So, 7 seat conversion into BX estate. Anyone done one?

[cavmad]

Have seen a 7 seat BX estate for sale a long while back, obviously a conversion, and I recall someone from here posting a link to the company that supplied them.
Anyone here ever converted one themselves or knows someone who has? Curious to know how easy or difficult this may be as I`m considering finding a set of rear facing fold down type seats to retro fit into the estate.
Safety, as I`m sure you`ll imagine, is paramount so any explanation on the intracacies(sp?) of fitting a conversion would be most welcomed.

[tim leech]

Only possible hick up is that in some 7 seater conversions the spare wheel well is used for somewhere to put your feet, on the bx with there not being one it may pose a problem. Having never owned a estate car I take it that the spare wheel is mounted in the same way. Theres lenty of room for a orw of seats but it would make the seating position a bit odd?

[Stewart (oily!)]

I saw some seats on the bay last year, they looked small and rear facing, they went for almost a couple of hundered notes so someone must have wanted them, probably Marty
Stewart

[artic-steel]

Slightly off topic sorry, but i know were there is an ultra rare Espace Quadra for sale, i'm almost trying to justify the need for 7 seats myself.

On topic, never seen it done but them big old pug estates (504 i think) i seem to remember had 7 seats so maybe they'd throw up some ideas or parts

[jeremy]

I think some of the contemporary Renault 21 Savanna Estates were 7 seaters. They are actually smaller inside than a BX despite having a stretched wheelbase (and longer back doors.) What is also strange is that I would have said that the saloon (Short wheel base) was considerably less crampt than a BX in the back.

I think the Renault seats folded into the floor which is obviously impossible with a BX. However I suppose a seat could be simply fixed to the floor. The Renault had more vertical (and steel) tailgate which is likely to have given more room in the back.

Of course just because you can do something doesn't mean its a good idea or safe. What was considered safe in 1990 is probably not considered safe now, and providing proper restraint systems etc would not be easy.

[cavmad]

I think some of the contemporary Renault 21 Savanna Estates were 7 seaters. They are actually smaller inside than a BX despite having a stretched wheelbase (and longer back doors.) What is also strange is that I would have said that the saloon (Short wheel base) was considerably less crampt than a BX in the back.

I think the Renault seats folded into the floor which is obviously impossible with a BX. However I suppose a seat could be simply fixed to the floor. The Renault had more vertical (and steel) tailgate which is likely to have given more room in the back.

Of course just because you can do something doesn't mean its a good idea or safe. What was considered safe in 1990 is probably not considered safe now, and providing proper restraint systems etc would not be easy.

Oddly enough...the car I`m thinking of taking the seats from is a Renault 21 Savannah! The car is mine anyway, least it will be when I walk the 100 yards to collect it sometime this week, and as it`s almost certainly heading for the crusher I figured I get the seats out and at least offer them up to the BX to see what it would look like from a fitment point of view. I noticed there are proper seat belts in the Renault, think they`re mounted to the pillars behind the rear seats, the rest I`ve not really looked at.
If, and it still remains a big `if`, I do get them fitted I`m planning on taking the car to an MOT test station for them to inspect them for safety/compliance with any laws etc.
Good point about the wheel well Tim, though I have definately seen a company that converted them a while back so would imagine that there must be a way somehow.

[Ian_Fearn]

Many Montego estates had 7 seats.

[cavmad]

Now you`re cooking Ian. One of those with a Perkins TD lump would be ace!
However my current TZD estate is gradually starting to take on a new lease of life and hopefully will be mobile again soon, albeit in a non-original but much faster engine style!

[BCXM]

Those last of the line montego's estates had self levelling rear suspension if I remember correctly..7 seats and self levveling suspension plus TD thats not a bad spec if they haven't all rotted away. My first fetish was for old BL/rover stuff and the Maestro and Montego wern't that bad for space and utility. When I was at University in Wales I remember the Cardiff taxis being Montego's on P plates must have been the very last..

on topic: The problem with the 7 seat thing in a BX (I wanted the same thing too last summer) is that unlike the Savannah and CX estates (I've had 4 of them) there isn't the raised boot floor and footwell so only the smallest children could fit comfortably in those rear facing jobbies..

You can buy the kit for the XM estate too but it won't be as good as the proper CX PUG 505 21 type

[Philip Chidlow]

Check this out

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1990-PEUGEOT-505- ... dZViewItem

[cavmad]

That`s ace Philip, really ace!

[M]

Spied a Fiat Doblo 7 seater, so Im going to off down the rust shop to have a butchers at one to see how they did it with a view to adding a 6th seat to the Bling.

[sleepy0905]

Thats excellent phil love it.

[tom]

I forsee crucifiction at the nails of your insurance company.

[cavmad]

I don`t Tom, though I will, of course, be telling them.