110 hardtop seats?

i have a defender 110 hardtop. i want add inward facing seats in the back.
does anyone know about the laws regarding this, fixings, seatbelts, etc.
thanks

There's no legal problems AFAIK, unless, ironically, you fit seatbelts to them - if you do it's a MOT failure

I might know someone with a couple of side facing bench seats for sale if you're interested?

Cheers,

AFIAK? so i put seats in, no seatbelts, and i can legally carry people in the back, but if i fit seat belts its a fail? crazy ****, looking for a single seat or just a 2man bench. off to le man in the summer and dont fancy reaching towards my mates croch to change gear through france
thanks

it wont matter after yu share a tent for 5 days!

i'm sleeping in the beast, they are sharing the tent.

AFAIK = As Far As I Know

Not sure on the legal situation re side facing seats in France... there's a couple of ppl on the board in France, they might be able to help there.

Other than that - yeah, fit and forget. Reasoning for seatbelts is they cause more injuries in side facing seats than not having them. Not sure I'd put anyone I cared about in them for use on road meself.

ok, thanks very much for the help. but in theory wud it be legal to have someone traveling on a side facing seat with no seatbelt?

Not just in theory, in practice too. But I'm only sure about that for the UK.

Lap belts for single side seats. Failure reason probably not attached from floor to chassis properly. Just make sure you have passenger insurance for the no carried. After a certain date seatbelts are needed. Give Mot centre a bell.

another good idea from boneyfaggot!! ask yer mot man about french laws, i'm sure he knows.. leave it wiff me a couple of days and i'll find out fer you.

bonnybaggot said:

Lap belts for single side seats. Failure reason probably not attached from floor to chassis properly.

Click to expand...

My '93 90 passed it's MOT today with 4 single seats in the back and no seat belts on any of 'em...

thanks guys for ur advice and such, much appreciated,
had to get new master lights switch today, 18quid, man o man,
what we do for our landys

Well Adz My wife drives a 95 90 county estate, and it came new with rear lap belts fitted by L.R. and these are Mot tested every year. And its been in France more than once. without problems

say blob the slob . while you are checking everything out why not make a list of things needed for French Driving Would be a great help for anyone on your weekend trip. Heres one to start you off . Carry Spare bulbs. You need to be able to change a blown one. if stopped. It avoids an on the spot fine.

its ok, did a 4000mile trip round europe last year with a mate so know the score there, couple of pic on land rovers reunited. reg. k255now
cheers

Well Bonny... have a check of this site and try searching for 'side facing'

UKMOT.com MOT Manual 5.1 Seat Belts

It says:

"Rear facing or side facing seats are not required to be fitted with seat belts."

Couple that with:

"Seat belts fitted to the rear of the driver's compartment in a goods vehicle do not require to be fitted with seat belts (unless the seat is the specified passenger seat"

...and bear in mind that he's asking about a 110 HARDTOP, which is technically a goods vehicle, and it's plain to see that in the UK h doesn't need seat belts for a side facing bench seat in the back of his 110.

Now then - your car - I seriously doubt Land Rover would have fitted lap belts in the back if it was going to make the vehicle unMOTable or unroadworthy under UK law. Since it's obvious that fitting seatbelts, or having had them fitted from new, won't make the vehicle undriveable, nor will it stop a ferry company or the tunnel operator from selling you a ticket, it's therefore quite feasible to take it to France with belts fitted. What I would like to know is, were you ever pulled over in France by the police and, if so, did they inspect the seat belts fitted to the vehicle?

So - back to the original question - does he (please read the next word very carefully) need seatbelts in the back in the UK?

Also, can you categorically state whether either having them or not having them fitted renders the vehicle unroadworthy under French law?

adz, ur beautiful research is very much appreciated. i had a read throught that website and yes i believe that, a) i can fit side facing seating, b) i am not required by uk law to fit seatbelts, c) who cares about what the french have to say! only messin
i'm insured to carry 3 people because i have a centre seat. as this wont be in use, insurance is not a problem as there will only be 3 of us.

i was stopped a couple of times but only at boarders. first was before i left the country and got made to drive into a seperate building by customs as they checked out what we were taking over. no vehicle checks. stopped again when leaving belguim into france and again, they just wanted to look in the back to see wot we were carrying. NO checks on the vehicle, the things u have to carry for european driving (hi-vis, aid kit, etc) or paperwork.
thanks again

Excellent reading as this is one of the things I needed to find out about so thanks to all the usefull people!

Now, just to throw a spanner in the works, if we go on the theory a hard top is a goods vehicle, does it still remain a goods vehicle when the V5 is changed to account for the extra seating? (still talking side facing).

Another query I have is about the actual seat. Does it really need to be an official side facing bench seat? What about just a suitable base? Or some cusions? If there's no seat belt, does there really need to be a seat or more just 'the bit you sit on'? Im just curious as £40 odd is a fair bit to spend if you don't really need to.

good question, but u have to have insurance to carry people tho. i'm only insured to carry 3 people at the moment, 3 front seats, if i put seats in i'd have to get it changed and would be charged more insurance as its a mod and additional seating rather than designated passsenger seating. confusing ****. like others said, best to go to mot man and ask him and speak to insurers

My MOT man (who I also work with) has just passed a defender with rear seats and belts (which is why I thought it needed them). He also tried to fail one of my cars for having no rear seat belts even though the rear seats and all the interior were removed! (it was a track car project) Needless to say I wont be asking his advice!

My Dad used to have a Series II and I'm sure that only had strips of carpet in the back!