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The 997 GT3 rear belts & seats thread


mbedford
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Hi all, I've been doing my own research on this topic, I wanted to put all i've learnt and see if anyone disagree's or seen otherwise. I've been speaking with jzmporsche.com in the UK that have some actual experience in this area. I'm just limiting this thread to 997 GT3's, as the ones after the 997 its pretty impossible to do all this. If you do a google image search you'll see plenty of people have done this before. In-fact I heard that in Germany, Porsche would do a special order to fit and install belts and seats, 997 only.

GT3 997.1
Fit rear seat belts

Buy rear belts and all bolt fixings, cut away holes in carpet and screw into the holes in the chassis.

Fit rear seats
Buy seats, lower one just sits with Velcro on the carpet, but need to salvage and weld on the upper metal latch the seat backs attach to, Porsche wont sell this part to you.

 

GT3 997.2
Fit rear seat belts

Buy rear belts and all bolt fixings, there are no bolt fixings in the centre tunnel between the seats, the Punched holes have been welded over you will need to make load spreader plates with nuts welded to them, these fit to the body above the gearbox. In summary not easy.

Fit rear seats
Same as the 997/1 bascally. Buy seats, lower one just sits with Velcro on the carpet, but need to salvage and weld on the upper metal latch the seat backs attach to, Porsche wont sell this part to you.

 

RS cars
The RS cars are no different, its just they all come with the roll-cage in the back, so no-one would likely be interested to do this.

 

Insurance/police inspection topic
Its funny as most of the Aussie sites like Redbook list the 997.1 GT3 as a 4 seater, but the 996 and 997.2 and onwards as a 2 seater.
From a police inspection POV, if a policeman roadside inspected and saw 2 child seats in the back all looking secure (you can see where im going here), they wouldn't question it I feel confident. I've spoken to a few in Australia that have 911's with child seats in the back, no issues with roadside police inspections.

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12 minutes ago, mbedford said:

Its funny as most of the Aussie sites like Redbook list the 997.1 GT3 as a 4 seater, but the 996 and 997.2 and onwards as a 2 seater.
From a police inspection POV, if a policeman roadside inspected and saw 2 child seats in the back all looking secure (you can see where im going here), they wouldn't question it I feel confident. I've spoken to a few in Australia that have 911's with child seats in the back, no issues with roadside police inspections.

I think I remember reading a post from @James P when he was selling his 997.1 that his was registered as a four seater, where as not all are. That would make the difference as to whether you'd run into legal troubles I'd imagine.

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I’ve looked to buy a 997 GT3 with this in mind. The unfortunate truth is that I arguably drive my 912 too fast with the kids in the back. A GT3 is just baiting me more so as the worst parent of the decade when I get pulled up for speeding, sitting on the side of the road with my 3 boys watching the car get loaded onto a flat bed and having to call mum to pick us up............kids complaining that they are hungry, people driving past and taunting me with their angry gaze (or laughing). 
 

So, yeh, sorry, what was the question again? 

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1 hour ago, James P said:

If your VIN plate states that it seats 2 i think it will be very difficult to legally install rear seats, but if it's like the 997 gt3 VIN plate below then it should be ok

IMG-4535.jpg

 

You can get it engineered as a 4 seater later as long as it all complies with safety. Particularly if the factory anchor points are still there. I have done the reverse (engineered a 4 seater down to 2) and I have also had new seat belt points that I fabricated myself engineered to be road legal.

You could do it, but as Hugh said, do you really want or need to?

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I think I may have an answer for you, but I have to go past and check my car, my car is a factory roll cage car with fixed seats ( only slide back and forth and no tilt ) so I'm pretty sure its says 2 seater on the plate, its probably the fact that the "touring" version doesn't have these that make it flexible to be able to make into a four seater, I think their was a white one up for sale a couple of years ago on Carsales.

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An important point in Peter 996 post. 
Front seats must be able to tilt forward to enable rear seat passengers ingress/egress.  
Rear seat head room is also critical.  A roll bar will likely be an obstacle. 

it’s not just about being able to bolt in seats and belts. The whole passenger environment needs to be compliant. 

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Has anyone heard of rear belts being fitted by any workshops in Aus?

Or any recommendation of a good Porsche workshop in Sydney?

From the explanations it seems as easy to buy the belts, cut the small holes in the carpet and screw them in, bit if there's a local workshop that could do it for me I'd be interested.

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2 hours ago, Peter 996 said:

I think I may have an answer for you, but I have to go past and check my car, my car is a factory roll cage car with fixed seats ( only slide back and forth and no tilt ) so I'm pretty sure its says 2 seater on the plate, its probably the fact that the "touring" version doesn't have these that make it flexible to be able to make into a four seater, I think their was a white one up for sale a couple of years ago on Carsales.

My 996.1 GT3 Touring / Comfort had rear seatbelts fitted at some stage in the past. Pretty sure it would have been done by PCM as they did all the maintenance work on the car.  My Tas rego shows it as a 4 seater.  That may be because the rego inspector filled the form out as 4 seats.....

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Just checked, mine is a registered 2 seater, may also be a sneaky way to check is the car is factory clubsport or touring when purschasing, may put a few claims to rest ( could be wrong as the cost of seats and cage is ridiculous from Porsche to try and turn from a tourer into a Clubbie )

 

 

IMG_0577.jpg

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Now, here comes the curve ball !!!!

 

My old 1999 996 GT3 was a registered 2 seater, it was a touring model aswell but was ordered from factory with fixed recaro leather buckets.

 

I would presume to comply with ADR if its got fixed back seats it would be registered as a 2 seater for safety purposes etc.

I've been trying to find a photo of the plate but cant.

 

 

IMG_0301.JPG

IMG_0303.JPG

IMG_0304.JPG

IMG_5148.PNG

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On 12/04/2020 at 14:27, TwoHeadsTas said:

Porsche Centre Melbourne

Hmm pretty far for me to go, im in Sydney.

Ideally i'm looking for a good Porsche workshop in Sydney who can buy the genuine 997 rear seat belts and fit them for me, not interested in the rear seats at this stage, just the belts.

If I cant find anyone, I have the Porsche part number here somewhere and could have a go myself as they are just screw in.

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10 minutes ago, mbedford said:

Hmm pretty far for me to go, im in Sydney.

Ideally i'm looking for a good Porsche workshop in Sydney who can buy the genuine 997 rear seat belts and fit them for me, not interested in the rear seats at this stage, just the belts.

If I cant find anyone, I have the Porsche part number here somewhere and could have a go myself as they are just screw in.

As you're in Sydney I'd suggest you talk to James at Autohaus Hamilton in Chatswood.  

Perhaps one of the other 997 owners can advise whether the mountings are even fitted to the car as original, or whether these fittings would need to be welded in first (eg the bolt on the tunnel for the short buckle strap)??

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1 hour ago, mbedford said:

Hmm pretty far for me to go, im in Sydney.

Ideally i'm looking for a good Porsche workshop in Sydney who can buy the genuine 997 rear seat belts and fit them for me, not interested in the rear seats at this stage, just the belts.

If I cant find anyone, I have the Porsche part number here somewhere and could have a go myself as they are just screw in.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-gt2-gt3-forum/376327-rear-seats-installed-pics.html

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2 hours ago, smit2100 said:

Yes that is the thread that started this idea for me :)

3 hours ago, TwoHeadsTas said:

As you're in Sydney I'd suggest you talk to James at Autohaus Hamilton in Chatswood.  

Perhaps one of the other 997 owners can advise whether the mountings are even fitted to the car as original, or whether these fittings would need to be welded in first (eg the bolt on the tunnel for the short buckle strap)??

They are there, under the carpet. Will speak to Autohaus Hamilton, cheers, they are very close to where I live.

On 12/04/2020 at 08:47, Harvs11 said:

Front seats must be able to tilt forward to enable rear seat passengers ingress/egress.  

This is a photo from a overseas GT3, the front seats in the non Clubsport model go forwards yes?

540154d1306656105-rear-seats-installed-p

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On 11/04/2020 at 21:33, James P said:

If your VIN plate states that it seats 2 i think it will be very difficult to legally install rear seats, but if it's like the 997 gt3 VIN plate below then it should be ok

IMG-4535.jpg

 

 

I believe this is somewhat common on the 997's if they are non CS? 

 

18 hours ago, mbedford said:

Hmm pretty far for me to go, im in Sydney.

Ideally i'm looking for a good Porsche workshop in Sydney who can buy the genuine 997 rear seat belts and fit them for me, not interested in the rear seats at this stage, just the belts.

If I cant find anyone, I have the Porsche part number here somewhere and could have a go myself as they are just screw in.

PR Technology just did a 997.2 GT3 for a friend here in Sydney... give them a call, I am sure if you talk to Richard or Paul they will know the spill. But that friend did say he had the 4 seat compliance plate like James' car did, so no need for an engineers report.... I could check my 7.1 for you too if its a 4 seat compliance as it was a non CS originally. 

 

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11 minutes ago, edgy said:

I could check my 7.1 for you too if its a 4 seat compliance as it was a non CS originally. 

 

Yes please. Just spoke with Autohaus Hamilton in Syd, and they said if it doesn't show 4 seater on the compliance plate, they wont touch the car for this mod.

I also jsut sent an email to PR Technology, you've got em excited :)

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