I'm looking at a Renault Master that has 4 original rear seats fitted to a sort of moulded bulkhead set up. I'm wondering if it's easy to remove the bulkhead, and how easy it is to replace those seats with other ones that fold and don't have all the plastic trim? I want to be able to access the rear area, so the plastic moulding stuff all gets in the way.
Anyone know what lies beneath the moulding and if it's easy to do a straight swap with other seats? Or are there no 'legs' under there?
That sort of sounds like a welfare wagon type of set-up. Do the rear seats have seatbelts? A moulded bulkhead doesn't sound like the kind of thing that would be safe in a crash so they may just be for sitting and not travelling.
Having said that, you'd probably need some professional advice about the suitability of folding seats too, especially as, IIRC you'll be using it to transport your kids.
It's been a while since I've seen such a setup, but something to be aware off, is if you remove the bulkhead from a van, you change the taxation class, as it no longer has a separate goods compartment.
This isn’t a welfare van, it’s an (old model?) original crew van. Not sure they do this version any more. Proper seats, just not clear what’s under all the plastic and wondering if the fixings are there for easy straight swaps with other folding seat styles, or if it’s going to take drills and welding and stuff.
It sounds like a Snoeks conversion which is factory fit for a lot of manufacturer crew vans:
The lining is just ABS plastic but there is a lot of steelwork in there that cannot be removed if you want the seats and seatbelts to function safely. The ABS is mostly held with pop rivets whilst the steelwork is usually bolt in (so with a lot of work it can be removed).
So you might be able to remove some of the plastic if that gives enough space to clamber through. Renault used to offer some versions with openings to allow plywood / plasterboard sheets to fit under the seat.
To swap to other seats will be very involved. You should be fitting seats that are rated to M1 / N1 standard. But those "crash test" ratings are often a bit false as they are a mostly done on seats tested bolted to a rigid steel bedplate. The seat can behave very differently when bolted to a weak and flexible vehicle floor..... So the quality of installation and floor reinforcement is critical.
You can get "tested" tracking systems for seats to fit to, but again the bolt spacing and reinforcement when fitting the tracking is crucial to the performance.
Finally, the Master is quite a high window line, so seats will need quite tall legs which amplify the bending load applied during a crash to the floor. So doubly important that any seat installation is done well. I think the minibus version of that van had a big steel box section frame on top of the floor to spread the loads.
For info I've worked my whole life in automotive test and used to perform seat belt anchorage tests of converted vans in our lab 🙂
I've got a crewvan Dispatch and have made some of the under seat bins / trim removeable to allow occasional loading of longer things. The gap on that one is too small to crawl through, but you might manage on the taller Master.
@stwhannah Sounds similar to my 'factory' Vauxhall Vivaro Double Cab setup (although I only have 3 bench across second row). Under my plastic moulded bulkhead is a steel subframe supporting the bench and seat backs but mostly fresh air.
On the Vivaro you can access under the seats - either from the loadbay though a cutout in the bottom of the plastic bulkhead or by actually tipping the seat bases forward - unsure if the Movano was the same.
I can find out more if you have the year as I worked at a Vauxhall Commercial dealer up until recently.
Vivaro is almost definitely a Snoeks seat - lift a seat cushion and it will probably have their label on the underside. It is a very efficient design in terms of strength, weight and cargo space - just not very helpful if you want to climb in the back.... As you say, it is mostly fresh air underneath (for cargo) as a lot of the strength is in the cross beams that then tie into the body sides / pillars.
Thanks folks. Now to figure out if getting to Lincolnshire is actually feasible without a car. I think trying to buy a car/van might actually be more stressful than wedding planning, or house buying, or having babies.
Traveline is usually worth a go for working out if public transport is possible. Just type in two places in the UK and it usually finds a route:
https://www.traveline.info/
The link^ now shows as 'scheduled maintenance' on my phone. Not sure if that is the site or symptomatic of public transport in general.
I'm not sure it's worth buying the van if you want to replace the crew cab setup, presumably it's more expensive than normal van in the first place?
As far as I'm aware, as a retrofit I don't think there are any specific standards other than to satisfy an MOT tester (i.e a pass) and then update the V5.
I followed a guidance doc I found on .gov for low volume minibus conversion companies where destructive crash testing would not be feasible. Basically they spec everything to be overbuilt to ensure it will perform to a certain standard.
I fitted big spreader plates above and below the floor and c section channel front to rear between the factory transverse floor strengthening. Worrying, I picked up a set of seats that had been removed from a Fiat Scudo hospital taxi/car and when he handed me the included spreader plates I realised it was a bag of 50mm washers and assorted scraps of metal offcuts...I think the largest bit was about 100mm X 40mm. Trust no one!
Better just make use of the gravel bike then! Go old school and take some ginger beer and marmalade sandwiches to make a day of it.
It is a useful site that, if only to remind you of how frustrating public transport can be.