Three Seats Up Front

21
Why don't you try to get those things in Germany. Shipping cost are neraly similar compare to shipping from US - box with 120/60/60 cm up to 30kg is about 125€ ~ 180AUD. The weak € makes it "cheap" for you at the moment.

For installing the B2B jumpseat, you have to weld in some brackets on the floor and drill 4 holes to the front wheel arch.

22

One thing to consider is a bolt in middle seat, these were a factory option in the 70's (T2)

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb255/kombirod/WeekendwithHarry25May2008080.jpg


I fitted one to my T2 bus (that pic is not mine) to make it a 9 seater and had it engineered along with some other mods (child restraints, swing around front seats, long range tank etc)


I found it a useful option as I only used it a few times and still kept the walk through when unbolted.

I'm not certain on the T3, but in the T2 the bench seat was not a walk through, the tinware/frame underneath was very different. If the T3 is similar, the bench seat would not be a simple bolt in fit.


Just some things to  consider.


I know what your going through with seating, it's one of the reasons I wanted a bus and not a camper, I regularly use all 7 seats in mine, and miss the extra 2 seats I had in the T2!!

Camping is done in the tent (for now)


Richard

23
Hi Richard
I had exactly one of these seats too in a 74 T2 in the 80's when we had 4 young children to accommodate. It was upholstered in the same vinyl as VW used  and although I bought it second hand I thought it was an OEM accessory. From memory It had a bolt either side in tinware below the padded capping behind the top of the seat that bolted to the top of the adjacent  bracing panels behind each front seat. It had further brackets underneath that were I think  L shaped bolting on the tinware on the box under just the passenger seat. It was quite rigid and allowed us to fit a child safety seat but like many things of that era I very much doubt it would be acceptable enough today for the registration authorities.When I bought myT5 I looked at having an additional runner/floor track being put in to allow an additional seat to make it a 5 seater but decided against it although it was available with Australia wide registration compliance from Trakka. There were strict weight requirements which revolved around the assumption that every seat registered had to take a full size adult's weight  which then demanded heavier duty/weight capacity suspension etc etc. as I had specified the roof bed which added weight. For a T3  I think the ideal solution would be using the same T5 multivan  type sliding floor tracks that allow seats to be fitted in and removed according to need  but I would first sound out the registration authorities on what they would look kindly at (if anything). Such parts do seem to be available from a wrecker or on e-bay/Gumnut. If you are round North Carlton any time you would be welcome to examine how they work on my T5 or find a friendly local dealer with a multivan on display.
Good luck - I did consider the Monty Python "meaning of Life solution "Sorry kids my mind is made up - its medical research for all of you" but relented when my wife started making enquiries about where she could purchase those rings that are used on rams.
Cheers
Roger


On Tuesday, 27 January 2015, 1:39, "cathrich1@yahoo.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


 
One thing to consider is a bolt in middle seat, these were a factory option in the 70's (T2)

I fitted one to my T2 bus (that pic is not mine) to make it a 9 seater and had it engineered along with some other mods (child restraints, swing around front seats, long range tank etc)

I found it a useful option as I only used it a few times and still kept the walk through when unbolted.
I'm not certain on the T3, but in the T2 the bench seat was not a walk through, the tinware/frame underneath was very different. If the T3 is similar, the bench seat would not be a simple bolt in fit.

Just some things to  consider.

I know what your going through with seating, it's one of the reasons I wanted a bus and not a camper, I regularly use all 7 seats in mine, and miss the extra 2 seats I had in the T2!!
Camping is done in the tent (for now)

Richard


24

Hi Roger, that's exactly the one, and yes how yours mounted was all factory. I have a '77 microbus (deluxe) which does not have the bulk heads behind the front seats so needed to modify to mount. I did all this with the assessor before doing the work.

What I did find at the time (QLD) was there is a big difference depending on the seat belt mounting, things become very different if the seat belt secures to the seat frame. I luckily had extra factory mounts for the additional seat belt completely separate to the seat frame, so the assessor was a little more lenient in terms of approving. If the seat belt was on a frame it would have required extensive testing and data before they would approve. The loads it apparently needed to hold he said would damage most new cars mounting points!!

Definitely the best idea is have some one happy to sign off before you do any work to avoid grief proceeding thinking it will be OK, every assessor can have different ideas on interpreting requirements.

Sounds like you made the right decision to avoid the monty python solution :)

Richard



---In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, <bellrmit@...> wrote :

Hi Richard
I had exactly one of these seats too in a 74 T2 in the 80's when we had 4 young children to accommodate. It was upholstered in the same vinyl as VW used  and although I bought it second hand I thought it was an OEM accessory. From memory It had a bolt either side in tinware below the padded capping behind the top of the seat that bolted to the top of the adjacent  bracing panels behind each front seat. It had further brackets underneath that were I think  L shaped bolting on the tinware on the box under just the passenger seat. It was quite rigid and allowed us to fit a child safety seat but like many things of that era I very much doubt it would be acceptable enough today for the registration authorities.When I bought myT5 I looked at having an additional runner/floor track being put in to allow an additional seat to make it a 5 seater but decided against it although it was available with Australia wide registration compliance from Trakka. There were strict weight requirements which revolved around the assumption that every seat registered had to take a full size adult's weight  which then demanded heavier duty/weight capacity suspension etc etc. as I had specified the roof bed which added weight. For a T3  I think the ideal solution would be using the same T5 multivan  type sliding floor tracks that allow seats to be fitted in and removed according to need  but I would first sound out the registration authorities on what they would look kindly at (if anything). Such parts do seem to be available from a wrecker or on e-bay/Gumnut. If you are round North Carlton any time you would be welcome to examine how they work on my T5 or find a friendly local dealer with a multivan on display.
Good luck - I did consider the Monty Python "meaning of Life solution "Sorry kids my mind is made up - its medical research for all of you" but relented when my wife started making enquiries about where she could purchase those rings that are used on rams.
Cheers
Roger


On Tuesday, 27 January 2015, 1:39, "cathrich1@... [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


 
One thing to consider is a bolt in middle seat, these were a factory option in the 70's (T2)

I fitted one to my T2 bus (that pic is not mine) to make it a 9 seater and had it engineered along with some other mods (child restraints, swing around front seats, long range tank etc)

I found it a useful option as I only used it a few times and still kept the walk through when unbolted.
I'm not certain on the T3, but in the T2 the bench seat was not a walk through, the tinware/frame underneath was very different. If the T3 is similar, the bench seat would not be a simple bolt in fit.

Just some things to  consider.

I know what your going through with seating, it's one of the reasons I wanted a bus and not a camper, I regularly use all 7 seats in mine, and miss the extra 2 seats I had in the T2!!
Camping is done in the tent (for now)

Richard