GT2/GT3 seats

Does anyone know about or have personal experience with retrofitting GT2/GT3 seats (I think they're the same, aren't they) in a 996? I've got lots of questions: Where can you get them? How much are they? Any problems with adapting them to a 996? Are the seat backs fixed, like a true shell, or are they adjustable? How much do they weigh, especially in relation to a standard full power seat? Like I said, lots of questions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike, The GT3 seats can be installed in any 9x6 without any trouble. Many people have done this already. The seats backs do not recline and they weigh quite a bit less than the standard seats. Checke here www.carnewal.com

As Viken mentioned, they are pretty easy to install. Only 4 bolts hold the seats in. And the rails that come with the GT3 seats is a direct bolt on. If you have the fancy electric stock seats, you'll need to unplug a few things under the drivers seat. Make sure the key is not in the ignition when un-plugging.

Just in case you didn't know. If you want to install 5 or 6 point harness with GT3 seat, also get part number 996.521.933.90, it's a separate bracket that installs under seat to attach crotch straps. Mike Schatz at www.Schatzmotorsport.com in USA can get seats, also Gert in Belgium can get for you in different colors of factory leather at around $3000/pr. including shipping Sorry I don't have Gert's URL, someone here should. Have fun, wouldn't be nice if PCNA had these available so you didn't have to go through all this.

Sorry, for confusion "Gert" in my post above is at the WWW.Carnewal.com listed by Viken already, I didn't see it.

I have the GT3 Seats and love them. I do switch them in and out with my original sport seats 3-4 times a year. It is VERY easy to do. 4 Torex head bolts hold the seats in. (You will need a Torex socket!!! Yea, that is a litle weird.) Make sure you don't slide the rails after you have the seats out or it is a pain to get them alligned again. Aside from that just be carefull getting them out of the car. A little over a year ago I posted all of the info to get them direct from germany. You will save money this way since the dollar is very strong against the DM. Shipping was not that big a deal and they came via air! You can have them shipped via boat and save a "boat load" (pardon the pun.)

Many thanks to all for the info. I'm going to order a pair from the Carnewal place soon. One last question. My understanding is that the GT3 seats sit considerably lower in the car than the stock seats but that spacers are available. Comments or advice? Mike

Mike, The rails are a litte different than my power seats. As you slide forward, it raises you up, and as you slide back, you lower. It maybe a function of our floor pan, I'm not too sure. I sit pretty close to the steering wheel so I don't notice much difference. I'm 5'10", but if you are taller, I would imagine you'd sit lower.

With the fixed back angle, does the seat have to be pushed way forward to let rear passengers in/out ? Is it hard to put bulky stuff like golf clubs or luggage back there ?

MKW, I find it very difficult to get into the back seats. My rails may need oiling. When pushed all the way up, it gets real sticky. My 5 year old is the only person that sets back there and he "just" fits.

Dan and MKW, Wow. I hadn't even thought about the inability to tilt the seat forward to get luggage in the back. Not a show stopper by any means but I'll have to experiment with my stock seats in a fixed position and try to see how difficult it is to get back there even to clean the windows, etc. Thanks for bringing that up. Mike

I have the GT3 seats and I can wedge myself back behind the passenger seat to get to the rear window to clean it. I also have a roll bar which makes this job even more tricky. I'm 6'2" and could still get behind the passenger seat when it was all the way forward but it is very tight. I haven't tried golf clubs but other items will generally go into the back seat area either behind the passenger seat when it is full forward or in between the two seat backs over the center console. If you plan to use your back seat area alot, you may want to do what some others have done, which is to swap seats after a DE event and put your stock seats back in. Karl

I've never seen the GT3 seats so I have no idea if this would work... As I understand it there are 4 bolts that connect it to the rails. What about replacing the 2 rear bolts of the passenger seat with some form of quick release pin? That way you'd just remove those 2 pins and be able to tilt the seat up and forward. Would that work at all?

Don't think you've heard of it because I am sure no one has tried it because it would be crazy to trust your seat to two quick release pins in an accident. Its bad enough when your body hits the airbag, but think about your body with your 85 pound power seat strapped to it hitting the same airbag...

I think you'd additionally need a hinged bracket for that. Something that, I am sure, can be fabricated.

Well obviously you'd have to be carefull.... Clearly you'd use steel pins that lock and fit perfectly. They would be just as safe as bolts. Isn't the GT3 seat around 20lbs? If they are 85lbs they mustn't be much of an improvement over the stockers.

I think they are about 15LBS. Very light. Pins are not a go idea. The inside seatbelt harness is hooked onto the seats. If there is a head on accident, I think your toast. I'm a little worried about just taking the seats in and out a couple of times. New bolts are on my list of to dos. But, even with all of this, the seats are well worth it. They hold you in place around fast corners. Definitely a performance upgrade...worth about 10 sec

It all depends on the orientation of the bolts and what kind of quick-release pin you used, including the specific alloy that the pin (and bolts, for that matter) are made out of. There's no question that a quick-release pin that would be safe and as strong or stronger than the bolts could be made. It's just a question of how hard and how expensive. One could install just the driver's side racing seat, and leave the passenger side normal. It might look weird, but it would provide access to the rear.