TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:39 pm

Hi.
I have searched the forums and cannot find an answer....
Can I put a rear facing, Weekender seat into a Eurovan Camper? I need a vehicle to seat 5 and currently own a '83.5 Westy (without headrests and shoulder belts). I am trying puzzle out how to stay "Westy-ish" but transport my family of 5 safely. I know there is an option for the 2nd row bench, but this seems like such a big thing in the middle of the camper.

Thanks!

Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:49 pm

Soo yo have a 83.5 westy and you want to buy a eurovan camper to install a rear facing seat into?

your 83.5 can seat 5 safely (if that's your schtik) you can install headrests into the rear bench, with some modificaitons to the rear seatback.
you can also install a rear facing seat into the 83.5 behind the passanger seat.
you can also install a middle seingle/double slide in middle seat if you have the middle tracks, and can install the tracks if you don't.

guess I'm asking is what do you have, and where do you want to be?
it can all be done in an 83.5, but it'll take some work on your part to modify/install the upgrades.

rear bench headrest install
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=303299

adding 5th seat
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=268498

rickbeec wrote: Hi.
I have searched the forums and cannot find an answer....
Can I put a rear facing, Weekender seat into a Eurovan Camper? I need a vehicle to seat 5 and currently own a '83.5 Westy (without headrests and shoulder belts). I am trying puzzle out how to stay "Westy-ish" but transport my family of 5 safely. I know there is an option for the 2nd row bench, but this seems like such a big thing in the middle of the camper.

Thanks!

Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:00 pm

Thanks Dan.

My 83.5 has 400K, still the original bottom end, front end needs rebuilt, dash needs removed to repair heater fan, seam rust, clutch shudder......I've had it for 20 years, but I think it's time :sad: I might say, that over the 250K that I've driven it over every road in BC (paved and unpaved) and never been towed, or had a flat \:D/ Looking to move to Eurovan for smoother, long highway type adventures. (read Baja in winter).

Do you know, what will fit into the stock keys in the floor of a EV. Is it the same for all EV years?

Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:18 pm

Eurovan Camper's came with an option for a single jump seat in place of the middle bench seat. Unfortunately, very few of them have that option, but finding one might be a good option. While you could find a way to add the westy rear facing seat, it would be mighty difficult, in my opinion to do so safely.

Have you looked at the Weekender? Seems like a good compromise for you.

Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:32 pm

Hmm

that's some impressive mileage.. but you won't see that kind of reliability in an EV (MHO) and it's much more expensive and difficult to repair.. again inmy humble opinion..

but not to dissuade you from your choice for a newer VW camper option (note the EV is essentially smaller inside than a vanagon camper) for a family of 5, the poptop is smaller upstairs also.. (except the 95 winnibago model is stretched 18".

you "can" mount a EV rear facign jumpseat to the passanger front seat by the sliding door. but you will have to make the clips for the floor legs. the latch & seatbelts just bolt onto the EV pass seat base.

the EV camper did offer a oem middle 2 seat bench but it's quite rare and $$ you should check in over at Ev_update on Yahoo groups.

now my opinion is to upgrade the engine in the vanagon and refresh the driveline & suspension at the same time.

Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:02 pm

rickbeec wrote: Hi.
I have searched the forums and cannot find an answer....
Can I put a rear facing, Weekender seat into a Eurovan Camper? I need a vehicle to seat 5 and currently own a '83.5 Westy (without headrests and shoulder belts). I am trying puzzle out how to stay "Westy-ish" but transport my family of 5 safely. I know there is an option for the 2nd row bench, but this seems like such a big thing in the middle of the camper.

Thanks!

What year of EV are considering?

Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:01 pm

Was looking at ~96. Does it make a difference for the keys on the floor?

Wed Nov 28, 2012 6:58 pm

Here's a single middle seat in theSamba classifieds to fit a Winnebago EV:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1381266

This allows you to belt the 5th person and still have access to the fridge and cabinets. It is kind of pricey and you would have to add the floor mounts possibly.

You will find the EV to be a faster, quieter, more stable road warrior than your Vanagon.

If you go 95, get a stick to avoid the auto tranny issue.

Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:54 pm

just to point out how small a EV westfalia is on the inside.
here's a pic showing the rear bed extended out and the rear facing jumpseats in proximity.

the EV Winnibago (1995) are 18" longer in the middle but still crowded.
this is because inthe EV the front seats are behind the front wheels not over top of them like a vanagon.

Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm

danfromsyr wrote: just to point out how small a EV westfalia is on the inside.
here's a pic showing the rear bed extended out and the rear facing jumpseats in proximity.

the EV Winnibago (1995) are 18" longer in the middle but still crowded.
this is because inthe EV the front seats are behind the front wheels not over top of them like a vanagon.

Not to nit pick but they're actually 16" longer. That picture is a good depiction of space.

Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:13 pm

Here's a nice dual purpose solution!!

Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:50 am

For those who may be interested I snapped a pic of the mounting bracket for the EV jump seats during my visit to the dealer last week. This van is the body shop's courtesy coach. Some folks have expressed an interest in fitting EV jump seats to a Vanagon, or vice versa, so this should help the interested figure out if such a thing is doable. I do not have a pic of Vanagon jump seats for comparison, but this looks very different from what I recall of the Vanagon design. Good luck.

Incidentally, this EV was a '98 or later van, as it also has the front seat rails that are different from the early EV rails that can be easily trimmed to fit Vanagon tracks. Other year EV jump seats may be different.

Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:52 am

Fwiw, I have a set of 1993 Eurovan Weekender jump seats in Denver that I'm not going to use on my project.

Probably too expensive to ship.

Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:57 am

danfromsyr wrote: just to point out how small a EV westfalia is on the inside.
here's a pic showing the rear bed extended out and the rear facing jumpseats in proximity.

the EV Winnibago (1995) are 18" longer in the middle but still crowded.
this is because inthe EV the front seats are behind the front wheels not over top of them like a vanagon.

To be fair this isn't a great comparison.

First off the jump seats come out.

Secondly you have a ton of storage under the back seat/bed area that you don't in a Vanagon. For example you can put two motorcycles inside a Eurovan with the back seat removed and still sleep two in the pop top and a child in a front seat hammock :shock:

Third, the front captains chairs swivel in the Winnabego camper and can be retrofit easily in the regulator Eurovans to gain space instead of using the jump seats (which is why I won't be needing my jump seats.

Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:12 am

for hauling 2 motorcycles inside then yes the flat floor of the EV is great.
it's like a cargo van with a roof tent..
I wouldn't say the back bed/bench has a tone more space, it's shorter and the seat mechanism takes up the portion under the seat.. you do get the flat space under the rear cushion, but have to go to the back to access it..

having owned both EVs and vanagons (still have a EVC winnie in the driveway) unless I was hauling 2 motorcycles w/o a trailer I wouldn't consider an EV over a vanagon.. as for power and reliability to me the EV still falls short overall. but that's my opinion and I'm nearly the only guy who put a EV 2.5 into a vanagon.
I haul my Scoot on the back bumper and drag the jetski so that's enough toys for one trip.
but I say go with what suits you, it's nice that VW offered such variety as theres a pair of pants for every ass. my ass fits a vanagon better.

Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:12 am

I wasn't arguing one over the other. Just pointing out that simply saying "not much room in a Eurovan" is not really an Apples to Apples comparison.

It all depends on how you intend to use the room. Motorcycles is a very easy example to show where a Eurovan has more usable room than a Vanagon

Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:34 am

danfromsyr wrote: it's nice that VW offered such variety as theres a pair of pants for every ass. my ass fits a vanagon better.

:lol: Well put.