The Touring Backseat Project
 

Here goes the crazy journey as I go down a rabbit hole. Consider this post 1 of many and will document the journey as I light dollar bills on fire and go bald.

I have three kids - 9, 7, and 7. I plan on driving my touring a ton and putting a crap ton of miles on it. That means I occasionally have to get kids to school/practice/etc. I want back seats. I don't want to have to pre-plan on what car I am going to take before I leave the house because my mind doesn't work like that. And, I want to OWN the carpool lane.

My original plan was going to take delivery of the 992 and see how it worked. If it didn't work, I was going to trade it for a 991 Touring, where it's been documented that back seats are a possibility through elfermotors, a German company. The german solution is very legit and the cars passes TUV (german safety authority).

A couple of weeks ago, I got on the phone (actually my german speaking friend who knows nothing about porsche got on the phone) and spoke to Elfermotors. The three way was pure comedy since my german friend knows nothing about cars and thought I was crazy. But, during all the back and forth across multiple calls, my friend asked if I had a 991 or a 992. Actually, she said, "I thought you were buying a 911 why do they want to know about 991 or 992 - do they not understand me?". She was pretty pissed that her german wasn't good enough. All I heard was "992" and immediately asked "Does this work in a 992?". Twenty minutes later educating her on porsche model numbers.... we confirmed through several more phone calls that the 992 has the requisite mounting points for rear seat belts ala the 991 touring.

Repeat - 95% sure that 992's can be retrofitted with rear seats. Repeat - rear seats in a 992 touring.

Here is how it works. You buy the Porsche parts state side and buy the kit from elfermotors. Roughly 30 hours of labor later, you have a rear seat in a 992 gt car. What can go wrong?

My current status:
- I have the kit on order from elfermotors. Roughly $3k.
- Here is the part list for parts that you have to procure stateside. This is the 991 parts list. Working on adding the 992 parts list. Basically the parts list is a rear seat kit with belts, seats, bolts and carpet. Roughly another $8k at list price.
- While new, the expensive parts are $7.5k, I went to ebay and found a salvage rear seat and seatbelts from a 2020 992 with 3k miles on it for $1k. I plan on getting the rear seats re-upholstered in a pasha or some great tartan. The kids will love it. I figured I can always sell the parts if it doesn't work out.

My car is still a few months away but thought I would share my process along the way. I will document the install as we go.

As of Feb 4, $1k spent. Hair is still full. Wife still happy.

As for the peanut gallery:
- Yes, this means sofas
- Its reversible.
- The carpet will not match the drapes. ie, sofas will be a different fabric than the backseat. Who cares. Be honest, has the carpet ever matched the drapes? You are *always* disappointed on this front. Now if they made a pasha dye....
- Blah blah blah about weight in the back and the finely tuned springs. It's 20 miles a week.
- According to latest SCR, AP hates it. Well, AP hasn't met me. He would LOVE me.

Subscribed. When does your car arrive?

May. Wanted to get a jump on it since I plan on influencing the price of salvage rear back seats.

So cool!! Also subscribed!!

And please add the “your car will be unlawful, and you will be in deep trouble with lawyers and insurance if bla bla bla” to the peanut gallery. :corn:

Now, if only Sea Sucker made a ski rack. Throw some Pilot Alpin's on it with steelies and you could all meet me for an Alta Bomb at Goldminers. Take that peanut gallery.

What does the kit from elfermotors include? Interested to see….

Commend you as the US 992 Touring Back Seat 'trailblazer'! Subscribed, and wish you luck, and thanks for carving the way for others!

Me too. My German translator didn’t say. I think it is a bunch of custom fabricated iitems to attach the seat belts.

In the previous models, even a small amount of slush on the road dislocates brake ducts. They should pop back in easily with no real damage, at least the previous gen did that, but this limits winter use somewhat.

But it's a cool project to have back seats installed! Thumbs up!

Subscribed! This post made my day in several ways.

Subscribed! Look forward to your journey and learning about it as something I could consider one day. :cheers:

Should be an interesting project. I noticed you don't mention needing new rear side trim panels, but the GT3 panels are missing the hole that mounts the post that supports the backrest of the rear seats in the up position. You have to remove and drill a hole in the stock leather panel I assume (gulp)? That doesn't sound reversible. I'd be interested in seeing the instructions!

I have parts list only. Don’t have the instructions yet. And they will be in German!

Hold my beer….

I put the back seat in my Shelby GT350R and while both black they were different material. Nobody noticed and it looked fine. Sold it that way. It was an all day project to install the seat belts, trim and seats and that was with everything being factory bolt in parts.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...a812f7d70.jpeg
Halfway through the project!


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...931f23f8c.jpeg
Finished project


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...3d54a34a8.jpeg
Mismatched front seats, LOL!

Subscribed!
 

Really cool!