Hiace. Doesn't the tilt seat get in the way of the build?

Hi all,
I’m looking at a 2000 LWB 4WD diesel Hiace as the base for a build. We really like builds that have a kitchen cabinet running east-west behind the driver & passenger seats. However the engine access is via tilting the passenger seat and console backwards (into the van payload area). Anyone heard of an aftermarket adaption to the way the engine is accessed? Like maybe making the seat/console pull out rather than tilt back? Otherwise it’s a pretty big impediment to the build.
Thanks!