Technical FOLD DOWN TRUNK DIVIDER

I am in the process of building the substrates that will make up my interior once they are upholstered. I am trying to figure out a way to hinge a fold down door to access the space behind the seat when necessary but be closed when not in use. So far I haven't found what I am looking for in searches, both here and google.

Here is what I have so far, I still haven't got all the brackets attached that will brace and secure the panels so they appear a bit topsy turvy at the moment.

The access panel is lying on the floor in this picture, I plan to hinge it somehow from the bottom of the divider and secure it with vintage style hardware or leather straps/belts. But how do I hinge it? I plan to build a bracket on either side of the opening to secure the panel. The air gap at the bottom of the panel will be gone once the carpet is installed. The area above the panel will hold my leather tool roll. My battery box obviously will fill the right side well. I cut the panel so that it would lay flat when folded toward the trunk opening, landing just short of the bubble I welded to the floor to clear the frame over my QC.

Ideas? Suggestions? I have laid my golf bag in there and there is plenty of room with drivers in the bag. That was an essential piece of this build since all of cars do golf course duty and I don't want them in the passenger seat.

If you have an access panel, can you please post me some photos?

 

I may be missing something, but couldn't you just use a piano type hinge and cover it with carpet or something?

 

Don't need no stink'n hinges!

 

and attach it to what? I don't want to drill holes in the floor. I thought about drilling a strip of steel or aluminum say about a 1/4 inch thick. Drill and Tap it for threads, Cut the sound deadening back, grind the floor and epoxy the strip down. Then maybe use footman loops and leather belts? Or is could use your piano hinge.

Another idea is to make hinge points on both sides of the opening but I'm not sure how I would make the center section removable for upholstering if I did that. I'm not an interior guy, just trying to make sure certain aspects of the job are designed properly before the pros get it.

 

@DDDenny , looks like you have to unscrew it to remove it?

 

Hmm... How often are you going to be opening and closing it? Could the panel just be totally removable, no hinge, just latches or straps on the top and sides?

 

Hmm, hadn't though of that.

 

Velcro!

 

@hoof22 , when you are back on your feet, that last post from rjones35 makes me wonder if you can tool me something up to attach the panel that match's your leather tool roll that will be attached directly above it?

We also talked about tooling up some hood straps. PM me on that one when you are ready.

 

If you’re going to have straps for the closure anyways, why don’t you run them down further and have them stitched to act as the hinge also? Not sure if that makes sense, I can picture it but not sure exactly how to explain it..

 

I think I follow you. Another thing that puzzles me, wont I have to make a stop that the panel closes against so it doesn't just flop around? Maybe a riveted strip of aluminum around the opening

 

Zippers and snaps and hood pins...... Oh my!

 

Velcro works gud on panels that need to be removed periodically...……….

 

to simplify battery or master cylinder covers in the floors of cars i step or add a "tooth" to the backside, of one end of the cover. this allows it to hook onto the panel on one side, holding it securely and squarely, so that it only needs one fastener on the other side.

 

agreed fully. And maybe I am trying to over engineer this thing.

 

You can use 2 sets of barrel bolts.
They will be the hinge PLUS be a completely removable panel if you want.
Look for something cool with a round bolt.
Any type of hinge you put down there is gonna leave some encumbrance along the bottom.

Get one for the top.

 

What about Magnets to hold it in place, the a simple loop to remove it?
Magnetic cabinet latches would hold well and be simple to install!
KK

 

Nope just your typical "tonto cover" twist buttons.

 

this is not the type of quality for your build but here is a hinge i made from zip ties for a cat door on an interior door. cat went through this 1000's of times and has not wore out yet. poly carbonite plastic.

 

Here’s my set up, continues through to inside for storage behind seat with a lid to keep whatever out of sight. PM me if you’d like more pics.

 

Rare Earth Magnets...
Chappy
https://www.magcraft.com/magcraft-n...-WAtP6C4ZyTBRb0gyHrvA5cVLhWgLblxoCqH0QAvD_BwE

 

How did you teach your cat to use the door?

 

A large dish of tuna fish.

 

all summer the door was open and the cat was used to going through, when we closed the upstairs up for the winter we left the "cat door" open a little, then slowly closed it a little at a time till the cat got used to rubbing the door. in a week the cat would go through it as tho it wasn't there. i have the same set up on the door to the upstairs of my barn also for the same reason for the barn cat.

 

All the cats I ever had were not smart enough, I guess.

 

All the good ideas are taken. I though some Dzus buttons might be cool as well, if you wanted that more industrial/race look. Velcro or magnets will be easier.

 

My wife came up with one last night that was different, she suggested a roll up leather divider that ties when it is up and has either Velcro or snaps on the sides to attach it when it is down. Sounds kinda cool but it will require reinforcing the plastic panel with bracing from the floor to the cross bar on top to make it more rigid.

 

but how will the cat get through?

 

Why not hinge it at the bottom like a tailgate:



And then use a drawbolt (?) latch like on a guitar case to hold it closed:



Find the appropriate sized hardware, some small screws and matching acorn head nuts, attach it all to your divider and you're golden.

 

Or, maybe, run a section of channel under the WHOLE divider so you could shove in the bottom of the "door" as needed. This piece could mount to the bottom edge of your "wall" and not the floor of the trunk.



Then use a hook or something to hold the top.