I need to buy & convert a 2003/04 Transit Van to a Minibus

[Someone]

Can i get some advice

i am on a budget so would like to buy a panel van that is made between 2004/2003 and convert it to a minibus so it can legally carry between 7-8 passengers

Can this be done legally ?

has anyone on here done this ?

will i have to change the sliding doors so they have windows

how much should it cost for all the extra seats etc without labour

[BILLY BOY]

welcome

[jolly olly]

hello you can source the parts for this if you look in the for sale section / ebay you will be able to find out all of these prices, i dont think it will be cheap though, as for a decent double seat can cost approx £100 (transitpartsuk on ebay are doing tripples for £175 no price on the postage)you might be lucky to get a full set with belts and bolts, look up Vanner etc on here in parts for sale, and there are some companies that will fit you windows (no idea as prices as i have never looked in to it properly). If you find a suitable van check the floor ot see if there are mounting points for the seats as im not sure if these are in place on the panel van? So depending if you can do this yourself you could be looking at least a grand to do a decent job IE all matching seats floor cover and windows hope thats of some help

[Someone]

Hello

thanks for your input
do you know of anyone on here who has done or had the conversion done

[jolly olly]

I have put extra seats in a van a few years ago, and had to drill extra holes and use some strengthener plates, that's why i said you need to check that there are mounting points already as it would make the job so much easier, and have you considered how you are going to finish the sides and roof IE head lining and the corect side panels / covering thats standard in the mini bus its doable if you have some DIY sckills and the tools to do the job.

[jolly olly]

This add was spoted by another member it could be worth a look, as even if you got a year out of it you would have all you needed to convert another van.

[mr.sparkle]

i have got a lovely set of seats that would do the job cloth seats with built in seat belts ,they bolt straight to the floor just came out of my 94 transit

[winterheating]

i think youd be better off getting a badly front damaged minibus so everything is there, theres probably different looms.
then youll pretty much no how much its going to cost alltogether straight away,cos you wont have to keep buying different parts sepretaly till its done.
also is it a tourneo or minibus you want to do

[markyb01]

Hi,

I have done 2 mate and it isn't hard, as long as you have the know how.

1st van/camper was a '94 stubby high roof, bolted 5 seats in rear and a cantilever bed within the roof space. This gave a double at the bottom and a double at the top. Rear of the stubby (SWB) had cooker etc.

The van I have now LWB 350 I have converted to a crew cab, with the Ford 3 seat config and I have also added fold down supports, so that I can lay a bed, and at 6ft it's more than a bed. The rear section is now tools, but could be a proper camper conversion if you wanted.

Regard to fitting seating to a panel van, check if there are existing mounts (lugs that lead to holes in the floor) which in my experience of my 2 and my brothers 04 Tranny do not exist. So to do the job, firstly get your seating, go for seats with built in inertias, stay away from triples as you haven't got the pre drilled mounting.

Sorry for the waffle but tired, this is what you should do:

1.Buy a mini bus, seems to be what you want?
2. Buy a panel van and do 3.
3. Find seats, check frames to floor, are they adjustable?
4. Got the seats you want, plan attachement.
5. Get van up off floor.
6. Take seat or seats if triple and place in van, starting at the offside, you may notice that you will hit the upper contour of the van floor with the seat bracket.
7. Position seats inside, measure from the offside all of the front holes of the brackets of your seats.
8. Pop underneath and with the measurements plan out if your mounting will hit exhaust, prop (if rwd) rear brake/handbrake cables.
9. Assuming all ok you can mark out and drill your holes through the floor.
10. Not mentioned but ideally you do need some steel plate and at least 2 1/4 inch length by 12mm nylock bolts, plus some 1/2 inch steel plate.
11. Fit the seats through floor into steel plate, steel to be braced/running accross front left to front right etc of each seat/mounting. Ensure you go left right, as this will help prevent seat lift or ejection in an accident.
12. seats in, torqued down to steel plate and the van floor.

Then if you do it right you can take a panel van, convert it to a crew cab, take it to VOSA and get them to certify it as such, get the log book changed to crew cab and then our panel van is worth more!

Oh 13. Again if you want a mini bus, buy one, just sell what you have got (van) as it will be cheaper in the long run to rather thsn buy s load of stuff.

Mark

[markyb01]

Oh sorry,

Yes you want a mini bus from a van.

Yes you need windows to qualify, not just in the sliding door, but the other side, plus you need to get panels in the rear, not the doors, but the rear panel points. Then you need to have seating with inertias, bolted correctly.


Best case scenario, windows bonded will be (cheapest) £65 for the sliding door, same for the opposite, which is supply only. Then you need to get the panels cut and the glass bonded, prob looking at least £250 there (labour intensive), then you need your rears done! Seats, well x3 Fords your looking at £100 ish, singles will be better for you though, so estimate at least £25/30 each. Then you need flooring, it is a minibus now, ply won't do!

I would say that if your doing the job yourself and you shop around you may get it done for about £500. If your paying someone then it is even less feasible. You will need to get down to VOSA as well to have a test.

If you want a minibus just buy one, it will be less hasle and less money.

Mark

And dont hit the fuel tank!

[BigNeil]

and check with the insurance company as I think they will have their own thoughts on such a conversion, would it not be cheaper and quicker to just buy a minibus ?

And what do you need it for is for the family or is it for hire and reward ?