OK....1990 E150 rear seat. I've looked front to back side to side. Even looked in the owners manual and I cannot figure out how to raise the bed back into a bench. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

So, it is a manual bed then
Grab it at what would be the front of the bench seat
Lift up on that part while at the same time lift up and pull towards you the rear of the bed
That should start the procedure and if not reverse what I said
I now have a power bed in my (different same year) van and wish I had the manual style
I cannot remember exactly, but My wife could not do it even after being shown several times
It does take some gumption

 

Thanks Manicmechanic007, I can't believe I have owned this thing for 3 years and have never tried to raise the bed back into a seat. I'll try it when I get home from work today.

 

Our electric seat / bed has a problem, and I think one of 3 electric motors is not actuating all the way (the bed bends into a U shape in the rear)
Pisses me off, but the wife likes it being power
I will look at it closer, as it is becoming camp season around here

 

Mainc is correct about one model that I have. This is the orignal seat/bed in my 88 and folds up like Manic described. To pull it out, just pull up and out towards the front, on the bottom front of the seat.

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I swapped the seats from my 85 into my 88 because I liked the bed much better for a camper. It has a lever on that side that you pull to unlock the back. Then you pull on the top of the back and it starts to raise up "roll" forward and finally after flipping over a 270 degrees, it forms the bed. Hard to describe. Reverse to convert it back to a seat. Just lift and roll the front to the back.
I stopped in a furniture store and they just happened to have a hospital bed mattress in the back and wanted to get rid or it for $50. $50 more got the upholstery to shorten it just a bit and it fits perfect. Being a hospital bed, it is waterproof and will not mold between the mattress and bed below like some folks talk about happening if they are living full time in the van. I just fold a comforter over the top and a single fitted sheets fits great!


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The mattress isn't on in the pic above, that's just the seat. i store it in the spare bedroom when not in use.

 

Pretty nice setup you have. I'll look again when I get home from work, but I'm gonna say mine looks more like your red seat than the blue one plus I sure didn't see a handle on the side, unless it's broke off or something.
I quit smoking back in January and needless to say I've gained about 15lbs so squeezing my Fat A$$ between the rear set of captains chairs and the rear bench is a bit of a struggle for me right now....LOLOL

 

Congratulations on quitting smoking! I smoked for years but then had 2 small strokes within 2 weeks and then got to thinking, if I light up another, that might be it!
I removed the wooden console mounted to the dog hose cover because it was quite large and I had trouble swinging around from the drivers seat and getting the back. I am going to make a smaller one because I miss the drink holder.

I removed one of the center seats and the one you see in the pic has a single nut that holds the seat to the swivel pedestal. I remove the seat is I am going to be camping by my self or use the seat as an extra bed for the grand kids if needed. But just having the one seat removed does allow for easy access to the sofa. I wanted to keep the camper as simple as possible and still be able to use my van to haul folks if needed. The sofa is long enough to hold 4 people to i added a 4th seat belt while doing the remodeling. So i can still legally carry 7 people. Removing that one seat made a huge difference. The metal milk crate doubles as a seat, bedside table, camp chair, and tote if needed. The old steamer trunk holds food, cookware, stove, ect. I have a 120V outlet in the back and plan on adding a battery with charger on one side and small sink on the other and portable cooler in the middle.
Last year I learned a few things. Some foods need to be put in a cooler for storage. I had parked in the sun all day and of the evening when I came back to the van, the canned food was sweating! After that I put them in a small cooler with a gallon of water and thermometer. That stopped the wide temperature swings. If you take meds and camp, they are temperature sensitive too. If you go bay a pharmacy yo might be able to pick up one of those little thick styrofoam coolers they pack medical supplies in. Put your meds in there and place it in a larger cooler and that will keep you from needing a fridge for your meds.
Again I was trying to keep it really simple and still be able to use the van for other things.

 

Nice job, I like the floor too. Removing 1 chair might also be an option.

you guys were right....heck of a lot of muscle to get that rear bench up from bed position. Thanks for all the help.

 

Welcome!
Thanks. The floor is SPC, or solid polymer core and is completely waterproof and does not expand or contract with that small of an area. Mohawk did not advise putting it in a van due to the floor flexing. I had 3 sheets of 3/4" T&G plywood on hand and so used that for the underpayment and the flooring is completely floating on top so I believe it will be fine.
If I were doing it over, I would NOT have gone past the rear sofa with it. Everything slides on that floor so I had to buy rubber backed rugs. I would have just used a carpet for the back and under the sofa.

 

I put a manual folding bed/bench from a 95 in my 99, didn't think to get the seat belts, I can't find any that will connect to the shoulder belts in the walls, I hate all the miss matched belts Ford used in the vans, I know the conversion vans, the seats are after market, not Ford, much comfier, just avoid the rear bench with the flip down in it, its hell on your back if you try to sleep on it, don't think I've had my bench unfolded for over 10 years, I do remember how stiff it was to move, the power one was nice, but not good to lay on.
Have you seen the 80's setup Ford had, there were 2 benches that folded down, creating a full bed, no way to find one in a salvage yard now tho.