Guys - thanks a lot for the advice and feedback...
Boris - the pics really help thanks, and i'm very keen to get it set up like that! Was it all fitted when he bought it or did he change the tail gate to side hinges?
I'm also very interested in his rear seats! Currently i have no seats in the back and a roll bar that looks like it's in roughly the same place. I'd assumed there wasn't enough room because of it to have seats on the sides...how well does that set up work for him? Do they fold up? I'd also thought about a seat widthways facing backwards but dont know where to look for something like that...
Thanks Litch - i'm sold on converting to side hinges and a carrier that opens with the tail gate...but not mounted on it.