I'm wanting to replace my rear 1/4 panels- the ones that cover the rear speaker underneath the 1/4 windows... How do you get them apart from the shoulder strap of the front seatbelts? Do you have to completely dissasemble the seatbelts, b/c that's how it appears to me... There's no way to silde the seatbelt strap out- I'm actually considering making a cut in the new panels to get the seatbelt into it, but don't really want to go this route- might be a ton easier than dissasembling the seatbelt though... any input would be greatly appreciated...


thanks a lot...
Robby

 

I'm pretty sure you have to disassemble the seat belts -- which requires that you remove the seats (6 6mm allen per side) and then the mounting bolts (17mm bolts, one underneath the seat, one on the B-pillar).

But, don't cut the new panels -- take your time and do it right!

 

Yes. Doing things right is sometimes a PITA, but you'll always be happier with the results

 

Ok, why would I have to remove the seats to remove the seat belts...? I mean, you can get to the seatbelt easily when you pull up the panel & there's no reason to remove the inside section of the seatbelt.... It just seems like Porsche built the panel around the shoulder strap or something... sort of backasswards... seems like there would be a much easier way...? My current panels look like s**t & I'd like to replace them, but if I have to go through this much trouble... well, either way, new ones w/a small slit in them would still look a ton better than what I have- might be able to get an interior place fix the cuts even- would be underneath the little black plastic trim piece- IT has a slit in it for the seatbelt... that KILLS ME!!! WTF for? I mean, I can take this little black plastic trim piece off... WooooooHooooooo!!!!! Does me no good whatsoever, but I can take it off... If the panel had a tiny slit in it like that w/a better trim piece to cover it, I could get the seatbelt through & not have this prob... There have to have been a few people who who've dealt w/this before though, so maybe someone here has some insight....?


Trevor- is that your car? What happened to the 968? How did you do those headlights if the 944 is your's? Are you using H4 bulbs, etc...? Would love to see some pics of it...

 

If your replacing the panels...

If you don't have kids or intending on transporting kids, take the seatbelts out and leave them out. I personally think they look terrible back there. Especially the fasteners that dangle off the seat bottoms.

Then you can do a rear seat delete!!!

 

I've already done that.... I'm talking about the front seatbelts.....

 

Oh wow...yeah.....MUST SLEEP NOW.......

Yeah, you have take the seatbelts apart if you want to replace them. Sorry, been up for far too long and I haven't had nor seen a coupe in over 6 months!

How is your car coming along? Did you get the suspension worked out?

 

I'm going from memory right now, but I have a parts car I can take pictures of in the morning.

But the end that the finishes behind the front seat is small and will fit through that slit that the trim piece covers. The shoulder section should also fit through that slit as well. I don't think you can get at the bolt with the seats in....

 

Joe- ok, I see what you're saying... the bolt on the forward piece is pretty fgar down in there... might be able to get to it if the seat is set right- forward or back enough...? Maybe not... But, IF all I have to do is get to that bolt & undo it, & that part will slide through the opening slit in the panel, then that might not be so bad... I hate the idea of taking apart the seatbelt mechanism though... Also, the part that we're talking about- the forward part of the belt that's bolted in- there's a plastic sleeve that goes around it- not sure if that would slide off after unbolting or not...? If not, would it slide through that slit too???

Clint- no, not even close on the suspension- I did just buy new 968 M030 sways & A-arms though- can't tell a dif b/t the sways & my Turbo S M030's though- still need new tie rods & am getting my front Koni's rebuilt & made DBL adj- not sure what to do on rears as Paragon just raised the Cup's considerably... My two biggest probs right now are a PS leak & finding 28mm hollow Torsion bars- they don't make them anymore- should still be plenty of them around though, I would think, but I can't find them anywhere... I'm trying to get all the parts collected for the susp & get it all done at once, except for the sways, which I've already done...

 

Man... Still looking for the 28mm hollow, huh?

Yea... be sure it's torqued tight when remounting -- and keep track of the washers.
I'm not sure which plastic piece you're thinking of.

Again, going completely by memory. The bolt at the end is covered by a plastic cap -- remove. The male end of the seat belt latch will fit through the slit. And then there's the B-pillar mount -- the bolt is covered by a plastic cover -- remove. The B-pillar mount itself will also fit through the slit.

 

Hi Robby -- here are some pics from my parts car. Since the seats were already removed, the whole operation took 5 minutes remove and install. Plus, you want clean access to the seat belt components for proper install (make sure you keep track of the washers and the twist in the seat belt).

Easy access:


B-pillar bolt with cover on an 85.5 (later years look different):


The hard to access bolt behind the front seats:


The trim piece that covers the slit:


And with the trim piece removed, the whole assemble will fit through the slit:


Installation is the reverse of removal.

 

That's exactly how an early car is, too. Someone above mentioned that it's different, it wasn't when I changed an old seatbelt.

I'm looking for 3-point rear belts, just for looks. I want a rear seat back there for an emergency, and the lap belts do look bad. Can I retrofit a 3-point rear belt? Does anybody even have black rear 3-point belts that they don't want?

 

Joe- thanks a lot for the pics- the plastic piece I'm talking about is a long sleeve that covers the bolt you're showing beside the seat- not sure where your's is, but it's just a cover of some sort- probably comes loose when the bolt is undone... but it's a cover sleeve & is over six inches long... it would not fit through the slit in the panel either, so I'm sure it has to come off- just hope it's not tough to remove... thanks again for the help...


I have black rear 3-pt seatbelts- wanted to put them on ebay- only thinking I'd want them the second I sold them- seriously regret removing the rear seatbacks b/c it looks like s**t- I need to find some carpet & pull the seat-bottom & cover over the whole thing... IF I could do this, I wouldn't care about them anymore, but can't find any good sound deadening or carpet to do what I want.... Would like to immitate Rich Sandor's car for the time being & then eventually find a way to build something like Porsche did for the CS cars, only light instead of lead-***-heavy like they did- Porsche made the shelve's so heavy, seats would have been lighter... Try George Buselink at 944 Ecology... he should have PLENTY of rear 3-pt seatbelts I would think... black's a common interior color too... If not, get back to me- I may get rid of mine really cheap, but I really need to find several things first... Maybe we can work something out....

 

I replaced the seat belts in the 83 with newer belts from an 86. I didn't remove the panels at all but everything still bolted up just by working from the front edge and pulling the old and new belts through the slit. The insert pops out of the slit and eveything does fit through. Just unbolt the top mount and the belt spooler and pull it all out through the front of the old panel. When you do the new panels just reverse the order but fish the loose end of the belt first and bolt the spooler down before snapping the panel back in. Sorry this is a bad description but it will be clearer when you take it apart.

 

Wait, the last thing I want to do is unbolt the spooler... I thought we were past that...? Have I misunderstood? It sounds like I can leave it alone & just unbolt the front piece by the seat... if that's the case, the belt spooler would be better left (& much much easier) untouched... I mean, if I unbolt the spooler, I've unbolted all three points.. there are only three, right? Have I misunderstood something here?

edit- not trying to come off as an ******* here... i'm just completely confused now... I thought I understood... any info would be greatly appreciated...