's episode... Yang silly boys here rebuild Ladas in this style... Looks funny.

Ok, my $0.02. Aero here, in Lugansk really needs auxialy heater by Webasto, 2.5 kWt min. In winter, when it is-35 dgr C, aero needs 10 miles for full warm up. My friend has auxially heater, that switches on by timer 20 minuter before start. He has a remote control too. Yes, this device is not cheap, about $1000, but it is really good thing.

I like seats, I can put into bed, but head rest must be there too. Aero needs better defence from side impact, aero needs side air bags inside the front seat hecks and front air bag for passanger, active head rest on front seats.

About the active cesurity systems.... New stability control systems includes ABS, TC and ESP but aero needs anty roll assyst with 2 rear air springs. These systems costs about $1500-2000. WABCO offers it for small trucks too.

 

There are a combination of features that made me pick the Aerostar over the other offerings from Chrysler or GM. They are:

1. It can be re-arranged to hold full sheets of plywood.

2. It can hold me and 3 of my friends, our bikes, and all our other gear, in comfort.

3. Like #2, but replace "bikes" with "skis". (4wd is wonderful here)

4. It can hold 7 people, and a wheel chair in the back for one of them.

5. Now with the seat beds, it can even work as a camping RV.

The only other minivan I can think of that comes close is the Chevy Astro, but I've read about their reliability. To get these capabilities in other vans would mean a full sized van, weighing much more, and they won't get 20+ mpg.

The things I don't like are the brakes (needs to be much bigger), the A4LD (needs to be a HD 5 speed manual), and the engine could be stronger.

My theme here is practicality, so aesthetics aren't as important to me. However, any trick you can perform to make it more aerodynmic will be welcome.

 

Ok, so the seats will definitely fully foldable, and made as lightweight as possible without compromising the comfort. BTW, according to Wikipedia, Both the Astro and the Aerostar are mid-size vans, not minivans, though I don't know what the distinction is. As far as I am concerned, the Aerostar is a minivan, because the shorty definitely qualifies as mini, and the Astro is not, because its GVW is to great. The 4wd system would be updated to a fully modern all wheel drive, and the troublesome viscous clutch would be done away with. Also, there should be a button to temporarily force 4wd lockup. The system gets reset after either 10 minutes, or if the vehicle gets turned off. Otherwise the computer decides when engagement is needed. This would make the 4wd capable of offroad use, though not recommended.

I always liked how you could fold the seats forward and lay plywood across the top without removing them, very handy. Who wants a driver side sliding door? I'm serious, does anybody want this feature?

The hatch on the current model is actually a tailgate and lift-gate. Very truck-like, and does improve the cargo capacity, but I'm not sure who would actually use it outside the cargo van version. A standard lift-gate would be found on the passenger version, and the tailgate is available upon request. The rear door can be opened from the inside in either case. I have come up with the 3 available engine choices I would offer. 3.0L Supercharged V6 (economy and available power) 4.2L V6 (towing), or a 2.5L Turbodiesel. All options are available with 4WD, which should actually be standard on this model. The rear suspension will use coil springs, and it comes factory equipped with an anti sway bar in the rear. Cargo springs are available for the models equipped with a towing package or in cargo van models.

If anyone here thinks these features or engines are not the best Ford offered choices let me know.

 

About Engines... As minimal engine, I want to offer 2.5 R4 DOHC... 160 HP as minimal is enough, but 3.0 mast be the main engine.

About diesel. Ford may use all the small diesel engines (2.4, 2.5, 2.8 and 3.0) used now on Ford Tansit. These diesels were desighnet in cooperation with Peugeout, Lukas and Bosh and fit old good aero. There are 2 diesel aeros in Lugans with Ford 2.8 Diesel and Mercedes 2.5 (well known in the USA as the main engine of Sprinters). I see owners of both diesel aeros, ask them about it, and I can not understand what diesel is better.

The other quation - what fuel injection system to use on aero. The most reliable and easy to maintaine is fuel distributor with electronic controll, but pump-injectros are cheapper and more popular... System with pump-injectors, used on Sprinter is noisy, biut reliable. To get more power and less noise common rail si beteer. For example 1.9 Ecotec Turbodiesel by GM with Boch injection system has 150 hp. Common rail TD easyly passes new european emission standards...

As my friend says, no reason to choose diesel today, evolution is on top, so wait 1 year to do the good solution.

 

I like the idea of the 3.0L supercharged, what kind of weight are we looking at here.

 

Here is a project update. This model is simplified, and I am doing the details in texture mapping. This is to reduce the number of polygons below 1000. That way, this can be used in a video game. So hows this very primitive teaser?

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...aerosunset.jpg

 

Here is a frontal view.


Any comments or ways I can improve this?

 

Parallel (not series) hybrids, with plug-in electric only capability, are the way to go. The van would be powered by the electric motor at all times. When the batteries ran low on the road, or if extra power was needed, a small (ca. 1200cc) turbocharged diesel generator would automatically start up. The diesel engine would always be run at its optimum efficiency - WOT and about 4000 (or whatever) rpm. Put the diesel engine on a tray that can be easily slid out and wheeled away by one person. No troublesome automatic transmission necessary.

Jan Richter

 

Jan! we have 3 electric trucks on our firm, but they have one big minus! Yep! the elecric power is really cheap here, and 100 miles to next revolt is enought, but batteries need replacement every 3 years, and batteries are expencive, so to use gas ore diesel fuel is cheaper.
I dont know about the situaton on natural gas market in the USA, but here this is the optimal fuel. But engines are built for gas and diesel, and updated for NG... Now market needs especially desighnet vechikles and engines for natural gas, bio-gas and methane.
Daimler-Chrisler and Deuetz make these engines, but not too many.
Using of NG solves many ecological problem, becouse emmisions are much lover.