The Touring Backseat Project
#1
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.
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.
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#8
#9
But it's a cool project to have back seats installed! Thumbs up!
#12
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!
#14
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.
Halfway through the project!
Finished project
Mismatched front seats, LOL!
Halfway through the project!
Finished project
Mismatched front seats, LOL!
Last edited by montoya; 02-04-2022 at 08:46 PM.
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