Hi there,

I'm looking into getting a transit connect for travel and sleeping. Most of the models I am seeing are the cargo trim. I would like to keep the option of it being a 5 passenger vehicle at some point though. I had read that all ford transit connects enter the country as passenger vehicles and then are converted to the cargo trim in order to avoid the light duty truck tariff or something along those lines. This had me wondering if a cargo transit could be converted back to a passenger transit if all the right pieces were to be found (seat, seatbelts, anything else?). Are the mounts for the seat there? Has anyone tried this or looked into it?

Thanks in advance!

Paul

 

I've not ripped up the floor to see, but I'd imagine the seat mounts are there yet in some fashion. There are up-fitters that can add seats. Another option is to see if you can get a taxi version of the LWB, as the third row delete is still an option for Taxi fleet use. You could also just get a wagon and unbolt the rear seats yourself and swap the windows for the panels. I don't remember the cost, but the panels cost more than I thought they should when I checked for a customer.

 

Having just started building my Frankenstein 2012/2013 transit and pulling out the rear cargo mat in the 2013 the floor has the pockets /locking bar welded in nutserts mounting for the seats already there . The US cargo models have a bolt in floor filler panel right behind the front seats to fill in the rear foot well .
The install is a simple plug and play with parts .
The non US cargo versions ( my 2012 is a glider kit is this way ) do not have the pockets/threaded holes in the floor plus the rear foot well filler panel is welded in .
Hey some

 

Might want to see if you can contact the outfit in Baltimore that transforms the Transit Connect from passenger to cargo configuration... here's the info from Wiki Transit Connect page...

"To circumvent the 25% tariff on imported light trucks, Ford imports all Transit Connects as passenger vehicles with rear windows, rear seats and rear seatbelts.[22] The vehicles are exported from Turkey on cargo ships owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, arrive in Baltimore, and are converted into commercial vehicles at WWL Vehicle Services Americas Inc. facility: rear windows are replaced with metal panels and rear seats removed (except on wagons).[22] The removed parts are then recycled."

I would love to have the flush non operable sliding door glass installed instead of the operable window they stick on the passenger model. Would make the Passenger "Wagon" version look a little cleaner. Maybe I'll give it a go in Baltimore at some point!

 

You can get the fixed windows for the 2010 to 2013 side doors available thru carid.com , by a company C.R. Laurence part # FW290R for the right and FW290L left side around $140 or so each
I just picked up for a set my Frankenstein from them

 

OK! Thanks... good info! Would they have them for the 2014s and up?