Front bench seat

[mglsite]

Has anyone here ever adapted a bench seat instead of the front buckets?

[icebrrg3rd]

Yes. I have a pic somewhere, I'll have to find it. I believe they used a rear bench. Obviously, it has to be removed every time you need to access the doghouse.

-Andrew

[icebrrg3rd]

Knew I had a pic somewhere...

FrontBenchSeatMod.jpg (34.87 KiB) Viewed 544 times

Wouldn't work for me, but that's one way to make it a 9-passenger van.

I don't remember which thread I got the pic from, but it's been a while, and I don't remember the details of it. Dang memory.

-Andrew

[AstroOafAdventurer]

Yeah, that middle front seat looks like it would be fairly useless as far as an occupant.
Reminds me of riding in the middle of a pickup truck that was manual, legs on either side of the stick.

Are you just asking, or considering installing a bench?
If so, why?!
lol

[sixsix]

Oh my - those seats look sooo ooo comfortable...mmmm - I can smell 'em.
Like an old Mercedes or Cadillac.

[AlpineVan]

That's a brilliant idea, actually. Perhaps it would be more applicable in an older van, where the center glove box doesn't protrude out as much.

I would weld the bench seat mount pockets into the floor so that removal/reversal of the seat is super simple.

[mglsite]

Thanks, I just prefer a bench seat. At one time for my job I would drive about 150,000 a year and found the bench seat to be much more driver friendly when doing serious traveling. They make a great table for eating drive through food while driving among other things. And as for the dog house, you have to pull the passenger seat off anyway so what's a couple of extra bolts. And my God, those seats in the picture. They look so comfortable they should be illegal to put is a vehicle due to the possibility of putting the driver to sleep.

[markmitch]

Funny I used to drive a lot when I was in the Army and I always hated bench seats, always felt like I would slide across the seat when hitting a corner. And with my back they sink in to much and all unevenly too. But to each there own.

[AstroWill]

Definitely have to go with what YOU want.

And as for the dog house, you have to pull the passenger seat off anyway so what's a couple of extra bolts.

You don't have to pull a seat to remove the dog house, I only do that when I know I'm going to be there for a while.

[sonnystile13]

My new to me van came with two rows of the bench shown in the picture.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out how to fold them flat/in half?

I’ve seen pictures of the “less fancy” benches folded over, does this version not do it?


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[icebrrg3rd]

Are you talking about folding them forwards (like a clam) or backwards (like a bed)? I think the base stock seats only fold forwards, and the really nice stock ones can recline but not flat like a bed, and I don't know if they can go forwards at all. Now if they were from a conversion van (aftermarket), then it depends on the seat manufacturer. My rear bench seat folds back flat like a bed, but doesn't fold that far forwards like a clam, maybe to about a 70 degree angle. Other brands of aftermarket seats might go either way (or both), but again, not being stock seats it would be hard to answer what they can do.

-Andrew

[sonnystile13]

I was talking about forward, (like a clam) in the previous post.

It seems that the bench like I have, two buckets and a console, will recline far enough to relax, but not flat.

And the center console won’t recline an equal amount so you can’t even recline the entire length together...

Bummer.


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[MI_Ghost]

If your just looking to fill the open space between the seats you might look at something like the Silverado/Tahoe jump seat console.

[mglsite]

That is perfect. I may hit the junk yard next week if it stops raining and look around.