Can someone explain the reason for this stricker latchs being hinged? This design prevents installing a horizontal chassis brace . Can a different style latch be backdated to replace that will allow the aftermarket braces to be installed?
Below is a pic of factory hinge. Thanks.

 

So you can put the seats upwards and lock which will give you a extra couple inches in the trunk while the rear seat is more at a 75-80 degree angle and people can sit back there.

 

Is there a way to retrofit a single locking tab that will allow me to mount a crossbar/upper chassis bar there? All the companies that sell them say that this style of latch interferes with mounting.

here is a picture:

 

I would flip it and mount it under the bracket.

 

I'm working with a vendor on a design for a rear strut brace that works with Gen 2 seat catches - no modifications necessary and the rear seats will continue to function normally. The brace will be powder coated aluminium and will have struts tieing it to the chassis cross-member. It will fit R56's and R55's.

We're hoping to have the design complete within a few weeks.

 

Perfect timing. Looking forward to seeing it!

 

VERY interested in this

 

$163 including shipping on ebay. I can vouch for the quality of his stuff....I worked with him on the design, but no other relationship.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Cooper...ZaHw60&vxp=mtr

 

Got any photos of how the bracket at the bottom of the seats installs?

 

I leave the plate in place....it pushes the top of the back seats forward about half an inch...

 

Thanks - actually it's the bracket at the middle of the seats, at the bottom point of the triangle that I'm curious about. Haven't torn the car apart yet to look at it myself.

 

I have two pictures of the center bracket. The picture taken from the front to the back of the car was taken during the design phase, so the bracket was not finished. The picture taken from the rear to the front of the car doesn't show the two mounting bolts - they are covered by carpet.

 

How much extra stiffness do you think the lower braces add, over just having the cross bar behind the seats. I’d like to not lose too much cargo functionality, if possible.

 

That's really hard for me to tell.....I installed the entire brace assembly (cross bar and V bars) just before the last autocross of the 2017 season, and I could tell a difference. I'd guess that you'd get a significant gain in stiffness with just the cross bar.

I can tell you that pulling the unit out, but leaving the upper plates in place and the lower V bracket in place takes about ten minutes. The lower bracket sticks up a little when the back seats are lowered, but I just covered it with a plastic parts storage bin, which works well for me. Removing the lower V bracket requires removing the rear seats, which, as you know, isn't tough, but it takes more time.

In the long run I'm going to delete my rear seats, so removing the lower V bracket will be quick....which I'll probably do, depending on what I'm hauling. If I make or buy a rear seat delete kit, I can incorporate some sort of cover for the V bracket.

 

I was considering this version, because it looks less intrusive with the v-brace removed

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Cooper...gAAOSwKQ9aDwEa

 

Yes, that's the cross brace without the V bracket (I referred to it as the cross bar above)...it would be less intrusive. That's my car in the ebay picture.

 

I got an ultra racing rear brace from someone on here and installed it under the latch plate. I can still use the extended seat catch, if I ever need to.