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Rear Seat Removal/Retrofit

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MINICooperS

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Patriot Interior Deck Plate Mod

Will be removing the entire rear seat and anything else back there not needed. Has anyone done or seen this and installed anything practical in its place? Will be making the rear liveable and sleep-able.

UPDATED: 2010 model ordered, received, and modded. Visit my Users Photo album.
 
Discussion starter · #3 · (Edited)
I'd like to shed that weight and place "built-ins" in that space since I won't be hauling passengers back there. Just wondering if anyone had done or seen any custom work in the rear seat/cargo area. Would have bought a van or HHR Panel but couldn't get the engine/transmission/economy the Pat has.
 
#4 ·
MINICooperS said:
I'd like to shed that weight and place "built-ins" in that space since I won't be hauling passengers back there. J
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So when your wingman asks "Dude, can you give the twins college coeds a lift back to the campus?" you will be hating the decision to replace the seats...

The seats do fold flat, and removing them won't reduce the vehicle weight any appreciable amount. Whatever you replace the seats with will look homemade and may cause rattles and other unwanted noises. Plus, you will have to purchase whatever you are going to replace them with as well. Be smart, common sense says to leave the seats in the Patriot. Leaving the seats cost, nothing...

Stepping off my soapbox...
 
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#5 ·
MINICooperS said:
I'd like to shed that weight and place "built-ins" in that space since I won't be hauling passengers back there. Just wondering if anyone had done or seen any custom work in the rear seat/cargo area. Would have bought a van or HHR Panel but couldn't get the engine/transmission/economy the Pat has.
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I thought about removing the rear seats too because I don't carry people around but do need to haul lumber. The seats fold down good plus the front passenger seat folds flat also. I don't think you would lose much weight removing them. It might be more trouble than its worth. Just my 2 cents.
 
#6 ·
Wade said:
So when your wingman asks "Dude, can you give the twins college coeds a lift back to the campus?" you will be hating the decision to replace the seats...
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no, he won't regret it. the plan is to make the rear "sleepable" :pepper:
 
#7 ·
MINICooperS said:
Ordered my Pat today and will be removing the entire rear seat and anything else back there not needed. Has anyone done or seen this and installed anything practical in its place? Will be making the rear liveable and sleep-able.
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I removed the seat, which is mostly foam and practically weightless, to make room for my boat in a bag: http://www.folbot.com/cooper.html You need a large torx driver to remove the screws. I have not yet removed the seat backs but will do so eventually. I don't like the fixed headrests which prevent placing things on the floor when the seats are folded. I have the '07 Ltd. Earl
 
#8 ·
I'd second these remarks! Leave the seat in, 'cause when you go to sell the Patriot in the future, you'll forgotten where you stored them. I took the rear child seats out of my ext. cab Chev S10 and now it's on the market, I found the seats, but had one hell of a time putting them back in. Sure enjoyed the extra storage space that was 'out of visual range', tho.
 
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#9 ·
MiniCooperS (Gawd I miss my Mini), I figure your "built-ins" are important enough to you that you want to remove the back seat. Unless you have access so some lightweight plastic for your built-ins, the weight exchange may actually be heavier than the original seating arrangement.
That said, if you're hell-bent on removing the seats, go for it, if it gives you the room you need for whatever you're going to be adding in. Otherwise, I would echo the others sediments on leaving it flat. A custom-cut piece of masonite would be a wonderful floor for whatever you might want to throw in there and it would really protect the original investment to boot!

Good luck on whatever you choose!

Cheers

p.s. What do you think of the new Clubman that's coming out this year??
 
Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
Randoo . . .
As far as the Clubman, my '03 MCS is large enough so I'd find hard to get excited about an even larger MINI. I was lucky enough to get a build date on mine just before they made the ride "softer" so I'll stick with it. And I like blowers which they also did away with and the functional hood scoop.
Anyway, I took the rear seats out of my MINI and shed 120+ lbs and replaced them with a leatherette upholstered custom aluminum deck with under storage and will probably do the same to the Pat. Guess I watch too much "Trick My Truck". I came real close to purchasing the HHR Panel which has the rear interior setup I need but the roofline was too confined like the Compass and Caliber, plus the HP/Weight ratio was too low.
Still looking for those retrofit ideas though. How about that Airstream Basecamp??? Aluminum and rubber, my kind of low maintenance vehicle! Towing a $28K trailer with a $13K Pat!
http://www.airstream.com/products/2008-fleet/travel-trailers/basecamp/
 
#11 ·
Well, I'm with you coop. I like the Mini "as-is" (both the coop and the S) but haven't been thrilled with either the convertable OR the new Clubman. The only problem here is da boss (thats spelled W I F E) likes the new look so we'll be a house divided for a while.:doh:

It sounds like you have your storage plans down to a science and if you were able to do that with the Mini, I don't see why you couldn't duplicate that same scenario with the Patriot.

BTW, I LOVE that Airstream Basecamp! WOWW!!

Randy
 
#13 ·
I saw a picture of a suv once on a road trip forum, with an inflatable bed, rolled up and attached to the upper part of the fold flat seats, they dropped the seats down, hooked up the pump, and they had a twin sized bed in the back, they also had a small table that flips up just big enough for a laptop, and it was on a swing arm so it could go anywhere.

Just something to think about, for a simple, cheap, fast, effective way to make things 'sleepable' and livable, while not surrendering the back seats. I would love to see pics if you do end up ripping them out.
 
#15 ·
I switched my backseats and I know the top of the seats are held by nuts and hex screws a large size ,,,,,,,,,,, and the screw that hold the bottom are on the front under the seat bottom, these are large torque I do not know the sizes removal is easy just setting the right size ratchets and torque as far as space the spare tire is under the panel in the back as well you going to remove that as well?
 
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#16 ·
MINICooperS said:
I'd like to shed that weight and place "built-ins" in that space since I won't be hauling passengers back there. Just wondering if anyone had done or seen any custom work in the rear seat/cargo area. Would have bought a van or HHR Panel but couldn't get the engine/transmission/economy the Pat has.
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Plus, y'know... Chevy and all... eeesh.

I'm very pro-anybodybutGM since i got rid of my Blazer.

Anyway, i look forward to seeing your conversion! :smiley_thumbs_up:
 
#17 ·
Wade said:
Whatever you replace the seats with will look homemade and may cause rattles and other unwanted noises. Plus, you will have to purchase whatever you are going to replace them with as well. Be smart, common sense says to leave the seats in the Patriot. Leaving the seats cost, nothing...
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Let's all see his handiwork before we judge how "homemade" it'll end up looking. Give the guy a fair shake, jeez.

And while the folding rear seats are "free", the few inches and lbs saved by their removal could very likely be the difference between a half-assed attempt and a well-done conversion. Let the man get the Patriot in his posession before we start shooting down his idea and implying that he's not "smart" for thinking he could do something.
 
#20 ·
Wade said:
So when your wingman asks "Dude, can you give the twins college coeds a lift back to the campus?" you will be hating the decision to replace the seats...
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Oh?

"Sure I can. You get out, the girls and I need the space."

nth256 said:
Let's all see his handiwork before we judge how "homemade" it'll end up looking. Give the guy a fair shake, jeez.
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This.

While removing the rear seats does have its negatives and pointing them out is not a bad thing, claims like "you won't remember where you stored the seats" are kind of daft (unless you happen to know the guy personally quite well). The man is looking at modifying his Jeep to suit his lifestyle and to make it his own - this is as it should be. Nothing wrong with constructive critique, but judging them because they don't fit your lifestyle is not it.

(I would also like to take this opportunity to ponder about why people are always so quick to point out resale value as a reason to never ever do anything unique to a vehicle. Are you buying vehicles for yourself? Or the next owner? Some of us are in for the long haul, so vehicle resale value really isn't that big a factor to us.)

MINIcooperS, I take it that you'll be carrying your gear on a roof rack? (At least to me a "livable" or "sleepable" interior hints at expedition-style travel, which tends to require a bit of kit to be taken with you.) Any thoughts on that so far? And the spare tire, going to be mounting it externally or will your setup enable access to the space below cargo space floor? Quite a bit of storage room down there, I would definitely recommend retaining access to it!

(Also, the bold italic font is really not necessary.)
 
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