13 replies to this topic

[riczito]

Hi all,

 

I have a 1994 Mini with late model tilt-forward seats with headrests. The seats are great, very comfortable. Unfortunately a problem with them is that with the headrests in place, they only tilt forward a small amount before the headrests hits the roof. Not really enough for anyone to get into the back seat, which is a shame. This has always been the case with these seats, even before I re-upholstered them. I didn't change the shape or size. I'm kind of amazed that Rover got away with selling them like this.

 

Is there some trick to making back seat access easier?I was wondering if anyone had adapted the headrests so they fold down, or something similar.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

Ric

 

Edited by riczito, 28 November 2020 - 07:56 AM.

[I hate Brian]

I have exactly the same problem

[Quinlan minor]

The only way, I found, to do it, was to slide the seat all the way forward, before tilting it, but it's a real drag to do from the driver's seat. That, and the far superior support and comfort without additional weight, was why I fitted seats from a Fiat Seicento Sporting (not a straightforward swap). They are spring-loaded and, at the flick of the lever, pop forward into the footwell out of the way.

Attached Files

•  Mini Seats Cleaned (small).jpg   37.6K   2 downloads
•  Seat tilt (small).JPG   23.04K   1 downloads
•  Seat tilt 2 (small).jpg   30.03K   0 downloads

[roblightbody]

Yes i had these seats on a couple of my minis. Once you get into the habit of sliding it forward before tipping it up it's (relatively) easy.

I also kept my passenger seat on the middle hole of the mounting bracket for this reason.

[surfblue]

Not that there is any room behind them anyway! At 6'1" and with seat extension brackets nobody could sit behind me in a late model mini. In my '63 Mk1 however, no such problem.

[Mini Manannán]

I fitted Fiat Punto seats in mine. Like the above Seicento seats, they slide forward and tilt, you still have to slither your way in though!

[Johnmar]

Ben van Leeuwen (mini specialist in NL) developed a hinging frame to be bolted under the seat and to the original seat brackets of the cross member, using the orignal points. It would allow to hinge the origiinal seat differently and made the opening behind the seat open up approx 25 cm more.

 

I had made my own version of it for some time and it worked great. But reverted to the original version when access to the rear was not longer needed.

I can see if I can draw up a sketch from what I remember and post it here.

[Ethel]

Fit a sunroof 

[Cooperman]

This has been a problem since head-rests were made mandatory. The original Mini had no head-rests and a thin seat, so it was not a problem.

[MacGyver]

Rear doors... 🤔


... 😉

[sansamn]

Unfortunately does not help with the original question but I fitted Mircocell recliners to my estate for exactly this reason. I always intended for my family to enjoy my Mini so access for my boy to the back seats was always a requirement.

 

 Mini Estate Interior.JPG   54.42K   5 downloads

[vx220]

Ben van Leeuwen (mini specialist in NL) developed a hinging frame to be bolted under the seat and to the original seat brackets of the cross member, using the orignal points. It would allow to hinge the origiinal seat differently and made the opening behind the seat open up approx 25 cm more.

I had made my own version of it for some time and it worked great. But reverted to the original version when access to the rear was not longer needed.

I can see if I can draw up a sketch from what I remember and post it here.

Any update on this?

Cheers

[vx220]

Unfortunately does not help with the original question but I fitted Mircocell recliners to my estate for exactly this reason. I always intended for my family to enjoy my Mini so access for my boy to the back seats was always a requirement.

Mini Estate Interior.JPG

They're fantastic!

[Tornado99]

On my 88 mini with orig seats, if head rest is in place, they hit roof when tilting seat forward unless I first use the seat back tilt lever to tilt fully forward before trying to tilt whole seat up and forward. This is with extender brackets at furthest rear position.