Add seats to Cargo Van?

[awilder]

Hi there, there are plenty of two seater cargo vans, less passenger vans, for sale around where I live, and I need 5 seats total. Anyone have thoughts on how difficult and costly it is to find and install a three seater bench in a cargo van, and take out the cage?
Thanks in advance.

 

[user 25174]

A wilder -

In answer to your question, the seats in my van remove with the pull of a lever, and its swivel mounting plate a few bolts.
My case involves having too many seats, and how best to use space in a full size Chevy Express 7 passenger van.
Perhaps I can find someone with the skills to help, and barter work for some leather seating.
I can only plan & help these days. (The results of too many back surgeries).
All this being said, perhaps you'll find another similar situation - depending on your purchase.
Good luck, and surely you'll get the answers here.
A more helpful - hopeful forum I've yet to find.
Keith_in_AZ

 

[ckelly78z]

Some of the passenger van builders on this site will have extra seats that they will most likely give away to get them out of their work space.
You can use a rear bench seat in the van, and then remove it when you are done traveling to use as an outdoor camp couch.

 

[bullfrog]

Police vans have seats and keep the cage. Depending on the passengers you might rethink the cage!LOL!!!

 

[Firtree]

Might be cheaper and much safer to find a passenger van.
Put seats in a cargo van to meet passenger safety standards would involve a lot to ensure some level of passenger survival.

 

[awilder]

Thank you! As the back passengers are three children maybe I will stick with looking for a passenger van. I was also wondering if it is even possible to get passenger auto insurance on a cargo van (please excuse my total ignorance about insurance). And, it seems passenger van have a lot of windows. If I want to sleep in this thing in the winter (northeast mostly) is it stilly to get something with a lot of windows?
Thank you!

 

[MotorVation]

Maybe a conversion van would work out for you. One thing you have to be careful of, my van was a 15 passenger and some ins companies won't cover them. I guess I got lucky, I gave them the vin # when I first bought it and all they said was "is it a van?"


Also, the gross vehicle weight of mine is slightly under 10,000 lbs. I understand some companies will only cover cargo vans as a commercial vehicle if over 10,000 lbs. I'm sure that varies considerably per state and company..

Edit:
It's probably a good idea to run the vin number by your insurance company for an exact quote before you sign anything.

 

[bandaidqueen]

I'm pretty sure if you want to put a bench seat in a cargo van, you need to install some extra metal plates to the floor so they won't rip off in an accident. It would be much easier (and safer) to start with a passenger or conversion van, but adding seats CAN be done - for safety, especially for the kids, I would have a professional do it though.