I am considering a lighter weight seat with better support for the 996TT. I'd like to save 50 lbs or so (as can be done with the GT3 seats). However, I've got a few questions:

1. Do you need a harness bar and 5 or 6 pt harness with the GT3 seat? Or will it work fine with the standard belts?

2. Who's got the best prices on GT3 seats?

3. Any light weight alternatives that will be comfortable for say a 100 mile trip, and have the same quality, look and feel as the P-car seat? For example, what does the P-car turbo sport seat weigh (vs. the standard power seat)? Any aftermarket alternatives that will look as good as, and function as well as, the GT3 seat?

4. Unrelated. But, anyone know how much the rear seats weigh? How much weight can be shed by removing them?

Thanks in advance,
-Donn

 

No, works fine with the standard belt.



www.carnewal.com OR contact Jonathon (unitah@aol.com)



GT3 Seats are best. Very comfortable. Porsche sport seats are very heavy.



Remove your rear seats and install GT3 seats. You won't regret it. You'll save around ~25lbs by removing the rear seats.

 

Donn:

I have the GT-3 seats sitting in my garage. I got $1,397.20 each from Foreign Affairs. Cheaper the Gert. I can't believe you don't want the harness.

As I have said before, everything with my car is on hold. Hopefully I'll be able to tell the story on Thursday.

 

Well, it depends on how I work out the issue of the child seat.... Can a child seat be mounted in a GT3 seat????

I would assume that the harness bar would make the rear seats not usuable. Also, since I do intend to track the car, the full harness is not really necessary. Perhaps just the lap belt to keep the butt-o-meter in place for more accruate measurement of slip angles.

 

Also, if you remove the rear seats, does it look like crap? Or does it look reasonably ok, like the GT2 looks reasonable ok back there? Anything light weight that can be done to make it look like it was meant not to have back seats?

 

I got Foreign Affairs down to $1,250/each + $100 shipping months ago. However, Jonathon, a friend, got me a great deal with no waiting. He can be reached at unitah@aol.com

The rear looks awesome without the rear seats. Porsche has a rear seat removal kit to finish off the rear.

 

Damn Don:

Stage 4GT and no intent to track! I wish I had separate track cars and could consider my Stage 4GT my drive around town car. I just don't want to have to buy and store a tow vehicle for my track only car.

I think you're going to have trouble with the car seat on the GT-3. I didn't try it but it is quite a bit more upright than normal car seats. If you can get it in and out of the back, it's going to be pretty tricky getting the kid in and out. You definitely can't do it with the roll bar installed.

 

The Recaro Pole Positions are another alternative:

 

Those are nice looking Ken. What's the pricing?

 

Go to Gert's site www.carnewal.com and click on seats and then Recaro Race Seats and then dollar conversion for the leather alternate.

 

Well, it all started when I was a kid... just about the time that Speed Racer was being created (had to blame it on something). Somehow, knew I just had to race one day. I had no money until I was over 30 since I spent too many years in grad school. So, I didn't get started until 8 years ago.

I started with auto-x but after a year found that I really hated being at an event for 10 hours only to get a total of 3 minutes of track time. So I turned to track events... only to find find that my street cars kept getting trashed at DEs. Chipped windshields, broken front valances, paint chips, warped rotors, worn out tires, increased suspension play, etc. (I once wore out a set of new street tires in one weekend.) I also wanted to race wheel-to-wheel.

So, the natural progression was to get a dedicated race car for wheel-to-wheel. A car that, if it gets totaled, I won't be financially or emotionally upset about it. And one that, if it requires occassional windshields, sheet metal, etc. and and never quite looks the same as a result of miscellaneous damage... it won't break my heart. I think I'd have a cow if someone plowed into my 996TT, tossed a rock up at the windshield, or chipped the paint seriously. Oh, and then there's the wear and tear on the mechanicals. Racing basically tears the crap out of your mechanicals. If tracked heavily, the car will never again feel the same. Everything will feel a little looser, more worn, and just not as precise... (unless you tear it down and rebuild the thing every weekend).

So, for me, the best solution was a four car garage and a race car...

 

Will do. Thanks Ken.

So, can you move the passenger's set forward and aft? Just wondering how easy it is to adapt to different drivers, and whether or not I can move it forward to enable me to put the little guy in his child seat in the rear...

I figure he ought to get a hoot out of 640 HP.

-DV

 

Wooow!!! Something to think about if I want to keep my new GT3 pristine...Since I have never been to a DE, do you get track laps by yourself or are there other cars out there at the same time kicking up crap and the like bombarding your nice finish and possibly smashing into you???

 

Other cars out there at the same time, kicking up crap and throwing it your way. Bits of rubber, rocks, etc. Expect chips to the front end and windsheild, as well as the wheel wells. Possibly broken headlights and/or foglights.

One of those clear bras might help. Also, they make clear headlight covers these days. Racers tape also helps to cover the vital areas like the front bumper, wheel wells, etc.

Someone on Rennlist I think was looking into the possibility of a stick on clear protector for the windshield. It just might work. Don't think it is in production though.

I've only seen cars collide a few times in open track events (i.e., not true wheel-to-wheel racing sessions). But, it happens. This summer a friend's stage 4gt got caught up in another car's incident and has spent many long weeks in the bodyshop. I can't imagine what the bill will be as long as it's been there... A year ago a guy flipped his Mustang convertible in a DE. Another guy in a Viper hit a wall. It happens... These were all local Arizona and So. California events, and the incidents occurred within the past three years. I probably missed a few of other incidents too as there are guite a few DEs out here.

 

Dan - where can I get the rear seat removal kit?? any pics??