Hi
just a word of caution, you may already be aware of this but it may be worth talking to your van insurance company to check your coverage concerning the alterations.
I altered a minibus I had once, just unbolted seats to make more room and had a hell of a job getting it insured as they claimed that it was out of the vehicles original spec.Finally found a company but it was more costly.

 

As said above ...it proved a pain in arse .....it put me in a dilemma

It was a lot cheaper to in sure as a car and not for work use ....it wasn't for work....

But they wouldn't cover me till I sent pics of the work done and proof from mot station

 

If you're just removing seats, why the fuck would you even tell the insurance company?

 

Because if you have an accident and they discover the van is not as insured that insurance is invalid and your up shit creek!

 

That's just not true, of course they'd try and bully you in to believing this but in reality they have to prove it played a part in your claim, obviously adding a row of seats is changing it from a van in to mini bus granted and if there an accident and you've got 6 people in and it's only classified as a three seater then yes it will cause problems.
I don't know why the op don't just buy a crew cab? Which is already done?

 

I must have read it wrong ....I thought he was removing bulkhead and adding seats in back

 

I was hoping to have a two row seat van and remove the bulkhead. This would leave fixed second row seats and no option for a bike inside unless the seats could be swapped for oem removable seats- this is what I'm trying to find out as it'd be nice to have all six seats if required.

I really do not want to have a VW or risk not be straight with the insurance company so no lash up version will do. It's got to be right.

Tranny spec is top notch.

 

I looked at a used L2 H1 Double In Cab with the fixed bulk head and thought about doing the same as you, but as I rarely carry passengers, I ended up buying a new 155 L1 H1 Custom with twin side loading doors (a must as it makes strapping shit down so much easier) with a balanced tailgate (another must as you can stand under it in the rain )

Only having the 3 seats has never been an issue although I appreciate this may not work for you

 

Interested in this as I was about to order a LWB crew cab Transit, but didn't think there was any way to get bikes in the back.

 

I have a new custom dciv lwb. Once enduro in easy, diagonally. The 950 is a squeeze!

 

If you're a face Booker there is a Ford transit custom owners page & lots of good info & usully fast response to questions.

 

I've had a custom for
About two years now and it's great!
Go over to the transit forum and poke around in the custom section, loads of conversions etc!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Trouble is a fair few conversions involve bodges. One company I spoke to said they just drill holes in the floor and use a backing plate! Totally not tested and credible in any way. They want good dollar for wrecking a vehicle and putting passengers at risk.

Sod that.

 

...because the L1 custom crew cab has a fixed bulkhead and solid seats. Ford for some weird reason don't/won't compete with VW on the flexible medium van front. A bigger version transit crew cab which will take bikes is just too big and thirsty for the normal day to day living/work.

 

Exactly. While the VW has a double removable seat, and a single removable seat, and no bulkhead (meaning I leave the double seat in place, remove the single, and fit a bike in easily), Ford simply don't do anything near as useful. Their 'combi' has a bulkhead and the back seats are a single triple seat bolted to the floor.

I went looking before I got my VW. I couldn't believe it. Its such a huge market; there's four VW Kombis on my street alone. The Ford salesman had no defence and couldn't offer any explanation as to why Ford don't play the game.

 

I believe that if you cut two holes in the bulk head for the front wheel to go into you can get two bikes in the back of a combi. Gareth Lloyd who owns cf racing has one as does Steve Ireland from Wor events. You could ring either to ask.

 

Are they new shape crew cab transit customs zip?

Double in cab custom I think ford call it.

 

Yes, the latest shape transit custom. One bike goes in for sure.

 

The lwb crew cab custom has a load length of about 1950mm which is too short for most bikes. With the front wheel off they may go in, or as above, cut a hole in the bulk head.

 

This is what I'm beginning to think. Keep one of the small four seat vans and the wife's car and get a normal transit. Three seats might have to do if my search proves fruitless.

I just can't bring myself to buy a VW at that cost. The VW has the best configuration but is just crazy cash.

 

I blame Al Ranger the Amesbury hippy and all his surfer dude mates for pushing the prices of T5's through the roof

 

Do you know about the security issues on the new transits? worth putting dead locks on - plenty of info on the net about it.

 

I'd pay the extra and by a vw Kombi........I wish I had.....

I bought a new Transit 15 custom.....I broke down for the second time in 18 months, injector pipe spilit....aa guy said he recovers loads where as the only thing that ever breaks on a t5 is the tyres due to tatty size rims....

Also t5 resale is bonkers...massive demand issue...pay the extra now and save later!
Same story when me chums have bought beta and shercos...nothing wrong with them but resales areshite!

 

 

Link to security issues?

I'll fit new injector pipes if need be. VWs still have issues too from what I hear?

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tradesmansvantheftawareness/?hc_ref=SEARCH

 

I think insurance would not pay if you removed the bulkhead from a crewcab and a passenger or driver were injured by something hitting them from behind (like a toolbox or jerrycan). That's why the bulkhead is there.

My dad had a navigator brake a collar bone when hit by jerrycan that had broken loose from its mounting.
It was a rally car and he had rolled it though

 

It seems to me that as the most common van ever, the stats regarding theft and breakdowns will be high anyway?

 

Read up on it. These keys are about £20, makes theft easy. I'm currently looking at getting a transit custom myself so I've been reading. Can reduce the risk by changing the drivers door lock and fitting an OBD port lock.

Hykee TVL Driver's Door Lock Upgrade for Ford Transit, Custom and Connect - Garrison Locks

Also the spare wheel is easy to steal and very common theft but no more so than other vans. Also look into the bonnet leaking and fucking ECU up. On the whole they seem to have no more issues than other vans, it's just worth being aware.

 

Someone isn't happy with there VW!

My thinking is don't if under warranty. Let them fix it. Insure it. Insure contents separately- my work kit has to be anyway. Fit a tracker to things if required.

 

Buy a vw transporter panel van, a set of used genuine vw kombi seats / fittings and aftermarket tinted windows windows. It will take about half a day to fit the windows and same again to fit the seats all can be diy'd. Everything is 100% safe as its identical to how it would have been made in the factory. It will cost you about £700 and your van will now be a kombi and be worth at least £2000 more. Happy days.

 

Saw a van that sits between the VWip off and the transit.

No bulk head.
Removable seats.
Drives like a car.
Bit more cash than a tranny but less than VW.
Lower roof height.

It's the Merc Vito. It's a shame it's German mass production stuff (I like C63 AMGs and M3s/5s though, just not badged up guff). Going to go and have a proper look at one I think.

Any peeps on here rolling in a three pointed star van?

 

What year?

 

New.

It'd be my work tool as well see hence the need for max flexibility from it.