Adding more seating..

[stevieclj]

Morning you lovely lot..

I'm looking at adding some more seats in to a Vito..I know, not 100% retro but got to work with what's available. Haven't bought the van yet, so can't take any measurements sadly.

Main question is, how far back from the front row of seats do you leave it? Load space wise, I need 2mtrs but, I don't want the seats too far forward to be uncomfortable..

Cheers

[steveg]

I hate to be a miserable git but will fitting seats in the back cause insurance and taxing problems ? Would it be easier to get something fitted with seats already ?

If there was an official version could you use seats from one of those or at least measure up where they are fitted as a guide ?

As kids we used to ride around in the back of my Dads Mk2 Transit sitting on old cut down wooden doors attached to the ply lining on the sides. These could just be lifted out when my dad needed it for work. One even had the door handle hole in still !

[stevieclj]

Quite legal, possible and tons of companies out there doing it.

vangadgets.co.uk/blog/are-extra-seats-in-the-back-of-vans-legal-or-illegal-answer/

Just the price tag puts me off..

Mercedes sell the kit, but cant give the measurements as the staff haven't a clue unfortunately.

Trying to find a Vito locally with at least one extra row of seats in so I can take measurements. A long, or even an extra long wheel base isn't the easiest thing to find with seats fitted, locally..

I remember rolling around in an Escort van with "wheel arch" seats..

[bortaf]

My favoured rear seat is a middle row lucida seat, fitted many of them to create a crew van and used them also in the front for camper conversions as they swivel .
As for the distance, it really depends on the height of the seat, the lucida ones are low car style so if i needed them further forward i fitted them to a metal frame to raise them (and create a nice storage box, sit on a seat yourself then allow 6 inches from you knee to enable the passenger to be able to walk past the seats to get to the one furthest from the door, the other like about the lucida seats is they have built in runners as well as swivels so they can be slid back for ingress then slid forward is space is needed in the rear
On the legality side just because the seat is leagal and been crash tested doesn't mean it's leagal to put them in a commercial vehical, all factory crew vans with rear seating have windows fitted and are differant on the logbook AND i don't know of any MOT tester who will add a note stating aftermarket seating is safe, they are not qualified to state what is safe in an aftermarket conversion and never found one who was even the slightest bit interested in getting into the hassle of officialy having anything to do with it, you need an engeneer for that, i've done a lot of conversions so been through the hoops a few times and it's allways going to be a "grey" area unless you use the factory mountings and crash tested or factory seats.
Also changing the V5 to camper is one thing changing to minibus is another, as i said before windows are needed for a start as well as seats.

[BT]

Legally I don't know where you would stand and I have heard many horror stories. However I will leave the legal research up to you.

If legally you can add the rear seats I would recommend the same set up that I have in my VW T4. It came from factory as a crew van and has Unwin (I think) runners and feet. If I need to throw something big and bulky in the back I just undo the Q/R swivel in the floor and pull the seats out. I have also move the seats forward and back in the runners aproximately 1.5 meters.

[Deleted]

Nov 15, 2016 10:55:18 GMT steveg said:

I hate to be a miserable git but will fitting seats in the back cause insurance and taxing problems ? Would it be easier to get something fitted with seats already ?

!

What would be the taxing problems?
Insurance wise it isn't usually a problem although they may ask for it to be MOt'd or a inspection letter to state the seats and belts are secure.

[steveg]

Nov 15, 2016 23:27:30 GMT @1300dolly said:

Nov 15, 2016 10:55:18 GMT steveg said:

I hate to be a miserable git but will fitting seats in the back cause insurance and taxing problems ? Would it be easier to get something fitted with seats already ?

!

What would be the taxing problems?
Insurance wise it isn't usually a problem although they may ask for it to be MOt'd or a inspection letter to state the seats and belts are secure.

Would it change the tax class by adding the extra seats ? At the moment it will be classed as a van and might have number of seats on the logbook. Would it have to be classed as a people carrier or mini bus with the extra seats ?
I'm not sure but if there is a chance they can get more tax money and they miss out they might make a fuss.

[dikkehemaworst]

As kids we used to ride around in the back of my Dads Mk2 Transit sitting on old cut down wooden doors attached to the ply lining on the sides. These could just be lifted out when my dad needed it for work. One even had the door handle hole in still ![/quote]


THIS is so my youth. My dad build us a wooden folddown bench wich he could use as shelves during the week as a florist. Horrible but a great memory

[georgeb]

Nov 19, 2016 22:06:30 GMT dikkehemaworst said:

THIS is so my youth. My dad build us a wooden folddown bench wich he could use as shelves during the week as a florist. Horrible but a great memory

Another son of a florist here!

My old man wasn't as thoughtful though. He kept an old wooden chrysanthemum box (this was late 50's/early 60's) in the back of our Commer.

One of these, but 132 SBA



This even made the transition to the rear of his Vauxhall Victor estate as he, "Can't be arsed putting the back seat up and down"!

[Deleted]

Nov 16, 2016 9:21:04 GMT steveg said:

Nov 15, 2016 23:27:30 GMT @1300dolly said:

What would be the taxing problems?
Insurance wise it isn't usually a problem although they may ask for it to be MOt'd or a inspection letter to state the seats and belts are secure.

Would it change the tax class by adding the extra seats ? At the moment it will be classed as a van and might have number of seats on the logbook. Would it have to be classed as a people carrier or mini bus with the extra seats ?
I'm not sure but if there is a chance they can get more tax money and they miss out they might make a fuss.

I thought RFL was based on age, engine size and emissions not number of seats.

[stevieclj]

Right...

0 issues with tax, as its emissions, engine size, etc based.

0 issues with insurance, I tell them its got 5 seats, they insure it as that.

0 issues with anything I previously asked now anyway. I've managed to find an 08 plate 111 CDi Extra Long Vito sub £4k, that's had original factory fitted seats removed so all I need to do now, is fit some back in.

Then rip most of the previous owners handy work out of the back to put load restraints, bike racks, galley etc in, and spend a fortune or exterior styling too..