Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

Turbo50 · 2017-06-28 19:48:40

Hi! I'm new here since I havent even driven one yet! Dam French vans! You suck when it comes to space for tall and fat ones like me mad

My local car scrap got 2 of this vans pre 2004 facelift and since i got interested in buying one possibly I tested how I fit in it. Sadly this is the major flaw with the van right now for me. (Berlingo vans are also to small)

Not only do I like to strech my legs further before hitting the controls to peddle effortlessly and safer, but my big problem is that my belly is almost resting on the steering wheel in this van!!!! ops

I'm really fat yes... And trust me, you get quite good at the adjustments on the seats when your as fat as I'm. Still I can't make it work and I'm to close to the wheel and my leg is telling me the same thing.

Peugeot 806, 807 Citroën Evasion (Synergie) or Fiat Ulysse is impossible to find where I live and I have been on the look out for a few months to test the van without the wall blocking the driver seat. I really need quite a lot of rail length extra to really love the driver position. How mutch can I expect to get if the seat can go all the way back on it's rails? And is it even going to go futher back then with the wall? Some on here have posted about removing the wall and getting more leg room. I expect someone can give me a ide how mutch I can expect? I mean right now 2cm is the diffrence for me being able to drive it.

Can't start removing the wall from the scrapt vans without having the owner telling me off. Can't find a van without wall. Love to get one for a camper conversion cool but starting to lose all hope on it :c

Has sooo mutch going for it. But I hate the ide to buy a vehicle I don't even fit in. Really don't have many options left but drive 210km or ask a stranger to test sit there family car. I belive you lads are more
understandable and helpful smile

BTW: Sorry for spelling errors.

Casper · 2017-06-28 19:56:29

I am 6'2" and all legs. Hated the driving position. Could not get home to East Lothian from Layland when i bought it. Tanking the bulkhead out made a huge difference. You may have noticed once out you are left with a small 6-8" bulkhead. This comes out with a bolt at each side and a big feck off hammer.

See 2nd and 3rd last picture on this page

http://mytintent.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_18.html

Turbo50 · 2017-06-28 20:10:34

Casper wrote:

You may have noticed once out you are left with a small 6-8" bulkhead. This comes out with a bolt at each side and a big feck off hammer. See 2nd and 3rd last picture on this page

Yes I have seen your build Casper before when I was trying to figure things out on my own. You did not help me sorry! The images looks like the seat is in line with the bench. At the scrap yard I had the seat going behinde the bench quite a bit. All the images you have on the seat is in line with the bench or pusht forward for more space in the camper. I really like to hammer a van and find out myself at this point hmm

Last edited by Turbo50 (2017-06-28 20:16:17)

Casper · 2017-06-28 20:18:55

Not got a clue what you are one about. lol I mentioned the pictures to show you the small lower bulkhead. Your seat now had more room to go back and lower the back rest. Trust me, it helps. Another option is undo the mount bolts and move the seat back drilling new holes. You will need these on the underside though or it may fail an MOT. You may also need to cut away the plastic round the handbrake as it looks all moulded together.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Harness … 3641.l6368

Turbo50 · 2017-06-28 21:16:04

Words, always confusing. I am closer to 6'1" and had to have the seat rest quite vertically to get the seat far back enuf. Dose the small bulkhead hinder the seat in any way? Or is it the main one that's in the way? Can have a huge difference for me if it dose.

Casper http://mytintent.blogspot.se/p/page-six.html , image 4 5 and 6 from the top. The passenger seat is as far back as it goes? Does the driver seat go that far too or further? Where the passanger seat is on image 6 looks to maby be what I need. If only the stupid wheel and steering column was this big! VW Transporters have tiny wheels in comparison!

Btw what tools do one need to take the main big bulkhead out of the van? I mean it's not possible to scew it out and back in without "damaging" it? Read about having to drill it lose and drill new scews to get it back on agen. Dam van.

Casper · 2017-06-28 21:32:40

The seats will have been far forwards in those pictures as i was installing the swivel plates and you need them forward and back rest upright to clear the door pockets but the main bulkhead helps no end. No small bulkead is not in the way, i only mention this as you could re position the seat further back. The main bulkhead is just screw bolts what go onto nylon blocks. Easily taken out, 10mm socket from what i remember. I dont own the van now mate but of you are thinking of undoing one at the scrap yard to try the seat then go for it but you have around 20 of the buggers to take out big_smile

Ricko · 2017-06-28 22:00:54

I'm 6'2" and 17st, I'm not fat just...we'll sort of large ish..

Mine had a mesh bulkhead in which I removed and got the seat back further to make it more comfortable.

And I got a tenner for the mesh bulkhead!

OAT · 2017-06-29 15:16:56

I'm a shortarse (5' 6" ish) and find that unless my belly is brushing the wheel, I can't depress the clutch the last cm or so. I then have to move the seat forward or back just to get in or out.

Makes you wonder who they designed the seating position around. Admittedly the swivels on mine do add an inch or two to the height.

Apart from the nuisance of having to keep moving the seat, it isn't a bad position for the sort of driving I do. Almost a straight push down on the pedals and no reaching for the wheel. A bit like a 60's Commer.

Casper · 2017-06-29 18:32:20

OAT wrote:

A bit like a 60's Commer.

Err some of us are still young big_smile Remember them when Busby was splattered over the sides. I seen an empty one do an emergency stop and the back end lifted a good 5' into the air.

But i was still in a pram them big_smile

Turbo50 · 2017-06-29 20:42:05

Thanks Ricko, Casper, OAT !

It's nice to know that I'm not alone with having a problem sitting down behinde the steering wheel in this vans. The ansers I got from you Casper (on stupid and odd questions) I especially appreciate!

I was today at the scrap yard with some wrenches (all I needed was a size 10 like you said Casper) and was at it for almost 1.3h! Had to put it back in enuf for it to stay still, but dam! Never doing this agen without using a power drill with a 10bult socket on it. Atleast you need something to sit on for the ones you can't reach from the door!

The 18 bults was super persistent to stay and hard to do with a wrench as the bulkhead is in the way. When I had it out I got in and yes it did quite allot removing it!

I'm quite pleased actually but sadly I have to extend the seat rails back atleast 2cm or more. I was acually hitting the end of the rails with the bulk head on mad It was a white bulkhead with a small window behinde the driver seat I took out. When I got to the seat after removing it I was not able to move it futher back. It was allready as far back as it goes. (it was a Dispatch/Jumpy 2003)

It was waaaay better without the bulkhead on, and I really do think it's a perfect fit for me. Seat belt is no problem and all I need to do is figure out a way to move the seat back enuf to get the backrest straitend up. I had to put it into sutch a steep angle to get enuf room to feel like I was properly in control of everything. (due to how fat I'm moving the seat back 2-3cm are not going to impact the safety aspects if properly done. But going further (or a non fat drives uses the extra room) can really mess up stuff like airbags and seat belts. Going over 5cm extention really starts removing all the safety equipments in a accident. And I was unsure if 6cm was going to be enuf. hmm

If I buy one I can drive it home and be in control of the van! That if I remove the 18 bults and get the seat modified at a later date to make it safe for me! Sweeet!

Ow and btw, I'm actually more like 5'9'' derp... Thanks allot for giving me the motivation to burn inside of a super durty panel van for 1.3h Urrgg!

Hope someone find use of this thread in the future.

Last edited by Turbo50 (2017-06-29 21:04:00)

Casper · 2017-06-29 21:04:35

You might end up buying one without the bulkhead as many people take them out for the same reason. Moving seat back is easy. Six bolts. A couple of them will be dirty as they collect the road dirt under the van so its a good overnight spray with releasing oil and a wire brush to get them out. Perfectly legal to move your seat as as i linked use load bearing plates for under the van. You can make your own if you have some steel kicking around.
If you dont have them get a torx screwdriver seat and the odd larger ones in various sizes as typical French and Italian motors they dont use normal screws big_smile

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#1 2017-06-28 19:48:40

Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#2 2017-06-28 19:56:29

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#3 2017-06-28 20:10:34

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#4 2017-06-28 20:18:55

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#5 2017-06-28 21:16:04

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#6 2017-06-28 21:32:40

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#7 2017-06-28 22:00:54

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#8 2017-06-29 15:16:56

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#9 2017-06-29 18:32:20

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#10 2017-06-29 20:42:05

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

#11 2017-06-29 21:04:35

Re: Driver position is putting me off from buying! Bulkhead?

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