For those who aren't Facebook users I though this recent post by Alan Mears (who may also be on here, I don't know) on the Ausmini group page shows a very clever solution to a common problem.

I have a pair of (non-Mini) seats that because I'm quite tall, have to be moved further back. However when fitted between the rear storage bins, the two seats near enough touch each other which makes it a bit claustrophobic when both driver and passenger are seated. So to fix this and for something different, I cut the front of the bins out and moved them ~140mm to the rear to clear the seatbelt reel, and filled in the side space with some sheet metal - complete with the lip at the top for the finishing trim. Now the seats can be mounted closer to the doors and still be moved back far enough so I don't feel like I'm driving with my knees around my ears.

We have regular questions and discussion about how and where to mount inertia reel belts in early Minis that weren't so equipped, and how to fit aftermarket seats, especially for those with long legs. This looks to be a great method, ingenious in fact, if you don't mind some metal fabrication and aren't too concerned with originality.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Good idea, and should still be just as strong as std.

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

I suppose its an advantage of being a midget that i can fit in a mini and it feels perfect ha ha I've always considered people in the backseat to just be collateral damage =D

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=93352

If I'm carrying on like a pork-chop, I'm having a great time.

If I go very quiet there's a very good chance I broke something.

Yeah - that's my handywork I'll post some more pictures later with some specifics on how it was done.

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

"Engineered"

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"Show me the Mini!"

Looks good, I wonder how you'll go getting a carpet set to fit now though.

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1972 Mk3 Mini 1000, 1150cc supercharged.
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95872

Isn't the trick with minis when you're a tall person to sit closer to the steering wheel, not further?

So here is how it was done... Note that my Mini has an engine conversion, aftermarket seats, and many other internal & external modifications so I had no qualms in performing a small modification like this.

I made a cut using a thin kerf disc on the grinder to remove the bin. You can see here I tried to removed the spot welds on the B-pillar but I couldn't get access to them all so I ended up simply cutting the rest of the bin out - at the base and along the B-pillar


A couple of small welds against the B-pillar were removed using a die grinder


After cleaning up pieces of steel still attached to the body, I marked the position of the new inertia seatbelt reels and found I had to remove more steel


I wanted to retain the finishing trim strip that clips on top of the storage bin sides. This was done by taping a few pieces of 2.5mm steel to my vice and clamping the new steel sheet between them in the vice. By repeating this along the length of the steel sheet, I ended up with a pretty close approximation of the original lip on the storage bin edges



After trimming the bin-front to retain only the curved section and to the match the floorpan shape shape, I welded on the new steel piece.


Using butt welding clamps (I love these) etc, everything was held in place and welded in.


You could leave it here but I wanted to make a cover for the seat belt reels. This was a box made from 0.8mm steel sheet that was a snug fit over the seatbelt reel. Overall I achieved an extra 40mm of room per side of the cabin. Note : I hadn't yet drilled the holes for the mounting screws in these photos.

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

Great modification there. Really nice.

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1963 Morris 850 Smoke Grey
1963 Morris 850 Shadow Blue
1965 Morris Mini Smooth Van
1966 Morris Mini Van
1969 Morris Mini Deluxe Resto
5/72 Clubman Gt

Great work

Nice piece of metal work there.
Wish I'd done metalwork at school instead of woodwork.
Like how many book-ends do you really need?

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - all painted up, ready for fit out.
1969 Cooper S Mk2 - claimed by 2nd. born
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

I did woodwork at school too, which should come in handy sooner or later



Tim

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1951 Morris Commercial J Type Van
1955 BSA C11G
1961 Morris Mini Traveller
1969 Triumph TR6R
1977 Leyland Moke Californian

I think I failed woodwork 101 That looks like woodwork 901.

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - all painted up, ready for fit out.
1969 Cooper S Mk2 - claimed by 2nd. born
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.