American & Proud

Everyone likes what they like.

For me, I find the added rear seat much more useful than the tool storage box was. With the rear seat folded down, you have the same amount of hauling space when wanted, and can seat 5 when your not hauling stuff.

With the added headrest monitors, and the Customized rear interior door panels I have added, it all just Adds to the total Coolness and mystique of the Panel.

I have Kept Every OEM piece and also bought Extras to have on hand, I can put my Panel back to OEM at any time.

2manyvans

Got the rear seat in last night! I started on the belts, tapped the first hole. That was a chore and remembered a friend in the body biz said those factory bolts cut their own threads. I tried a few turns with the tap and finished up with the bolt! Worked well...

-I took the shortcut on the panels ,got the cuts and scrapes on my hands. The seatbelts were recoiled ,the junkyard guy told me to mount them and they would release-he was right!

- With the help of some Bud Lights everything went fairly smooth. I only put 2 scrapes when wrestling the seat my myself. One on the doorsill an one on the rear of the console. I do want to thank everyone for the moral support !

- Next mods will be inside pull straps on back doors and mount the liscense plate under the front bumper...John

BlindLizard

Sleeper, did you leave the big plastic box in? I like my flat space, but the box cubbies are of little use. They could have put in drain holes for cooler use. I wonder, would just a seat back install for total storage space underneath without the seat frame and lower seat part? That way I would still have my flat area and storage too.

American & Proud

BlindLizard,

Not sure if you realize this but, with a rear seat installed in a Panel, when you fold down the rear seat, it is pefectly Flat in back. Just as it would be with the tool storage bin in back.

So if your not hauling passengers in back much, leave the rear seat down and its all the same except the storage box cubbies are gone.

Without a Flat bottom they were pretty useless and things rattled around in them. IF GM had Redisgned the Panel version to have a Flat floor under the boxes it would have allowed a flatter bottom making them actually hold more. But they didn't.

Just wanted you to be aware that when the rear seat is folded down, it IS as Flat as with the "tool box" in back. All Flush. Plus the rear seat is a 60-40 split design so you can fold down one side or the other or both as needed/wanted.

There is also a small 2 flip up door storage bin that fits in Behind the rear seat giving you some storage and it is Flush as well.

See my previous posts here with pics.

bfegypt13

I'm kinda interested in door pull options that don't involve swapping the door panels. I want something that is functional and pleasing to look at, and am hoping to figure out an install that doesn't wreck the panels too bad (holes, etc.). I have a friend who does leather work, so I may contract her to make straps, it'll just be up to me to figure out the best way of attaching them.

Greybeard999

No way to do it without holes...... You will also have to drill through into metal for any kind of strength. Ideally they would be bolted with a nut and fender washer on the inside..... making install that much harder, but you really don't want a pull handle coming off in somebody's hand either.

American & Proud

I had thought about that, but decided no matter how you did it, it still would just look like you grabbed a replacement type "HELP" pull strap at the auto parts stores HELP Branded part rack, and slapped it on.

I felt with the rear seat the rear doors Needed to Match the front doors for the Best overall look. They now have the armrest and a small pocket like the fronts.

Adding Leather to all 4 doors afterwards would be a Nice touch.

For me this isn't just a work truck to toss tools about in and out of, so I wanted it Looking the Best I can get. I also wanted my kids or anyone else sitting in the back to feel Comfortable. Without the armrests in back it may not be as comfotable as it could be with them.

I also plan to participate in a few local car shows here and there, and mingle at the local cruise nights that end up parked at some drive in type fast food places around still.

So that also influenced me on my choice of how to Handle the rear doors.

I guess it just comes down to what you want, and why. And how much Detail and effort you want to put into a Mod.

I wanted mine to Look OEM Factory installed as best as I could do. And so Most would not even think about my Panel having a rear seat, heck most non Panel HHR owners are surprized the Panels were not offered with a rear seat. And Non HHR owners have no idea at all.

Be sure to post some pics of what you end up doing, the wrapping in Leather sounds like a Nice idea. And it may aid in Hiding my seam between the 2 door panels I used for each of my rear doors.




Panel ON Dude!

American & Proud

Like Greybeard says. ^ And you still Need to do it Right. Or else they will just end up in someones hand at some point. A Filler piece or bracket will most likely need to be made to keep the original door panel from flexing and moving and eventually Cracking.

This is Most of the hardware, Minus the 6 little push in Nut Clips needed for the handle mounting hardware. That pair of steel brackets you see in the pic here. 3 nut clips are used for each. Those steel brackets attach to the door, then the door panel attaches to them with 2 screws each in the finger cups used to pull the doors closed. The 2 white Hooked looking clips are just Extras already in place on the rear doors. So are the white and yellow pieces, already in your doors.
Mainly you need the 2 steel brackets, those 4 round head screws, the 6 screws you see, the 6 nut clips not shown, the 2 finger cup rubbers, and either rear door lock covers or get the lock buttons as filler.

BTW, those 6 little nut clips are about $24.00 from the Dealer. So for anyone wanting to add rear panels, Try hard to GET these little pieces with your used door panels. They Add up Fast when you Need to get them later at the Dealer otherwise.

When I bought my door panels from a member on another HHR Forum, I asked for ALL the clips and parts Needed for the install explaining exactly what I was planning on doing, he gave me everything but thought those 6 clips were already in a Panels rear doors, GM did not put them in as there not needed in a Panel. He would have sent them after we found out my Panel did not have them, but it was just easier for me to run over to the local Chevy Dealer and get them the day I was swapping out the panels.

bfegypt13

Well, I am not totally against drilling holes, I just want to keep them to a minimum. Personally, I like the blank panels in the back, I just want my kids to be able to close the doors themselves. I think I have come up with an idea that will look good, be functional and sturdy. I'll post pics of what I come up with.

American & Proud

Hey, I came across this picture on a car audio forum, Look at the old school door pull handle on the far door.

That type would work and look much better(IMO) than just a door strap type.

If you went to a local junk yard like a U Pull It place and looked around for cars with these older style door panels and that type door pull handle it may just work and look pretty good.

I would suggest you take off the door panel and Grab the Bracket behind it that the handle screws into and try to utilize it in the install on the HHR Panels rear doors.

It will give the kids a way to pull the door closed and they can use the armrest.

OH, Another idea would be to actually Cut out that part of the junk yard doors were the bracket attaches, and use that whole piece either bolted or welded in place on your rear doors, still may need to do some fabrication but should work.