Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop

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Tommy B

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Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« on: October 05, 2010, 08:58:03 PM »


Looking for a bit of advice - can anyone tell me what's involved if fitting forward facing seats (and belts) in the back of a 110 hardtop (the two door, van version)??

What about fitting side windows in the back?

Hopefully it a straight bolt in job.
I assume that I'd need to inform DVLA about the change, but is it easy enough to do?

I haven't got a 110 yet - just thinking about it!!!

PS, If I can't add more seats, how do I go about puting a couple of kids up for adoption??

(Only kidding, in case social services are monitoring)

   
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piper5

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2010, 09:43:43 PM »
there are no anchor points in a 110 van side so you need to bolt through the tub with spreader plates etc same goes for seatbelts
getting hold of the seats unless buying new might be a problem too.
i have just fitted 2 side facing seats as my 110 is old enough.
i have also found that the sliding windows supplied as standard by most companies wont fit without cutting ribs etc as well as the side panel not a major issue but smaller windows would be so much less hassle

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Tommy B

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2010, 10:04:58 PM »

Thanks for the info - fitted rear seat belts to a '72 escort more than a few years ago, so understand spreader plates etc.  However, what do you mean when you say your 110 is old enough?  Is there an age limit for side facing seats?

Cheers,

Never Apologise - Never Explain                     (Sorry, I should say I read that in a book somewhere!!)

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piper5

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2010, 10:10:07 PM »
below is an extract from a man in the ministry that i asked hope it helps



What year the 110 is and how many seats / seatbelts it will have when your done affects the answer?
 
If its pre 2001 and has more than 8 passenger seats (unlikely if your only adding a couple of seats?) then it will need a class 4a test which is the same as a normal MOT but also includes a seat belt installation check. Not many garages can do class 4a. Most likely would be a garage that does class 5 (minibuses with 13 or more seats) and is long established doing them (the requirement for installation checks ended for vehicles manufactured after 2001 so no newer garages are interested in doing them).
 
If newer than 2001 and / or less than 8 passenger seats then there's no additional checks for security or structural design. Just the normal MOT criteria. I assume your doing the installation from scratch and there's no manufacturers pre-positioned seatbelt anchorage points (a la station wagon) to use. If that's the case then common sense will no doubt prevail but I would recommend that you look at the guidance in the installation guide section of the testers manual for info on spreader plates and bolt sizes. You can access the testers manual on-line now here:-
 
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm
 
Hope that was helpfull and not too long winded an answer to a relatively simple question!

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Tommy B

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2010, 10:19:37 PM »

That seems clear enough.  You're right, I'd only be fitting a couple of seats.  And as they'd be for my children, I'd make sure they would be fitted securely (not just a couple of tie wraps!!).

Appreciate your help.

Tom. 
Never Apologise - Never Explain                     (Sorry, I should say I read that in a book somewhere!!)

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genem

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2010, 10:21:47 PM »
I know the current fad is to fit forward facing seats but old fashioned bench seats are simpler and take up a lot less room. Easy enough to fit lap belts for them too - as mentioned above just bolt them in with spreader plates below. My MOT station, who deal in nothing but LR also say that they are NOT part of the MOT so the degree of strength you build in is entirely up to you. I used spreaders about 100mm square below each bolt.  Legally I think that the requirement for forward facing seats only affects vehicles built after 2006 (?). ( Sorry, Piper 5 posted while I was writing.! )

The window kits advertised are fairly simple to fit - but the old line about measuring twice, cutting once is very apt ! Measure and mark where you want the window, drill a hole large enough for your jig-saw, whizz round..... the rib inside will be a pain but its only held by a couple of spot-welds and some rubber glue stuff so comes out without too much effort. Offer up the window, drill appropriate holes, remove window, appply bathroon silicone, re-offer window and pop rivet into place. (I used tiny counter-sunk screws & nuts instead). On the "delux" kits with a rubber finishing strip the inner bit pushes into place with a thin ( blunt) chisel or similar & some washing up liquid as lubricant. The professionals use a triangular wire guide.

Is it as strong afterwards ? Well, my 90 rolled  a full 360 including bouncing on the roof at maybe 40 mph. The roof and the rear tub creased up a bit in one corner but the side panels with the windows were rock solid.    

Good luck !
« Last Edit: October 05, 2010, 10:24:22 PM by genem »
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Navigator

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2010, 10:25:08 PM »
When I fitted belts to a Series II a while back I got a kit of mountings that fitted to the chassis and came up below the panels. So no load on body, it all went through onto the chassis.  They also sold kits for rear seats as well.  Probably selling them on Internet now.
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Tommy B

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2010, 10:44:07 PM »

Thanks Piper5, Gene, Stuart,

Now I know it's possible, I just need to get myself a 110.  Bench seats do seem a lot easier, if a bit less practical.  They will only be used occasionally, so may not be a problem.

Gene, not planing to roll my Landy (I'm sure you hadn't planned to either!), but good to know a proper job doesn't reduce the structural strength.

 Cheers Guys.
Never Apologise - Never Explain                     (Sorry, I should say I read that in a book somewhere!!)

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georgew

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2010, 07:57:25 AM »
Children that are of the age or height that require booster seats can no longer be carried legally in side facing seats.
(so that means no small friends or family jumping in for a lift)
That should probably ring warning bells about their/childrens safety even when not requiring boosters.

& as for lap belts, possibly suitable for fastening your weekly shop but not nearest & dearest in my opinion.

Why cut corners on doing the conversion properly?
a couple of hundred pounds & the job can be as safe as possible for the most precious things in your life.
george
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jumbo

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2010, 09:36:55 AM »
not be easier looking for a 110 station wagon? if you did put in forward facing seats you would loose a fair bit of boot space and wont be so easy trying to get into the seats.

seem to remember reading in landrover owner the military has had to do away with side facing seats for safety regulations. so now a 110 hardtop has seating for 4 ::)
doug
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genem

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2010, 11:16:32 AM »
not be easier looking for a 110 station wagon? if you did put in forward facing seats you would loose a fair bit of boot space and wont be so easy trying to get into the seats.

seem to remember reading in landrover owner the military has had to do away with side facing seats for safety regulations. so now a 110 hardtop has seating for 4 ::)

Nope, The back of Wolf and the reconditioned Tithonus 110s all have side facing seats and lap-belts for 8. - The kit MOD used is all from Exmoor trim BTW and can be bought from their catalogue. MOD did bring in rules about how long folk can be driven about in LR tho, pushing towards minibus/coach for anything over an hour !
If its not broken you are not trying hard enough....

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coolcamper55

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2010, 11:20:57 AM »
not be easier looking for a 110 station wagon? if you did put in forward facing seats you would loose a fair bit of boot space and wont be so easy trying to get into the seats.

seem to remember reading in landrover owner the military has had to do away with side facing seats for safety regulations. so now a 110 hardtop has seating for 4 ::)
I can agree with that, I have two fold up seets in the back of my 110, they are forward facing but are a real PITA when trying to get a decent load in, they reduce the available floor space by about 500 mm in width

T

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ruaritreble

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2010, 12:06:24 PM »
I  have the 110 Hardtop, and the previous owner fitted side windows.  I don't carry passengers in the back, but the windows make a heck of a difference.
Doesn't seem to be any problems with the 2 vertical ribs removed, although I have toyed with the idea of re-fitting them furter back.
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geoffg

Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2010, 05:34:35 PM »
I removed the bench seats from my 110csw, and fitted two fold up fwd facing seats in the back and two sets of inertia reel seat belts. I got the whole lot from Exmoor trim at Billing a few years ago. Cost was about ?300 for the lot. Fitting was easy. Hasten to add that I never use the seats anymore and am going to fit them to the 110 hardtop, which now has rear windows.

Geoff :)

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jumbo

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Re: Fitting Rear Seats in a 110 Hardtop
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2010, 08:46:50 PM »
not be easier looking for a 110 station wagon? if you did put in forward facing seats you would loose a fair bit of boot space and wont be so easy trying to get into the seats.

seem to remember reading in landrover owner the military has had to do away with side facing seats for safety regulations. so now a 110 hardtop has seating for 4 ::)

Nope, The back of Wolf and the reconditioned Tithonus 110s all have side facing seats and lap-belts for 8. - The kit MOD used is all from Exmoor trim BTW and can be bought from their catalogue. MOD did bring in rules about how long folk can be driven about in LR tho, pushing towards minibus/coach for anything over an hour !
it was an article i read about new 110s with puma engines, think they were communications 110s. as with civilian dont expect they would retrofit older motors it was new vehicles. will try and find the article.....
doug
2005 3door freelander td4
1986 90s/w with 200tdi


warning::: any jokes posted by myself come with a health warning!!!!!