Coach Seat in Van

[Scott52]

I wanted to fit a single seat into the back of my 2005 Merc Vito so I can have the bike on one side and a second passenger seated alongside.

I stumbled accross a bloke who'd bought a bus that he was converting into a campervan/motorhome. He was selling the coach seats at $60 per pair. These seats are bolted together in pairs and have integrated retractable seat belts.

This is what a pair looked like.

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I unbolted the pair and took to the centre side brackets with a 5" angle grinder with a cutting disk and removed the welded on brackets. I thin tidied up with a grinding disk. That side of the seat base already had the M10 threaded holes for a leg bracket.

Using the existing legs as a template I fabricated two additional leg brackets from 40 x 40 x 5 equal angle, drilled the mounting holes and painted with Killrust black gloss enamel. I also removed the fabric covering from the seat and painted the seat base with the same black gloss to match the Merc seats.

I fabricated two floor brackets from 50 x 4 flat bar, painted and bolted to the existing floor mounting holes. I then bolted the seat to this new bracket.

I bought a can of uphostery cleaner and gave the seat a good spray and scrub and it came up like new. I may get a seat cover for it to more closely match the existing colour of the front seats. It's nice and comfortable as well.

The fella had quite a few seats left if any one wants to put some extra seats in their van. He was advertising in the Quokka. See the post I put in the General Goods for sale.

Finished project below:

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Scott

[shan]

Very cool

[T-Rex]

pandas?

[Scott52]

pandas?

It's a box of tissues with a picture of pandas for some strange reason.

[T-Rex]

Um.. the seats started out dark blue is and finished beige. I'm impressed!

What are you going to do with the other seat btw?

[Para045]

Very nice job I had always intended doing similar when I had my old F100, but putting a nice bucket in for the driver and getting a small bench for the other side, never got round to it though

[Scott52]

Um.. the seats started out dark blue is and finished beige. I'm impressed!

What are you going to do with the other seat btw?

I'm not sure yet ... I may mount it behind the other. I'll hang on to it for a while until I decide what to do with it.

[Ozboy]

Great work Scott, now all thats needed is a portable screen and dvd player on the back of the front passenger seat so that I ... ummm , anyone else could enjoy a movie on a long haul (Collie)

[Scott52]

Great work Scott, now all thats needed is a portable screen and dvd player on the back of the front passenger seat so that I ... ummm , anyone else could enjoy a movie on a long haul (Collie)

I can also mount some drink holders and an Engel fridge on the RHS. I've fitted a salubrious dark coloured suede velour seat cover this afternoon from Supercheaps. Looks very classy now.

Scott

[369]

Nice work there mate! The back seat next to the bike ramp thing reminds me of the seat next to the stretcher on an ambulance. Should make some mods so the bike ramp can also accommodate a stretcher, doubles as an ambulance at the races

[Scott52]

Nice work there mate! The back seat next to the bike ramp thing reminds me of the seat next to the stretcher on an ambulance. Should make some mods so the bike ramp can also accommodate a stretcher, doubles as an ambulance at the races

I also thought an oxygen mask that drops from the roof in case there's a drop in cabin pressure!

[Ozboy]

I can also mount some drink holders and an Engel fridge on the RHS. I've fitted a salubrious dark coloured suede velour seat cover this afternoon from Supercheaps. Looks very classy now.

Scott

Its a good thing the seat is not a recliner Scott, you'd have a hard time waking anyone up after sitting in that after a fair drive.

Liking the fridge capability. Thats gonna be one pimped out ride.

[bomoto]

Cool thread, I work for a coach company and we have removable seats for wheelchair bookings. I am looking to do the same thing because my family just went +1 and need somewhere to but the baby seat!!

[Roady]

went an saw the old fella today..60 bucks 4 holes n 30 mins to fit..now got +2 in the back of the van..cheers for the heads up scotty..


PICT3287.jpg

[Scott52]

went an saw the old fella today..60 bucks 4 holes n 30 mins to fit..now got +2 in the back of the van..cheers for the heads up scotty..


PICT3287.jpg

No problems with the heads up ... I couldn't resist the bargain. The seat belts would cost more. The old fella was like Steptoe with all the stuff he had around the place.

So your passengers will be riding side saddle!

Scott

[Roady]

No problems with the heads up ... I couldn't resist the bargain. The seat belts would cost more. The old fella was like Steptoe with all the stuff he had around the place.

So your passengers will be riding side saddle!

Scott

yeah..gives me more useable space that way..i figure the dicky seats in the back of 4 bees are sideways for that reason,
as to the legality ?? who knows,i guess these vehicles are only licenced for 3 passengers any ways...and my ones
are only for the rare occasion i need to accomadate 2 more passengers..
still will come in handy,better than sitting on a roll of cable,

Besides,i dont have a fender eliminater on my van....so it gets very little attention from Mac Plods..