So I had a chance to glance at a 996 Carrera to my left and a 996 GT3 to my right yesterday. My observations:

1. The basic forms under the upholstery are exactle the same in the rear seat areas between the two cars.

2. The spartan rear seats in the Carrera as basically two thin little pads that pass for the actual seats and the thin, hinged backs that are bolted onto the same upholstered forms.

3. It would appear to me that if I wanted to get a GT3 and wish to have the backseats installed, all I would have to do is to find the parts (don't really look like they are that heavy anyways), including the seatbelts and attachments, and just bolt them on. I would assume that the places to attach the hinges for the backs and the seatbelts are the same under the upholstery, that if Porsche decided to leave everything exactly the same, including the two divots for the rear ends of the rear passengers, and just deleted the seating surfaces and the seatbelts, the frame underneath would be exactly the same and the attachment points would be right there.

Anyone with any experience on this? Perhaps you've tried to delete the GT3 rear further by ripping off the carpet and have some insight to share about what you saw underneath? Thanks.

Finally: I would appreciate it if this thread ever gets any attention that it does not turn into a "you'll ruin it if you put backseats in a GT3" debate.

As the recent "Excellence" article on the 997 GT3 mentioned, most GT3s are not living their lives exclusively on track, and the 997 GT3 even comes with mandatory moonroof, which in my opinion is way less important than using the GT3 occasionally to haul a third person like a child, just so the whole family can enjoy the car without having to get a child watcher every time the wife wants to ride along....

plus, the backseat/seatbelt install just might be the ONLY way some of us married with child(dren) types will ever get the wife to agree to GT3 ownership, even if the seats will be needed only once every six months, and any help for a fellow guy to get a GT3 is worth discussing, right??

 

Get ready for the debate. And it usually has nothing to do with ruining a GT3 as you might assume but rather one of a safety and liability issue. You really need to contact your insurance carrier and make sure that if this is something you want to do that THEY approve it. The last thing you want is to have an accident and God forbid something happens to your children in the rear b/c of a safety issue in a car that does NOT come with rear seats and the insurance carrier denies your claim for modifying your car without alerting them for approval. Just b/c seats CAN go back there and b/c the car shares the C4 tub does NOT mean that you can just put in some seats and assume everything is kosher.

Just my $.02

 

you'll ruin it if you put backseats in a GT3

 

Now now. Its an okay idea and it has merit.

Lets prove that point by going through these examples. Say I have a 36 Plymouth Street Rod with a Cayenne style V8 engine in it. I modified the car myself, installed late model drivetrain & interior from Boyd Customs (including new three point rear seat belts which the 36 Plymouth never had - in back or front for that matter). Are you saying this car and its passengers cant / wont be insured?

You say your not into street rods... Well then. How about this: 1961 Porsche 356 B Roadster. I install factory option tiny little jump seats in back. Then I install rear seat belts and off I go. Are you saying that car and its rear passengers cant be insured / wont be insure in a crash?

Don't go for early Porsche's (what are you nuts)? How about a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 190SL? Upgraded that one to a sideways mounted jump seat (just one). Nice little seat belt system for that one too. You say check to see if you can't insure it or the passengers?

Oh but fine sir I think you can (actually I did, on all three).

People build their own cars everyday and put them on the road with MUCH less thought than a back seat upgrade on a GT3 and they still get to insure them as if they were your Fathers Oldsmobile. Do you really think that a GT3 with a backset upgrade is going to be less safe than a fiberglass Aston Healey 3000 replicar that bubba put together in his home garage?

This is silly. The Porsche GT3 chassis is just like its sister the Carrera. Put back seats in it (like many others have) and drive on.

And yes, Carrera back seats bolt in place with little modification.

 

FWIW, the 1994 RSAmericas (only 84 built IIRC) had back seats factory installed, the 1993 RSAmericas (617) did not have the back seats factory installed.

 

Search this forum and you shall find...................................................

 

This is going to be fun!!

 

"Ruin it" as in ruining the "purity" of the GT3 concept, or physically ruining the car itself?

I am more interested in the latter, the physical process of installing the backseats. If that is what you mean, then you have done it or heard of someone who has done it and "ruined" the GT3? That'll be the kind of info I would appreciate your sharing.

If it's the CONCEPT of the GT3 that's being ruined for you, then I think we can just recognize that I see merit in a GT3 carrying more than 2 occupants occasionally and you don't....

 

What got me thinking is the "Excellence" article on the 997 GT3, bemoaning the fact that they force us poor sucker Americano owners to buy a power-operated moonroof but won't let factory-installed backseats be an option....

 

 

If your happy with just fitting in seats in the back because you can-then so be it -but prepared when your child or other kid is in there and if something happens I like to hear your explanation to the judge and lawyer so I can relay my lawyer so I don't get screwed too. Sad to say -it ain't going to happen. I know is pure BS but why put yourself in that. Don't do it!! Regards. Mike

 

Actually that very point was discussed here within a thread about the new 997. And even the author of the article chimed in. The statement was not a "desire" for the back seat option but rather a quite facetious snide at the sunroof requirement rather than why they don't offer the rear seats. In otherwords, if they are going to force us to have the sunroof in this car, you might as well throw in backseats as well. Very well written article and nice use of sarcasm.

 

Can it be done? Yes, The 996 GT3 shares the same tub as the C4.
Is it safe? Yes, if the seats and belts are installed correctly.
In case of accident? The insurance company will NOT cover you. The car was certified as a two seat car in North America.
Will it ruin the 996 GT3? Yes :-)
Unlike the 997 GT3 the 996 GT3 did not come with a moon roof. :-)

K1

 

The seat belt anchor points are there, but the anchor points for the top 1/2 of the rear seats are not. You would have to have some metal brackets fabricated and welded in to mount the top portion of the rear seats.

 

I hate that this topic gets any attention at all..... If you need back seats, buy a TT..Sorry to be so blunt, but safety first. And welding brackets and fabricating seats is just a bad idea.