Duncan Grimmond

I had an exterior blackout on my last camper( a Regius) and they are a pain in the mornings, worse if it’s been raining. You have a soggy wad of fabric to fold and store and IMHO, while they are effective, they are a real pain when wet. I’ve just got a set of sucker-fitting interior blinds for my Alphard and they seem a bit bulky to store but at least they’ll be dry. I plan to stow them under the forward part of the poptop and report on their useability when I’ve finished the converse and had a test run…

I know it can be done... I helped a pal fit one he had bought. There was a minor hitch during installation, mainly due to lack of easy access and there was a fair amount of effing and blinding but it went on. I plan to go to a local supply/fit company locally, either Harrogate Tow Centre or I've been recommended Horsforth Towbars.

I ordered a turntable for the front seat(£250 inc. postage) from Autocraft, they were out of stock but it arrived last Thursday, with no fitting instructions. On Friday I spent a good while staring it into submission and trying to work out how to fit it and eventually called a pal who did his a couple of years ago. He confirmed my conclusion that I had to remove the downturned mounting on the forward end of the sliding mechanism. Saturday I took the seat out having removed the plastic filler panels and the wiring under the seat. There seems to be only a pair of wires actually in use on the seat and I removed them as far back as I could from the connectors. Cut the downturn off and reduced the height of the location pins from 30mm to 8mm to allow rotational clearance on the turntable, 4 short M8 Allen countersunk screws and locknuts fitted to hold it on. Two 8mm holes are needed in the slider track to replace the holes lost on the downturn. I then replaced the whole assembly on the seat bearing frame using the original mounting hex head screws. 3 1/2 hours (which could have been 2 1/2 had I not been interrupted) and job done.The wrap-around rear plastic trim needed to be cut down and its two locating pins pop into the rear off the frame and give a tidy finish. Easier, cheaper and much quicker than driving to the Isle of Wight!

Yes rails and carpet still available

It seems to have corrected itself...radio and CD screen has returned together with the reversing camera...

For no apparent reason the screen on my Alph has reverted to show the image below and the reversing camera no longer works. They are obviously related but what might cause this malfunction. Can't play discs or listen to radio as the only function available is to insert or eject discs

I have a full set offer seats available...X7817826796

I gave up and booked an inspection at the local Toyota dealer. Very helpful despite not really having any information on grey imports but they went over the vehicle and found a fuse in a panel I didn't even know existed, under the glove box. Sorted but £100.00 lighter!

I have tried the multi-step routine above several times and unless I'm being really dim, I cannot say it has worked. Usually I own up to operator malfunction but I really think I followed the instructions to the letter with no result or reaction from the vehicle. The instruction says turn the key, does this mean until the ignition lights come on(but no start) or is it just turn the key to the first stop, before the dash lights up??

The seats are two tone grey two rears and three mid row reversible. I'm using ordinary ply but will be laying vinyl flooring over it (sand and spilled wine doncha know!) with a proggy mat I now have the floor laid in and have the vinyl partially cut to fit. I've removed the central cubby box and find that the rear floor level heater duct sits 100mm or so above floor level. I am making a floor panel to sit on this with a tread mat. Does anyone have a pic of the revolving seat installed in the half-way round position? Will the seat clear this once installed? I don't want to start dismantling if it turns out I can't do this...

I seem to have a slightly different problem.... While the pop-top was being installed they left the doors open and the battery went flat. It was recharged but now the tailgate can only be opened with the key in the ignition and turned on. This is the metal key in the metal ignition keyhole, I don't recognise any of the photos in the above posts. Am I being dim or unobservant?

The seats are two tone grey two rears and three mid row reversible. I'm using ordinary ply but will be laying vinyl flooring over it (sand and spilled wine doncha know!) with a proggy mat However, I'll look up medical flooring...

I now have all the seats and tracks removed. The carpet , underlay and sound insulation must be removed and this exposes the mounting bolts. These are set with a very high torque and I needed to deploy the impact driver with the largest hammerI have ! The disadvantage of all this is that it left 18 or so holes in the floor so I've greased all the bolts with copper-slip and refitted them. I am assuming the R&R bed will need to be fitted into some of the holes but in the meantime I've re-fitted the foam and loose-laid the underlay. I'm hoping to get a plywood floor into place (but unfixed ) ready for the pop top fitting on Friday. Has anyone any hints on popping off the lower rear wheel arch cover panels? I'm sure they must detach relatively easily but am resisting the urge to just writhe them off for fear of damage. I need access to take out the sliding seat tracks... Does anyone out there need a set of seats? All in good condition and ready to fit, £250.00 the lot, collection only

Thanks for that. I. had looked at them for a full conversion but as they are so far away from N.Yorks I'd dismissed them. I'll look into Funky Ram. Fortunately neither of Ius is particularly tall. I didn't notice the change of seat height in the Regius camper we use to have... Sorry to keep pestering for information but I have no other source of experience and inside knowledge. I now have the rear seats on the workshop floor but cannot see how to extract the sliding bearers from the tracks. I have removed one of the front "stop ends" held by a single M5 hex screw but that doesn't help and so I suppose I'll have to refit it. I cannot see how to dismantle the seat carrier/fore-aft sliding base mounts. Any help or tips gratefully received...

IoW is a long (and expensive trip) for a seat...2 days, 280miles each way, ferry plus seat and fitting?. I'd call that exploitative!