On Mon, 9 Mar 1998 08:22:14 -0600 you said:
>While poking around my newly acquired '87 GL, I found a strange
>arrangement of steel struts (looks like a collapsed pantograph of some
>sort) that attach underneath the cushion of the rear bench seat.  I can
>lift the front edge of the seat up about 6" to access the rear heater
>control (and of course the seat back tips forward to increase the cargo
>space), but I can't cipher how the seat bottom moves further.  Is this a
>'weekender' option, and if so, how does it operate?

it sorta sounds like it might be the fold-down bed/bench seat. check on
the backside of the upright/back portion of the rear seat. see if there
is a large latch handle gizmo in the middle, and two protruding latchers
(and latchees ... little stubby shafts sticking out of the "wall" on each
side), one on each side of the bus. if so, you've got a Weekender Option
package. :)  pretty neat.

now ... if you have it, how to fold it down? i thought you'd never ask! :)
first you have to fold the middle seats forward a bit. on each side of the
middle seats, there is a black latch on the verical "side' of the upright
seat back. pull this latch upward and it releases the seatback to kinda
lean forward. each seatback has it's own latch and the leftmost seat's is
on the left side.

then, reach over the rear bench seat and pull the latch thingie in the
middle. that unhooks the upright seatback from the walls. tilt the seatback
forward a little bit. now here comes the kinda odd part (for which you need
all those strange struts under the seat):

keeping the seatback tilted forward, put a hand under the seatbottom (you
have to lift it up a little) and pull the whole mess foward toward the
middle seats. it will kinda "lift" just a little as it moves. then it
clunks into position behind the middle seats, and you just lay the seatback
down (toward the back). that's it. :)

now tilt the middle seats backwards until the seatbacks click into position.
or, if you're carrying something long and wide, you can leave them folded
down for more "flatness" in the cargo area.

you're likely to have to push the rear foam cushion backwards a little bit
to get the seatback to fit flush. and if you leave the rear seat down,
be aware than you'll have a little bit of trouble closing the rear hatch
(if you open it) cause the foam cushion is pushing farther back (and will
hit the hatch as it closes) a little more.

it's a neat option. and in case you're wondering, yes, it is almost a queen-
sized bed.

now the bad part: :)  it's hard to get to anything you've stored under the
rear seat, if you have the seat down in the "bed" position. you can lift up
the seatback and get to some of it, but it's awkward to reach down past the
lifted-up seatback. it's better to come in via the rear hatch and get it.
and you can't lift up the front part (seatbottom) very easily either.

but it does leave a nice cubbyhole underneath (on the floor) where you can
slide things behind the middle seats. :)

hope it helps.
joel