Adding seats to cargo van

[IPT]

going to bump this as I too am looking for info on a track type install preferably with something that can convert to a bed (if not be pushed forward so a bed can be set up behind it). Seatbelts and safety are a concern having a toddler.

[Chico]

I'm resurrecting this thread since I've referenced it several times in an effort to find the best solution for adding transit seats to an e-series. In my case, I wanted a narrower bench instead of the one that came with my 12 passenger. The transit two-person bench is just the right size. Mine isn't done yet but here is a useful video where he installed the two seater bench behind the driver seat, used steel plate to reinforce the bases and didn't drop the tank to do so. YMMV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAAfj377eqU

[GaviNmaY]

I’m following, I have a e350 cargo and I bought regency conversion 2nd row captains chairs with quick release bases and power folding bench sofa. I would like to retain passenger under seat storage so I was looking to modify the seats to my original seat bases. I can cut up the quick resale seat bases but I would like to keep them just because they seem desirable and maybe I can sell them and make my $300 that I paid for the seats. The problems I’ve ran into are
1. The captains chairs mounting bolts are 1/2in further apart than the factory econoline seat mounting bolts and will require a custom setup to mount to the seat bases.
2. The seatbelts are different even though the second row regency captains chairs have integrated seatbelts my factory seats have seatbelt tensioners and a plug coming up through the floor so I would need to make a bypass pigtail or a bracket that mounts the original seatbelts to the captains chairs.
I’m trying to avoid throwing a airbag light so I need to think it through a little better.
My main thing is I want them to be as safe as possible. Even though the econoline isn’t considered a safe vehicle I would like the piece of mind that I will be safe in a accident along with my passengers.
I haven’t got around to converting them yet because I tore Into the engine valley resealing hpop,fuel bowl, new cnc fab fuel line,cnc fab hpop lines, banjo bolt, aih delete, and all the other 7.3 goodies that I’ve found on the forums. Once I’m done with those l I’ll do a coolant flush and oil cooler reseal and I’m on to the seat conversion. Once I get around I will do a write up on the seat fabrication and other problems I run into. Hopefully you can find the answers your looking for and maybe I can find some information that helps with my project.

[GaviNmaY]

I’ve also seen some people doing some really cool stuff with suburban/Escalade/Yukon 3rd row removable seats that fold flush and are a perfect platform to throw a bed on top off. It would require some fab work but I know it can be done.

[Steve Hunt]

Here’s what I did (Timberline did) with Transit seats in my E350 however I don’t really ever use it so looking to sell the setup. They literally look brand new/unused. There are (4) 4”x4” steel plates with a nut welded to it under the van that hold the tracks in place.

[JWA]

^^^It might help your sale showing the welded plates under the floor. I'm assuming it would be more than impractical including them, show somehow what's necessary to properly install them in an existing van.

[Steve Hunt]

They’re not attached to the van so they would go with the setup. Each nut is welded to a steel plate. The bolt runs thru the track inside the van, thru the van floor and into the nut/plate under the van. The steel plate spreads the load over a larger area. Looks like 1 of the 4 is over the fuel tank cause I can’t see it. I suppose I better actually get eyes on it before I just back the bolt out and it falls on top of the tank. I want the tracks out anyway, always seem to stumble on them.