The original seats in the van comprised of a single drivers seat and a two-man bench seat so that three people could travel comfortably – a practical layout for a work panel van but a limiting arrangement if you need to access both the back and the front of the vehicle with ease.
Although we both enjoyed the extra room in front that the bench seat offered, one of our first items on the remake list was installing two single seats, with a small walkway between them, to facilitate easily movement around the van.
Collecting ideas and quotes narrowed our choices with little discussion;
– swivel seats are expensive and raise the seat too much to reach the pedals so the search was on to find standard frame, second hand, seats.
So many talented craftsmen and custom van converters have given of their time and expertise while we flip from one option to the next trying to find a solution that ticks all our boxes.
Eventually we found a scrap yard for French cars that are lead and staffed by such an enthusiastic team, willing to go the extra mile and wield their screwdrivers and other tools quickly and efficiently. Dirty, dusty and stained seats were soon our proud possessions at a fraction of the price we had been confronted with till then.
Hand crafted genuine leather soon replaced the stained upholstery and the installation was completed in short order.
Lessons Learned
– Watch your headroom, and your feet, when moving from the back to the front of the van.
– YouTube only shows you the nice stuff
– Chairs are bolted to the chassis with amazingly intricately designed bolts that have a mind of their own.
– Double check that the seatbelt clips work before installing the chairs.
– The best seat to have during a makeover is the one you just need to sit in while the real workers bustle around
– The dog is watching, and waiting with bated breath, to see what the plan is for her throne
Service Providers – Mini & French – Pretoria North and upholstery expertly completed by Wynberg Motor Trimmers.
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Itchy Feet! 