97 LX rear armrest idea

[NLXTACY]

Ok read what I could read on the topic but haven't seen anything like it so I figured I would display an idea I had for the middle row seats. What I wanted to find out is if anyone had tried to add basic cupholders to the arm rests to the middle seats. These seem like a good area to add them. I was gonna pick up some standard duty cupholder inserts from an older Corolla or something, then cut/notch out the hole in the armrest to match the cupholder insert. The other thing I wanted to do was to add a 12v outlet at the back of each armrest if there was room. I was going to run the running inside the back of the seat and out along the front hinge. Any thoughts to this madness before I start chopping perfectly good armrests?

 

[boydmick]

Nothing I would use (I think I've had someone in the back twice and the dogs don't need no stinkin' cupholders), but it sure looks like a great idea to me!

The only suggestion I have would be to turn the lighter sockets around so as the armrest is folded it might push the lids closed.

 

[NLXTACY]

Well my wife coaches kids soccer every year and I come from a big family so the seats get used a lot. Only recently have I finally taken out the rear most seats because they dont get used throughout the year. My son is back there all the time and we fight for the two cupholders we have now. Plus its annoying having his PSP charger plugged in all the time. I like the idea of making an auto-closing lid for the outlets. I could just install some outlets with a spring loaded cover.

 

[alia176]

Excellent ideas.

 

[e rock]

Not that they're that common, but if you could find the fold-down armrests from a 95(?)-99 Mitsubishi Montero, you could steal the whole cupholder insert plate and mount it to the LX armrest. There is plenty of room to add whatever else you might want on the insert plate like a 12V plug, or even a 120V outlet wired to the convertor under the seat. I want to say the plastic insert plate is like 12"x4" or so and would make for a nice finished look if it fits correclty.

We just sold my wife's '98, and I don't thnk I have pictures of the armrest folded down, but they're at the outside edges of the middle row rather than the middle of the seat.

 

[Flank]

LX, caught this off of one of your other freakin crazy (cool) ideas. I did the same thing with the cupholders on my Porsche 914 once. found the perfect thing - Basic black cupholders with single screw hole in the bottom from a marine store. Just cut the foam undersized, the cupholder has a 5/16" or so lip to cover the edge of the fabric.

 

[NLXTACY]

LX, caught this off of one of your other freakin crazy (cool) ideas. I did the same thing with the cupholders on my Porsche 914 once. found the perfect thing - Basic black cupholders with single screw hole in the bottom from a marine store. Just cut the foam undersized, the cupholder has a 5/16" or so lip to cover the edge of the fabric.

hahahahaa!

Way to bring back a dead thread

Well this is still in the plan when I do the leather, its just on the back burner til I get more important stuff done.

 

[mot]

Joey.

The 12v outlets would be nice as long as/especially if your elbow doesn't hit them while using it.

Keep up the good work!

 

[NLXTACY]

Joey.

The 12v outlets would be nice as long as/especially if your elbow doesn't hit them while using it.

Keep up the good work!

Well I've actually been looking into retractable outlets from an Audi.

 

[VanGo]

N-

This a great use of space, and the final product will look factory. Post up once completed.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I like the idea of the holders but normally have three kids in back so they are usually flipped up. My only concern is the kids liquids ending up in the outlets. A bigger issue is routing the wire into the seats and into the armrests invisibly and without pinching it. Cool idea, not sure if its worth the effort for me though.

 

[NLXTACY]

Well I already have the wiring path planned out and am of course going to add in a quick disconnect in case I need to remove the second row for any reason. The path I have will accommodate flipping the seats up.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I am sure it wont be that tough, I just finished replacing a laptop screen (and properly routing the wire through the hinge/clutch assembly) so wire paths are on my mind.

 

[96r50]

Hey Joey, did you ever get a chance to bring this idea to fruition? I was thinking about it today and wanted to see if you had done the hard work and tracked down a decent cupholder insert

 

[Grench]

I put a set of fold down cup holders in the rear doors of my 80 for my kids to use on a 2000 mile trip we took last spring.

They worked so well I just bought a pair in oak/khaki/brown to put into my wife's truck.

All it takes to install is 4 pop rivets, a drill and a small bit. Installation comes out fairly clean too.

I had been afraid that they would kick them getting in/out - no issues so far. Very handy.

Maybe I should put together a set of installation pics when I put them in my wife's truck this weekend.

 

[96r50]

I put a set of fold down cup holders in the rear doors of my 80 for my kids to use on a 2000 mile trip we took last spring.

They worked so well I just bought a pair in oak/khaki/brown to put into my wife's truck.

All it takes to install is 4 pop rivets, a drill and a small bit. Installation comes out fairly clean too.

I had been afraid that they would kick them getting in/out - no issues so far. Very handy.

Maybe I should put together a set of installation pics when I put them in my wife's truck this weekend.

Yes, maybe you should

 

[NLXTACY]

Hey Joey, did you ever get a chance to bring this idea to fruition? I was thinking about it today and wanted to see if you had done the hard work and tracked down a decent cupholder insert

I have everything I need, I think, to add them into the armrests when I finally get around to redoing my leather seats. The cup holders I am using are rubber inserts from a BMW.