Defender 90 Rear Bulkhead?

[Doofus]

Did any 90 SWs come with the bulkhead behind the front sests, or was that unique to the Utility?

Is it a retro fit item, or would I need to buy a Utility and retrofit the side windows and SW seats and belts?

[Doofus]

I'm wanting an SW with the bulkhead.

[Doofus]

300bhp/ton said:

Most 90's have the bulkhead. NAS spec where the first to use the tubular. Then I think it was optional or available on TD5 models onwards. Older Tdi's will have it.

I'm looking for a later TDCi, and I've not seen a single SW with a bulkhead...

[Doofus]

Crossflow Kid said:

You won't.
Pumas are much more difficult/impossible to convert from utility to SW as the rear tub is significantly different to accommodate forward-facing rear seats.
Bench seats aren't legal in a Puma either.

Interesting, thanks. I guess I'll look at welding a steel mesh or some sort of panel onto the bar in a SW. I don't want the rear seats anyway, so they can live in the garage...

[Doofus]

Crossflow Kid said:

Sounds like you're after a utility body but with windows in which case it'd be far more economical and straight forward to buy a van (with bulkhead) and fit windows to it.

Yes. This is what I said before. But would that make the side-facing seats illegal if they aren't legal in a SW? I don't need them, but it would seem silly to render them unusable.

[Doofus]

I don't really want them, but why buy a Defender and render the pre-existing seats useless for the next owner? I've seen HTs with rear seats (inward facing), and if I get one of those and put in side windows, then it sounds like I'd be making those rear seats illegal.

I'd be better off buying a SW and welding in a mesh or sheet to create a bulkhead. At least that would be reversible.

[Doofus]

SantaBarbara said:

Do you know the history of your vehicle?

Has it always been a civilian spec, or was it ever a military vehicle?

I haven't got one.

[Doofus]

Crossflow Kid said:

I think you may need to understand a bit better the seating issue.
Retro-fitted seats have to be compliant for the age of vehcile, and inward-facing seats in a Puma-era wagon aren't.
If you've seen a hardtop with bench seats it's either an older truck or it's non-compliant.
It isn't the windows that cause the issue, it's the type of seats. Rear seats in a Puma MUST face forwards and have three-point belts.

Understood. Thank you.