I'm interested too

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

I'm in. I had been planning to do that for quite a while. You could save me a lot of work.

 

Within hours of buying my MCS in Nov 03 I removed my back seat and built a platform durable enough to support my two German Shepherds. Well it worked great, car got lots of attention with the seat out ,but after buying a 05 Sport-Trac 4x4 for my Dogs ( yes for my Dogs) my MINI gets to be whole again! I have re-installed my back seats and will be keeping the car this way. The seats keep the car a bit more versitile in my eyes. Dogs love their new truck and my girlfriend loves my dog-hair-free JCW MCS. If you are going to remove the seats be sure to use space for storage under the platform. My two cents

 

There is nothing more then I want to do is take out weight from the back so the CG will move further up towards the nose of the car. Oh the improvements in handling. .

While this seems to be a great idea and does lighten the car the balance of the car will be different. I would suggest to all that you need to consider what you are doing with car.

 

Just put a Dog or two in the back to balance everything out

 

you have no idea how much I want that...name your (reasonable) price!

-Paul

 

Curious.... if removing the upper section saves 30 lbs (which I have already done), what do you plan on that will weigh less than the bottom cushion of the seats?? The thing is already extremely light and I keep it in the use as a sound deadener. With its mounting hardware, I doubt that its more than 10 lbs... probably closer to 5.

 

If I ever suddenly become rich and cn afford my dream of a race prepped MINI special I would buy this in a second. Though instead of vinyl or carpet I might be interested in Hyper Blue paint covering it, since I wouldn't be hauling anything in my dream race car. Is the ABS heavier than carbon fiber?

 

If you can do it bolt-in for ~$150 shipped and it comes out looking like the Mustang stuff or thereabouts, I'm sold.

 

I am VERY interested except not right now. I would love to pull my rear seats imediately but it would pull me out of my current Autox class and into a much higher one. I'm willing to do that in the future, probably in a year or two when i get a pulley.

Just letting you know you'll have a customer in the future if you make it! Carbon Fiber or matching carpet would be very nice.

Someone else posted a really nice design they did with panels for access under the flat floor just recently.

EDIT: Hey look at that, just two threads down is the one i was talking about:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=41379

Very well done especially since it keeps a place to hook up a harness.

 

VERY Interested!!

Jim Williams

 

Keep the suggestions coming. I've got to build a versatile kit that answers all of your needs in 1 or 2 different versions.

Having a "box" that sits over the rear seat holes is doable, but it also reduces the amount of storage space you have in the cabin. The indentations for the seat are not very deep so you're limited to small towels, a jacket, or a handful of small tools.

Carbon fiber is of course the lightest material to go with. But CF isn't cheap, and would jack the price up beyond a reasonable amount. ABS Plastic isn't cheap either (somewhat due to petroleum prices right now) but it's super durable, formable, and affordable for the amount being used.

Jcampos, you mentioned just leaving the bottom cushion in the car and having the seatback-only removed. You can indeed do this, but looking at the interior, it's unattractive and out of place, not to mention there is paint showing through. (Not bad if you have a black car, but is bold with yellow, red, blue, etc) I'm hoping to create something that flows with the interior more and still keeps the weight down.

 

Count me in, I'm interested.

 

I'm interested. Could you mold in a few threaded inserts (maybe 1/4x20 or the equivalent metric size) to help tie things down? Perhaps even a larger threaded insert on the passenger side to tie down a spare tire with a single bolt (if the plastic is strong enough for this).

 

I hate to be the guy that questions everything a vendor does, because those guys get on my f**kin nerves.... but, I see no paint and the seat cushions really dont look out of place... the do belong there afterall. If the price is right, I would pick up your product... but I dont see reason to pay $100+ when you can pick up a piece of aluminum and some carpet for much cheaper.

 

i would jump on the deal depending on the price and weight of the kit..

the reason i would take of my back seats is for weight reduction.. so i dont want to put that weight back in

 

If it sits above the floor pan at all, four flush tiedowns would be a nice option. That way if your haulin a bunch of stuff to the dragon you do not have to worry about it flying around.
I am one of three people that use the back seats a good bit. But I like your idea and think if you can keep the price in check a number of people would take you up on the offer.
Good luck
John

 

i'd be down for it but i would also like to see tie downs and cut outs for the rear belt attachment points for those of us that utilize the scroth ralley harness.

 

The harness attachments have to be secured to something very strong (metal framework) so where do you guys normally attach your belt harnesses back there? Are you plugging them into the seat belt holders?

It would take some serious construction to build a tie down for a harness into this plastic kit. And of course liability issues come into play if it breaks. So I can cutout places for the harnesses to slip through (for connection the car's frame itself), or I can build in tie-down straps for securing cargo, but that's about it.

 

Very Interested.... Keep Us Up To Date

 

Count me in too..Im interested!

 

Try it before knocking it, i have had mine this way for a year, and the handling isnt altered in a negative way at all....and thats whith a MC(starts out with less weight in rear then an MCS)

 

........

 

Stylin that sounds good man. A match to the dark carpet would be ideal I think. I'd love to get this once I move to the city. I give a guy a ride to work along with the wife now so I need the back seat. After that though I'd love to go backseat less.

 

Sounds good! Let's see some pics of the prototype!

BTW, I think carpet will be much better option than the vinyl.

vin.