MGB-GT Mystery part - early GT fold down seat back?

[bwurgler]

In the process of helping my LBC mechanic clean out his old shop - we came upon this piece which he initially identified as the fold down "partition" for the seat rear seat back from an MGB GT. After getting it home and looking it over...the shape, size, hinges, and outer latches look right...but there are two support rods that fold down out of the piece that I've never seen before, and don't make sense - unless there was a time when the seat back didn't have a cushion attached to it?! I've attached one picture...and can email additional ones. You can see the "legs" extended from the bottom of the piece. Thanks!

 

[Steve]

Firstly.....welcome to the forum! Interesting photo. I looked at every reference article that I could, but was unable to find anything that showed such a setup, and yet from what I can tell from the picture, it looks as if it was a factory item. I don't think that they made a rear folding squab without a cushion.

 

[Steve_S]

Doesn't look familiar but more photos would be good.

 

[bwurgler]

Here's a link to more pictures showing the front and back of the piece. Click on "mystery part"

https://photobucket.com/albums/a216/wurgs/

Password is "mgstuff".

 

[Steve_S]

Well, it "could" fit a GT as a back seat piece, but I've never seen anything like that hardware. Odd.

 

[tony barnhill]

Homemade piece - looks like somebody was trying to copy an XKE coupe!

 

[LLAngus]

Looks like the portion of the body to cover behind the front seat like a tonto(SP) cover. I think I remember my uncle having one of these for his car.

 

[Bruce74B]

Would you beleive...

A cover for the cargo section behind the rear seat that fold down out of the way. Idea and plans complements of Popular Mechanics (circa 1972) or some such magazine. I made something like that for my Vega. Remember hacthbacks before we had plastic interiors? This kept valuables out of sight and secure behind the seat

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif