Rear seating?

[Flymanj3]

Finally decited rear seats are going in in such a way the bed will still be an option (switchable - swap out in about 30 minuts at most). Now trying to decide what setup to do (single bench, limo j-seat, double bench,???). Anyone have some interior rear seating pics for some ideas?

[BIGEVIL]

Finally decited rear seats are going in in such a way the bed will still be an option

Bed???
How about some pics of what you have now, so we might suggest what you could do next.

[kshearsedriver]

The biggest question is what year/make/coachbuilder is your hearse? I've put seats in the rear of 2 of my coaches. I'll get some pics up for you soon. The easiest and cleanest (as far as removing goes) is what I did in the '68 Pontiac combo. I put the removable third seat from an '89 'burban in it. Just pull the release and remove it from the rear of the coach. I installed the chrome surrounds from the 'burb so it's still nice and clean even when the seat is out. In the '78 Cad I made a bracket that bolted to the deck and 2 mid 80's GM buckets are mounted directly to it, without the factory seat tracks. Four bolts and it comes right out leaving four holes that are easy to put some chrome caps in. I have seatbelts installed on both sets as well so that I can use the coaches as "family" cars. I would have put another 'burb seat in the '78 but the coach isn't wide enough in the casket area. I plan on making a new rear seat from scratch for the '78 because I don't like how high the GM seats sit on the M&M deck. I even removed the headrests.

[Flymanj3]

So far, I took the bed (loading bed, roller bed, casket area, what ever you want to call it) and cut it in half so it is 2 pieces, front & back. the coach is an 86 Eureka caddy. the bottom rear seat hooks were still in the floor under the bed, so it was simple to put the seat in from my parts car. I'm thinking to go with a single bench seat. this should be easy - the seat is already in, all I need to do is makeup a back brace which will let the back slip into place. In front of the rear seat (behind the glass divider) is a ton of room - thinking of a small "bar" area (w/ cup holders, ice box, sterio, etc.) can also be made to slip/drop into place behind the divider.
Again, this would be the simplest way to convert - I could remove the seat back and bar, then drop the front portion of the bed back in. The only thing you'd see is a crack across the bed from side to side.

Pics can be seen on my web site - http://rip86.org

Still wanted to see some of you guys & girls interior setup - I'm right at the start of this project and wanted some more ideas before I pass the point of 'no return'

Thanks

[BIGEVIL]

Still wanted to see some of you guys & girls interior setup - I'm right at the start of this project and wanted some more ideas before I pass the point of 'no return'

I remember when I approached the "point of no return", I mashed down on the accelerator pedal and never looked back!

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/BIGEVIL_Hearse/

[Flymanj3]

Thanks Big Evil, nice pics.
. Plans for the very back of mine is ½ casket (behind the seat) with flowers all around – will look like full casket when viewed from back door (seat hidden by flowers).
Your Engine has made me jealous – would really like something like that , maybe later.
The outside is so damn nice, exterior plans are ‘leave it alone’. I do, however, want to bump it up a notch by adding a nice set of wheels and a 3” cowl on the hood (got an extra hood, why not play). Though fun now, too many people aren’t sure what it is (e.g. in service or not). But that’s it – the rest bone stock
Oh, the cowl will have “HCHO Injected” written across the side - LMAO

[HearseHaunter]

From the back door, Seat is as far back as I could put it and I still have about 4ft of deck left. I'm gonna try to find a fold down seat so I can put my matress or casket back in there.

[HearseHaunter]

WAIT!!!!!!!!!! YOu can't do that..... it will ruin the hearse, remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbMyIjw-knU

[msc0nduct]

[kshearsedriver]

little late but here ya go, and both sets are easily removable with very minor traces of them being there after they are out.

[Guest]

hmm that's interesting no foot well, they just keep their legs straight out over the table?

[Flymanj3]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I'm headed in the direction of HearseHaunter - Using a 2 piece bench seat (removable back). I can then swap fairly quickly to go from "Family car" to Hearse. Guess if I ever did need more room, I can always lay a pad and put more people where the box goes. (hell, most of the people I know will want to ride back there anyway)

[HearseHaunter]

I'm pulling that seat out, it was the front seat from an '84 Superior Hearse I have for parts. And I just found the back seat from a '87 Caprice Station Wagon. And it's the same color as my front seat and almost as wide. So the new seat will fold down flush with the section of deck I left. Then I'm gonna try to put the rollers into the back of the seat. Only problem is there will be no foot well. So you have to sit with your feet stretched out. But I'll be able to put my casket or matress in the back again. I should have it done in the next couple of days, depending on rain. I'll post pics as soon as I can.

[spastic_chicken]

There was a guy at one of the chariots of the dead meets that had a very cool setup. He had a diamond plate platform made the size of the casket table so that it fit snug in the coach. Bolted to the diamond plate table was a minivan bench seat made of leather, with seatbelts. What held the whole platform in the car from moving around??? Bier pins.

It was a genius setup. Maybe Bill has some pictures of it.

[spastic_chicken]

http://nationalhearse.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2000&highlight=rear+seat&page=2