Can you move a back bench seat to the middle?

[Fordina]

We are looking to buy an 8-passenger Venture; however, we are having a hard time finding one to buy that has relatively low miles and seats 8. But there are many 7 passengers for sale. There is also a 7 passenger at the junk yard with nice bench seats. If we bought a 7 passenger, could we go to the junk yard and pull the back bench seat from the 7-passenger there, then install it in our new-to-us van in the middle -- essentially making our 7-passenger an 8-passenger? Anyone know if this will work?

[dewaynep]

I don't think the back bench will mount to the middle row. However, you can go to a junkyard and purchase a middle row of seats that are 3 individual buckets. That's what I had to do to be able to add that one extra seat so my family would fit in the van. When I bought the van I had 5 kids so we fit just fine, now we have 6 and I didn't want to get rid of the van so I bought the middle row. If I remember it was $150 for all 3 buckets.

[Fordina]

So, are the three middle row bucket seats all attached together? Or why couldn't you just buy one individual bucket to add to the middle row? And is it just standard to have the bolt/hole in the floor on the 7 passengers to be able to connect that 8th seat? I'm glad to hear you've been able to make it happen. This might make shopping for a new van a lot easier if we have the option of buying a 7 passenger and installing that extra seat from the junk yard.

[dewaynep]

The middle row bucket seats are mounted differently than the 2 middle row buckets so you have to get them as a set. Believe me, I would have liked to just add a middle bucket (I have a leather interior and had to get cloth middle buckets) but it won't work. The 3 bucket middle row seats are narrower than the 2 individual buckets and sit slightly closer to the outside of the vehicle so as to maximize seating area. The nice thing is, you could advertise a trade to someone who has the 3 seat middle for your 2 seat middle seats if you had to. Maybe even come out spending nothing?

[lesterl]

I see people from time to time giving them away on CL. P.S. I bought a 97 venture with the 3 middle row seats for $350. Got a little more than that in it now, but they are out there.

[534BC]

I think all the floors are the same and all seats snap in and out. My 8 pass is config like this:

2 part wide bench seat holding 3 people in rear. It takes up the full width of the van and those two parts can only be mounted in the rear.

3 part bench seat in the middle row (like others have mentioned) holding 3 people. It takes up the full width of the van and right seat can be mounted in right rear. (left or center) can be mounted in left rear.

[Fordina]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. This is extremely helpful. I can see what will work and will not work which helps immensely in the buying process. Thanks!