Strange idea for 84 Blazer interior mod..

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

Ok.. here is the basic idea, short and sweet... I want to use my Blazer's rear fold down seat as a front bench seat...

Now you might be wondering why...

For a long time I have wanted to make the rear of my truck one large flat sleeping space so when I go camping or I am at the beach or whatever, I can easily put it in this mode. So for a long time I have been trying to figure the best way of going about this.

I also hate the stock front seats in the Blazer. They don't recline, the passenger seat gets in the way when trying to get in the back. I also got rid of the plastic storage thing between the seats because I hated that thing too.

So I was thinking I could put a bench seat from a standard chevy truck in and use that. But then you can't get in the back of the Blazer easily.

So just recently I got the idea to use the rear fold down seat as my front seat.. and other than the problem of seat belt modification.. this seems like the ideal solution to me.

The Fold down seat would work perfectly to fold out of the way to make room for the long flat sleeping area in the back I wanted to make. And since the fold down seat isn't very long, if I positioned it all the way over on the drivers side it would leave an area for people to get in the back from the passenger side.. and could also be folded forward if you needed more room.

Now the tough part.. is it safe.. would it be comfortable enough.. and how could I fabricate the base of this myself?

Here is the basic plan for the interior..

-cut down the rear fender wheel wells as far as possible to increase the area in the back for the flat sleeping surface. There would likely still be some protruding wheel well material because they can't go all the way down... so to make the flat surface level with this area I would make a new floor surface that was level with the new top of the wheel wells. And the open area under this flat surface would be used for long tool drawer that slid out of the space.

- then I would extend the OLD flat bed height from the step in the back bed area to the the front of the new bench seat replacing my stock front seats. This would be so that the fold down seat would have a flat surface to be mounted to like it had in the back. The empty space in this new platform/floor would also be used for storage.. you could mount your stero, amps and speakers in there or anything you want.



Now, I have no welder, or experience welding. So, ideally I would be able to do this without a welder or very limited stick welding. And I wouldn't want it to be real heavy.

If anyone has any ideas or experience doing something like this I would love your input.. or if you forsee any problems that I am missing let me know as well.

The major issues I see are seatbelt placement AND the passenger might feel a little weird so far from the window.. haha

 

[jekbrown]

this seems like a lot of work for minimal benefits... why not just remove the stock rear seat, throw down a sleeping bag and call it good?

j

 

[k5freak44]

i agree, it is alot of work, and you would have to get out if someone wanted to jump in the back. the rear seat is alot narrower then the front seats, and not near as confortable (IMO).

this job in no way could be done without a mig welder. i dont see it happening.

I say, just get another seat and run 2 back seats limostyle, thats what i have always wanted to do.

 

[unclematty]

I'd bet it "could" be done, but I'm not sure about the logistics.
My thoughts on you questions are why not just get the 60/40 split bench from a newer p/u truck, and save yourself the hassle, all that cutting and building?? WTH??! I always sleep in a tent anyway, just my opinion

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

You have a point haha..

But I guess I am just kind of a perfectionist when it comes to certain things. This kind of stuff is just fun to me.

I hate the way the interior of the Blazer is done but I love the space and size of the interior.. I think it has a lot of potential. This is kind of the ideal setup, as I envision it.

Also.. i am pretty tall -- 6'5.. so the extra length would be nice. I would also like the hidden storage it would provide considering I have had 2 nice steroes stolen already

And there is no room to store tools in the vehicle.

Think of it as "pimping" my own ride..

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

I say, just get another seat and run 2 back seats limostyle, thats what i have always wanted to do.

Do you mean like run them length wise? like facing each other in the back? Not sure I am following correctly, sounds interesting though!

 

[davesanrn]

seat

why not put a bench from a suburban or pickup in front. Split bench from a pickup might do just about right.

 

[BrianDamage]

get a 60/40 split bench out of a 2 door car, like a cadillac or something....it will fold up, probaly recline and can also be found in electric

if you are that worried about sleeping in the back, sell the one you have, and buy a chalet

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

My thoughts on you questions are why not just get the 60/40 split bench from a newer p/u truck,

Do they have some that fold forward so you can get in the back of the Blazer? If I could find one cheap I might go that route. Not sure what exactly you are thinking of though.

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

get a 60/40 split bench out of a 2 door car, like a cadillac or something....it will fold up, probaly recline and can also be found in electric

How much do you think one would cost? Would I need to make new mounts?

 

[unclematty]

get a 60/40 split bench out of a 2 door car, like a cadillac or something....it will fold up, probaly recline and can also be found in electric

if you are that worried about sleeping in the back, sell the one you have, and buy a chalet

DING,DING, DING! we have a winner!

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

if you are that worried about sleeping in the back, sell the one you have, and buy a chalet

Is a Chalet a camper? That's the thing though.. I like the Blazer because it is big enough to camp in... but yet small enough that you can use it as a daily driver.. I like the utility of it. What I am trying to do is maximize that utility.

 

[pauly383]

How about a carpeted wood floor , from bedrail to bedrail , held on with longer top bolts , and in two pieces big enough to run from tailgate to front seats , hinged behind the backseat . Thus creating a cover for goods stored in the back . And when you want to sleep , fold down backseat , flip the hinged piece and have a whole floor OVER the backseat and cargo area .

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

This sounds really cool Pauly.. but I am not sure I am envisioning it properly.

It sounds like it would work exactly like I want it to.. but I don't undertsand how it would function.

It is probably that way with my description too.. we need some diagrams.

I'll draw one up if anyone is interested.. sounds like most think I'm nuts though. haha

 

[pauly383]

pen , paper ,and scanner await me .

 

[scrappy88]

How about a carpeted wood floor , from bedrail to bedrail , held on with longer top bolts , and in two pieces big enough to run from tailgate to front seats , hinged behind the backseat . Thus creating a cover for goods stored in the back . And when you want to sleep , fold down backseat , flip the hinged piece and have a whole floor OVER the backseat and cargo area .

Awesome idea, and if you flip the front seats forward there's plenty of room to sleep on the "platform." The front fold down panel would probably have to extend forward past the bed rails and be supported by something though, maybe some fold out legs that go down to the floor.

 

[pauly383]

Too tired to draw , but I am thinking of some tweaks already .

It obviously can't be too big of pieces , or it won't fold out with the top on . So it must be two short pieces hinged piece to piece and to the big peice , and cut a little narrower on the formost piece to extend into the front seat area without hitting bulkhead flange . The formost piece wouldn't really hold any weight if you slept with head to rear of truck . But if you wanted you make a screw on center support leg to go to console top .

They don't even need hinges , they can slide out if your crafty .

You could keep the spare tire if you slept alone and made a cut out for it . But if you can make this , you can move the tire to the bumper !

I have gotta get in the mood to draw sometime . I have lots of stupid ideas , and some may ust work if I got around to trying . I need more tools ....... Honey , I need some powertools for X-mas

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

I think I'm getting it now.. it would basically be a wooden box behind the backseat, right.. but with a folded hinged portion.. then you fold the back seat so it is flat.. and then the wood extends and unfolds over the folded seat..

Sounds really cool but would you need some supports made running along the length of the sides of the Blazer? Maybe you could bolt something on the rails of the Blazer plastic shell? That way they wouldn't have to be permanently attatched.

 

[pauly383]

You got it .

I gotta get off my butt and do it to see how it works out , but I have a truggy , a boat and a Chevelle all needing stuff too .

Someone with a jigsaw , a drill , and some wood needs to experiment , and just credit me with the idea

Must step away from computer and crash now , or I won't be able to do stuff tommorrow . Gotta get some roller 35's back to someone , and clean up my garage . It rained today and teh Chevelles pass window is on my workbench

 

[6.2LTrailblazer84]

Come to think of it.. without the hinges.. the idea I have actually spawned from the same point your idea came from...

I had thought of sliding one big piece of wood in over the wheel wells like this.. but unhinged.. then I thought of cutting the wheel wells down to give me more room.. then I thought it would be nice to have the front seats able to move to make more room to make it longer... then it just kept mutating to the point I am at now. haha

You might have a better idea of how it could actually work than I am thinking though.