fold down rear seat

[fe van]

G'day All,
I'm after a fold down rear seat for my panel van, any condition or just the side mechanisms will be fine also after the gutter moulds for a fe wagon also front guards and doors any leads would be great thanks Darren.

[Billy Blackarrow]

Hi Darren
   I have the mechanisms for a FB / EK wagon rear seat don't know if they are the same but I would think they would be.  Where are you i am in Newcastle

[fe van]

Hi Billy,
 thanks for the reply I'm after the mechanisms for the panel van rear seat conversion they did back then that folds under the rear floor like the pic uploaded. thanks Darren.

[hsv-001]

Darren ,I can help with this . I have an original one in my FC van so I can give you measurements and pictures . I also have an old fold down seat that was given to me by an old collector ,it looks much the same but he told me it was from a horse drawn vehicle [sulky ] It has similar hinges and folds the same but it has armrests . The mechanisms for the FC are very simple so would be easy to make . PM me . Cheers Haydn.

[fe van]

Thanks for the reply Haydn, if you could give me some measurements that would be great, I can make the seat I just need sizes and good pics of the mechanism to do so and measurements of the location in the rear floor, I was told it had an old plywood type seat in the back but all the ones I've seen have the front floor brace removed and my van still has it in place?(see pic) not sure of its history I have a pair of canopy industries side windows which fit the hole, and it looks like it had hand straps on the pillars and with the special badge on the rear quarter I can only assume that it was a vanette? or what ever they called them thanks Darren.

[hsv-001]

Do your side windows look like this ? They were usually modified by the dealerships so depending on the place of sale and the availability of windows at the local panel shop they could vary quite a lot . I'll get back to you with photos and measurements asap. The hardware looks very common and would be readily available at your local hardware store and the original upholstery can leave you looking for a phone book to sit on . Cheers Haydn 

[fe van]

Haydn here's a pic of the window, your FC looks good I like your colours, thanks for your help Darren.

[fe van]

Sorry Haydn your FE  fingers are faster than brain sometimes!

[hsv-001]

Darren ,Its actually a FC but back in the 80's when I built it I had a FE sedan and a spare so I mixed it up . Sorry I haven't got back sooner but the car has been well covered in my shed [as you can see from the lack of quality in the photos] to protect it from over spray . The support directly[about 150mm] in front of the rear axle hump has been removed ,so the floor board and slats are cut so the board sits half on the next support . The piece of board that becomes your seat base hinges at the back and folds back over the axle hump . The back rest then unclips[the straps with the press studs] and hinges upward and is stopped in place by the folding side braces. I can send you any measurements you need . I think the important thing to know is that the floorboard is cut so its hinges screw to the support that is over the hump and is the full width and comes forward to the second front support [first one removed]. The back rest board is small enough to just fit[width] inside the floor opening and folds flush with the front of the base . The back rest hinges are attached allowing enough gap so as it will fold flat [this may vary depending on how much padding is in the seat as I said ,originally like sitting on a phone book].Anyway I hope these photos will get you started working out what measurements you need .Cheers Haydn

[fe van]

G'day Haydn,
thank you so much for your help I can work with what you have given me, quick question does the hinge lock in place? and I notice where the strap is screwed it has two screws is it just block under that area to support the higher screw or does a piece of timber make the frame the full width? and the same for the hinges as I wouldn't think they would have used such a thick timber base to screw into? its pretty much what I thought it would be as things were done quite simply back then but without having the original pieces and limited info it can be very hard to make correct as I said earlier not sure of my vans history, was it just a van with windows and someone had a fixed seat in the back? simple times people did what they had to do to get by I guess we'll never know unless there was another conversion where they left that brace in but I doubt it so I'll make my own piece of history thanks again Darren.

[fe van]

I meant say the side hinges lock I not sure how to edit once the post is done 

[hsv-001]

Think I got it . The cushions measure 820mmx365mm ,the side hinging steel  straps don't lock in position but have a stop so as not to fold the wrong way. The vinyl straps with the press stud have two screws on each strap and the cushion boards seem to have a internal border frame all the way around that is within 10mm of the top of the cushion except at the back hinges where the block steps up to the full width .Hope that helps . Your van may not have had a fold down seat in the back ,just going by the side windows . You may have noticed with my van the rear glass is that of the station wagon . Cheers Haydn 

[fe van]

thanks Haydn, I just wanted to confirm my suspicions on what I could see once again thanks for your help.