Advice Please on Troopy

First read this about side facing seats .
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What i would do is put some aftermarket buckets in the front . Put a 3 person folding bench seat in the back and then another 2 person bench seat behind that . Use a trailer and a roof rack for your gear . I have a 3 bench behind the buckets with lap sash retractable belts and child seat anchor points . It cost around $1500 fitted . The two seater would be around the same . The 2 after market front bench seats from wreckers should cost around $750 . The kids enter the 3 bench from the front door and climb thru the middle of the front buckets(plenty of room) . The back 2 bench would be reached from the back doors . This is the only way to do it .

Nat,
one of the problems you will find, is a frame will have to be manufactured for any of the aftermarket seating, to keep it legal the seating will have to be certified by an engineer (I use that term loosely).

Entering and exiting the seating will be difficult, as you will have to get in the back and tie the kids in.

Maybe a better option is a 7 seater wagon, I think there was a patrol with this configuration. Price will probably be around the same as a Troopy.

Have a good think about it before you commit to a Troopy.

Have a good one

Nat, Have you ever (recently) sat on the sideways facing bench seat for a long period of time? It is not comfortable. Don't do that to the kids!

I would be looking for a factory troopy RV with 6 seats. Normal drivers seat, 1 and 3/4 passenger seat (that gives you 3 facing forwards in the front) normally only use the 2 but give you an extra if needed. 3 seat factory bench seat directly behind. That gives you 6 forwards facing seats. You would be able to fit anchor points for baby seat to sit in that row of seats. Then all you need to do is purchase 2 bucket seats or another bench seat 2 seater or 3 seater for the rear. 2 buckets or a 2 seat bench mounted on the drivers side of the vehicle will allow exit and/or entry via the small barn door at the back.

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Buying a factory RV troopie will give you a few advantages over a standard one. It comes with the middle bench seat and all seat belts etc. It comes with a front passenger seat that moves forward and the twists slightly to allow easier access getting to the middle bench seat. The front passenger seat has a lever that will activate the seat to move forwards and twist accessible from the middle bench seat area. I think that is required by law, so the people in the middle bench seat are able to get them selves out. The front passenger door has two handles to activate opening, so the people in the middle bench seat area can open the door to get out. Not sure but I think this is convenience more than law because of the position of the normal door opener.

Doing it that way will only require you to search for some seats for the very back and get them fitted, along with the baby seat anchor points.

They are around, more scarce than a normal 11 seater but the factory inclusions may bring you a lower outlay of extra stuff you need to buy.

I have an RV troopie. Not set up this way, I have cargo area where I suggested you put the 2 seat bench. Member message me if you would like some photos etc or you want to ask more questions.

Scott

Nat

The current edition (May 2010) of 4X4 Australia has a feature on a family using a 2002 RV Troopie for long distance touring and camping. You may be able to get some ideas from it.

We have 4 kids under 10 and recently had our 2 adult children here also. We knew we wanted a Troopie and we knew we didn't want side facing seats. We searched on line for weeks until we found a Troopy 100 series which has been refitted with a passenger side extra door, 2 front facing seats right behind driver, and 3 seats in the back. It has worked really well so far. When all of us were in it, we had a 9yr old kid in the middle up front, 2 kids in car seats in the middle and 1 kid in booster seat plus 2 adults in the back. With our oldest 2 gone home, we don't have to have a kid up front now. We have not yet got a roof rack but it is on our list. We pull a trailer that holds all our camping gear.

Hi Nat

I'd seriously look for another way , those cars are the tallest narrowest and probably the easiest of all wagons to roll and have a poor static stabilty factor.

Adults can make there own choices but for the 5 kids it just isn't worth the risk.