[Langley968]

Has anyone installed rear seats in a Cabriolet? Would they be "practical" for a 12 and 16 year old? Are they "usable" with the top down?

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[flash]

it has been done - your local laws may prohibit it though - you will need to check that

as for practical, it really depends on the size of the kid - it's pretty small back there, and there is no way to add shoulder belts and have them be safe for use - that is exactly why they were illegal for import to the US with back seats

canadian cars had them though

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[Cloud9...68]

"Would they be "practical" for a 12 and 16 year old? "

I would say that unless they are significantly vertically challenged, stuffing kids of that age into the back of a 968, coupe or cab, would be tantamount to child abuse [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img] . One of the main reasons I bought my 968 nearly six years ago was because it has a back seat. But now my kids are 12 and 15, and neither are particularly tall, yet it's been about a year since they or any of their friends have ridden back there. It can work in a pinch (literally), but on any kind of a regular basis, I would say it's not a good idea. And the legalities Flash mentions are food for thought as well.

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[Langley968]

My 16 year old was looking over my shoulder when I was reading Cloud9...68 reply to my "practicality" question and she said: "OK - that's it. NO back seat for me!" [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]
I think I will still try and locate some BLUE or BLACK ones and then decide. I would still keep the storage compartments for possible future use.

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[Cloud9...68]

Sorry if I ruined your plans, or worse, traumatized your child! It is a pretty tight squeeze back there. I'm not quite to the point of going the opposite direction as you and removing the seats and replacing them with cubbies (to save weight), because the back seats are still useful in an emergency, but I'm getting closer with each passing month.

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[flash]

you won't save any weight by switching - the storage boxes are made of wood and weigh about 25lbs

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[Cloud9...68]

"you won't save any weight by switching - the storage boxes are made of wood and weigh about 25lbs"

Really? I never knew that. But surely you have a mock-up of a carbon fiber replacement somewhere in the bowels of your workshop, Dr. Frankenflash [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

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[flash]

lol - nope - i made a fiberglass shell dual 8" driver subwoofer instead

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[SILVY968]

Langley968,
I did the swap a few years ago for my then 10 year old son and friend.

The seat area is carpeted, so it will be ok for short rides. I only had to hammer down the wooden shelf mounting tab, which was easy and left no trace. Flash got me a set of upholstered matching seat bottoms from a friend that make it more comfortable, and it looked better.

The USA will not allow the rear seats to be legal without shoulder/lap seat belts. I installed a set of Porsche lap belts with new grade 8 bolts/nuts, that I got from a wrecker yard. No problem, no wires or lines in the way. You can feel where the body is flat to accept the bolt holes for the belts.

I would guess that kids over 50" tall would be VERY cramped. You can easily see if your kids will fit by just sitting them down after the shelf is removed ( watch out for the bracket in their back ). I would guess that the older kid would not fit well.

I left my shelf out even though my son does not use the rear seat that much. The weight savings and the increased space and "open" look to the rear were the reasons.

I use the trunk for valuables when the top is down, so the 2 locking bins are not missed.
Brian

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[Langley968]

SILVY968
Thanks for the feed back on the rear seat matter. I will be looking for a set in either BLUE or BLACK to do the swap. Good idea about getting some PORSCHE seat belts from a wrecker.

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[flash]

i do not advocate used belts, but if you have to, make sure they are fairly "new" - old belts are almost as bad as no belts - they degrade over time and could tear or snap at exactly the wrong moment, especially given that there is no way to incorporate a shoulder belt without it being in a spot that would snap the passenger's neck - the remaining lap belt is all that much more critical

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[Langley968]

Thanks for the "heads up" on <b>used</b> seat belts. Want to protect my "precious cargo" as best as possible! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]

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[flash]

that was my thinking as well - you never know how good a belt is until it's too late

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[jfrahm]

I kind of like the rear seats. I used to have a 944S2 cab and one summer I took a drive with my second favorite Norwegian girl in the back for a day in the mountains. She sat sideways and did not grumble. The seats also seem to be better for grocery bags than the shelf as they sit lower and thus more protected from the sun and wind.

The ability to carry a passenger back there in an emergency comes in handy. I also rescued a couple who's car lost the serpentine belt out in the middle of nowhere once. Same story, one sideways in the back.

The passenger should fit the seat belt so as to stay with the car in the event of a crash.

-Joel.

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[flash]

i don't think anybody is arguing the benefits of rear seats - they can come in handy - we are only suggesting that they will have limited practical use, and that it is certainly prudent to take any precautions possible for safety

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[jeff968]

You'll find that the carpets under the cubbies are fine for use. I have done this modification on both of my cars. The cubbie doesn't weigh much but it is something and it is suprising the amount of room that is opened up once they are out. I purchased rear belts from a 944. They, like most Porsche rear seat belts, were like new for $25.

Now, one thing to note on this modification, the 92-94.5 cars have all 4 seat belt nuts already in the floor. Just poke a whole through the carpet and bolt in the belts and you are ready to go. On 94.5-95s only the outboard nuts are there from the factory so you'll have to install something.

My kids rode back there all the time, until they grew legs [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif[/img] We used the car a lot more because of those rear seats. They are just as safe as taking the kids for a drive in a 90-91 944 cab.

Jeff

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[flash]

lol - which really is not safe at all, and why it was never legal here in the US 968 - the crash tests showed severe injury to the rear passengers, and increased injury to those in the front due to the bodies in the rear being thrown forward into the people in the front

not a good idea, but i understand the desire

forewarned is forearmed

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[jeff968]

Well someone at the DOT decided the 944 cab was plenty safe and certified it as such. We can look at auto safety improvements over the years and always say the older car is less safe but does that mean you shouldn't drive them or use them?

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[flash]

the safety requirements get tighter each year - what was considered safe before is not considered safe now

would you run around in a bone stock TR3 and think you were safe?

i'm not a big fan of the safety laws, but i understand why they are there

that is exactly why we can't get a true sportscar anymore though (you know - one with no airbags, no crumple zones, no reinforced doors, no popup rollover bars, yada yada)

so, to answer your question, no, you should not use the car if it is not safe, and you should certainly never advocate that someone else does, or even suggest that anyone allow their kids in any seat without a shoulder harness

by the way, even though the 944 cab did not have shoulder belts when it was new, and had back seats, it is still illegal to use them for small kids in california, as well as many other states - it is the same for any car - no shoulder belt, no kids

what somebody does on their own is up to them, but that does not make it wise, nor should we ever suggest such a thing

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[jeff968]

My question was "is an older car unsafe?", that would apply to a 2008 vs a 2009 when the 2009 has more safety equipment.

I was only trying to add information for the OP. I don't want to get into yet another debate.

You win....

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