I know this is a crazy and silly question but would it be possible to pickup a used back seat out of a car and put it in the GP2? If I were to consider getting a GP2 I really would like to ability to take my kids for rides. They love riding in my JCW.

 

Yes, I looked into this for the same reason. From what I see, you can with seats, side panels and seat belts. Doesn't seem too difficult to do with those parts.

 

Do you have to change the side panels or can you only add the seats and seat belts?

 

I believe the shape will require changing panels... not to mention the big hole from the crossbar

 

Keep the JCW!

 

+1
Since the car is built for 2 passengers.....would hate to hear it involved in an accident with extra....wonder if they would be covered....the car is SOLD as a 2 seated...even if it seems trivial to convert it to 4....then again when you do that you have a JCW with a special suspension....special rims/tires....and a few trim parts...and limited options...very different than gen1 when the bodies were shipped (unfinshed ) to a 3rd party for completion....with different floor panels, etc....
The heart of the GP is being a 2 seat racer that is street legal....adding rear seats to one is akin to adding a roll cage to an Hyundai Elentra...a car trying to be something it is not.
Good luck!! Heck not that bad of an idea on some level....thinking outside the box is a good thing!! Just the risk is near misses......

 

Since you already have a JCW why not start going mod crazy and build something comparable to a GP? Use a lot of the GP2 parts and better upgrades. You would be losing $ on getting rid of your car and then paying for a really expensive MINI that you don't like exactly how its equipped. The GP2 is a great car but I wouldn't consider getting one to modify the rear and get my kids back there. Just build a Pepper White "GPW"

 

Agree; for you, it sounds like a JCW is just the better option. It'd be a shame to devalue a GP, and potentially risk your rear passenger's safety with improperly installed parts. Not saying you're not mechanically inclined enough to do such a conversion, but you never know.

But the biggest no-no is just watering down the raw, racing car vibe that is the GP.

My vote is no; don't do it. Mod the hell out of a bitchin' JCW, and you have the best of both worlds, no?

 

+1. I've been biting my tongue on this thread. I've hesitated to comment because I believe firmly in the old adage, to each his own. If someone wants to paint a vintage collector car lime green with pink polka-dots, it's not my business to judge. I'd just never consider doing it. But since you've come onto this board looking for comments/feedback, I have to agree with the sentiment here about the essence of the GP2. It's a two-seater that was priced above the JCW with fewer options and features. If you're interested in a back seat, you shouldn't waste your time on a GP2 when the JCW is right there for less money. After all, are your kids going to notice the difference (other than the paint scheme and special trim) between a tricked out JCW and a GP2?

I don't have little children. But if I did and they enjoyed riding in a MINI that much, I'd never consider buying a GP2 with the idea of adding a rear seat.

 

I don't know if anyone read the Autoweek review of the GP. They said the price as tested was 32k and it had 260ft pounds of torque as compared to a regular jcw with 207. I paid over 35k for my jcw and if a GP2 is 32k I would be pissed. When I was looking at them they were 39995.

 

The data in the review is incorrect. If that pricing information was true, there would be no GP2's on anyone's lot in the US. Price has been the GP2's biggest issue.

 

I have to agree 100% with this - because this is what I've done with my car. To me the biggest thing is the suspension, and I never started out intending to upgrade the suspension. I just wanted the rear diffuser, and then I kept getting more things as they became available.

 

I don't see anything wrong with this approach of (temporarily) installing a rear seat in a GP in order for the family to enjoy it.

A GP is a GP is a GP is a GP.

A Cooper S JCW is not a GP.

Just because you put in a rear seat doesn't change the VIN or any other aspect.

If you want a GP, get it and install that rear seat.

That's my 2 cents.

Peace!

 

Took my own advice...

 

Well done! Details please? Seats, belts, mounting hardware, side panels, I assume you needed to weld in the fasteners which hold the top part of the seats in their upright position? Did you add rear speakers?

 

Jack

As I shared with Doug (from CBus) via PM...

TC Kline installed it for me.

It was about 8 hours labor to remove GP bits and install the new parts. I bought the rear seat, the side panels and the belts from him. He had just converted a new Mini Cooper to a race car so he had all the parts in his possession.

Add to this...

You're correct Jack that TC had to weld in the fasteners for the seat supports.

As for speakers, I didn't ask or check but my guess is they are not behind the speaker covers. I don't think the wiring was there anyway, but don't know for sure.

Gary

 

Well MrClean that came out great. Nothing more to say, very cool.

 

Sweet! Where did you get the seat fastener piece? Can they be ordered?

 

all parts came from the donor/race car that TC Kline had.

I'd imagine that you could order any part from the dealer, but would not know how to ask.

 

thanks!