Navigator Seating

[Tikvah]

My wife wants me to find a navigator seat for two.  Someplace I've seen one that swivels. She wants to be able to sit up front with grandkid - dog - etc.

The thought makes sense and we're early enough in the conversion to make it fit.  But I don't know where to find such a thing, I don't even know what to call it.

Any ideas?

Dave

[artvonne]

  Good thread question, I been thinking about that too. Im curious as well, how others feel about a fold down floor panel over the stair well for your feet. Then the Nav seat could slide forward so they can be right up there.

[Tikvah]

My first thought about sliding the seat forward would be visibility of the driver out the right side. 
I'd be interested to know if there would be any significant interference.

My wife says she doesn't want to be that close to that huge windshield... she already feels like she's going to fly though.   

[artvonne]

  My Dad always had the co-pilot seat; my wife was never comfortable up there anyway so his position was always safe. But being legally blind Dad really couldnt offer any Nav help, and if he ever said an intersection was "clear", you damned sure didnt want to go without looking yourself, lol. I told her she earned that seat through attrition and I wasnt riding up there all alone. She rode shotgun up and back when we took Dad "home", and by the time we got back she was used to it and didnt mind it anymore.

  Of course in that Bounder your sitting back 5 feet from the windshield, in the Bus its 3 feet shorter and your right up with your face against the glass.  I dont know how she'll react to being "that" close. Maybe nudge it up lil by lil over time?

  As long as I can see the mirrors and around someones head im pretty comfortable. Its when they have to bob their head back and forth within my line of sight or block the mirror that I get vocal.

 

[bigjohnkub]

On my gmc pd4905 I used a seat out of a cab tractor, others us different types. I just wanted to caution you that a seat belt is required In Texas an probably other states. Most important is that the seat be secured to the frame or structure of the bus. You, and now her are the first one to the wreck. Plan for the worst, and hope it never happens.

[Uglydog56]

My copilot seat is a two-person like your are discussing.  It even reclines and has armrests like a car seat only wider.  I will talk to the PO and see where he got it from.

[lostagain]

When I redid the interior of my Courier 96, I got an original passenger seat for that bus and had it reupholstered. It is quite comfortable. I fitted it with 2 sets of lap belts.

JC

[Busted Knuckle]

A schoolie or transit seat comes to mind to be about the size style your looking for. Just have it recovered to your liking of material, and firmness and you should be all set! (or is that "sit"?+
  BK 

[Scott & Heather]

We put her seat right next to mine with the allison auto shifter between us. Seat swivels completely around and locks in place to face either the windshield or the living area. We cut out the old stainless stairs at the entrance and I built a new wooden spiral stairway into the coach directly to the door side of her seat. Works great, unique layout, and she's right next to me instead of a country mile away She loves it, so do I. At that point, there's no need for a foot rest over the stairs either. Just a thought  

[ktmossman]

Just brainstorming here...  I'm thinking about getting get a pair of coach seats (with the lift-up) armrest in the middle and reconfiguring the base to attach to a swivel?

[Dave5Cs]

Didn't the old GMC 70's area rv's have a double seat on the passengers side that turned around?

DaVE

[gus]

The 4104 had the seat just aft of the front wheel well and my wife liked it.

The 4107 has the seat just forward of the wheel well and she does not like it as much.

Visibility from a bus is never a problem anywhere near the front.

I don't like this seat any nearer the front than necessary. It is less safe and much hotter in hot weather.

Can't think of a single advantage in having it all the way forward.

[jbnewman]

We put her seat right next to mine with the allison auto shifter between us. Seat swivels completely around and locks in place to face either the windshield or the living area. We cut out the old stainless stairs at the entrance and I built a new wooden spiral stairway into the coach directly to the door side of her seat. Works great, unique layout, and she's right next to me instead of a country mile away She loves it, so do I. At that point, there's no need for a foot rest over the stairs either. Just a thought  

Do you have any pictures?

-jbn

[babell2]

Didn't the old GMC 70's area rv's have a double seat on the passengers side that turned around?

DaVE

My Father bought a 73 GMC 260 and it had a swivel drivers seat and a fixed double buddy seat on the right side. Behind it was a dinette that was a good 2.5 feet lower so there was nothing to swivel to.

Brice

[Oonrahnjay]

On my gmc pd4905 I used a seat out of a cab tractor, (snip)

     Yeah, that's what I have planning (two of them).  My bus had a passenger entry "ramp" coming up from the left side (the driver sits on the right) so I had to build a false floor on the passenger side.  I already have a "spider" of 2x1 steel tubing to support the base for that seat (the driver's base will sit on the stock driver's base).  The navigator's seat is just a little back from the driver's; there's a very large window next to it.

     But I've noticed that about '08 Buicks (and maybe other GM cars) have a split 1/3 and 2/3 seat.  If I were to use those with a suitable base, they could swivel and use the stock electric tilt and recline controls.  They also have the seat belts built into the frame of the seat; that's good and really comfortable but of course the base will have to be sturdy enough to be "crashworthy" for the seat, occupant, and belt loads.

     Dunno what I'm going to do.  I should make up my mind cause I'm about there. 

BH NC USA