Seat Lowering Danger!

[myoung]

I just finished having my driver's seat lowered approximately 2 - 2.5 inches from the stock position. Based on the previous experience of other Pelicanheads and their suggestions, we chopped the factory seat rails and rewelded them into lower positions so that the stock seat could be reinstalled and provide me (6' 4" tall) with enough headroom to drive my 82' SC in comfort.

Unfortunately, we had a major and potentially dangerous situation occur during the conversion. As we reattached the seat rail which mounts to the transmission tunnel on the floor pan, the heat created from the blow torch ruptured the flexible plastic fuel lines running from the fuel pump near the gas tank to the engine in the rear (The lines run lengthwise all the way through the transmission tunnel). LUCKILY, no explosion! Results of the mishap however required two new fuel lines and a new carpet set for the car...all told about $500.00. A small price considering we didn't get hurt for being so ignorant.

After the dust settled, the conversion has ended up being a great success as I can even now drive the car with a helmet for DE events without scrunching down. Just make sure if you're thinking about performing similar surgery to your car you take this issue into SERIOUS consideration.

[BGCarrera32]

Thanks for the tip...I was planning to do the same thing at some point and probably would have made the same mistake....

[masraum]

Yikes, I bet that got your attention!!

[VincentVega]

Glad things turned out ok in the end! Do you have any photo's of your work? I've thought about a similar modification and would love to see how it turned out.

[85eurocarrera]

I had the same exact problem happen to me a year ago. Car still smells a little.

I am about 6'5". We welded 2, 1X2 steel bars across and mounted rails to them. Let out some foam in stock chair and this allowed me to fit with helmet, although sill rubbing on roof a little.

I am now in the process of mounting directly to floor, a Konig SP 7000 seat. This was the only seat I found that the shoulder harness holes fit me. I guess I am, among other places ;-), long in the torso. With this seat and mounting position I am a good couple of inches from the roof with helmet on. Havent driven car yet but it will take some getting used to as my perspective out the windshield has changed dramatically.

Joe

[911SC Pilot]

What is the reason for dropping your seats. Is this for race track reasons?

[VincentVega]

My reason is puring to gain more headroom. I dont fit with a helmet at all. On the street I can feel the headliner with my hear, gets on my nerves sometimes. In my new seat I have about 1/2" or so with a helmet on, close, but that's all I need.

[Yargk]

911SC Pilot,

While I like sitting a little lower because I get a better feel on the track, I think he stated that he was 6 foot 4 inches tall and wanted headroom.

----------------------------
quoted from above
"so that the stock seat could be reinstalled and provide me (6' 4" tall) with enough headroom to drive my 82' SC in comfort.

"

[myoung]

Chris Martin - I'll check to see if I have any photos. I think that I might have one or two pictures of the interior of the car with the seat rails after they were reattached to the floorpan / tunnel. It's really quite a simple procedure assuming that you have someone who is talented at welding etc. and can place the rails in such a way so that your factory seats can just bolt right in and still slide back and forth. Be sure to keep a little tilt in the seat toward the rear of the car to keep your thighs properly supported. Do some more searches and you'll find stories of many other Porschephiles that have solved the same problem.

911SC Pilot - I didn't even have enough headroom to drive the car around town comfortably, let alone even think about wearing a helmet. I'm also trying to keep the car looking relatively stock and didn't want to install racing seats.

[myoung]

Yargk - Do you have any more photos of your 930? The car looks sweet and I'd love to get a closer look at your front bumper / valence. I'm thinking about replacing my stock valence with something a little more agressive. Thanks!

[Teutonics]

I'm getting ready to do this same modification, any pictures would be great!

Thanks,

[myoung]

I'll dig around at home this evening and see what I can find.

[cab83_750]

Fuel lines! Ah! Reminded of this guy who was painting his car in the garage. Everything was done right except while painting, the garage exploded and shingles flying all over the place. Turned out he forgot to turn off the heater pilot light.

I guess he was unharmed due to the clothing, head cover, mask, etc.

[Yargk]

myyoung-

Here is My 930 owner's gallery page . I forgot that I had not uploaded more current pictures with the new bumpers. I will probably get around to this during the weekend. When the car is no longer stuck in my garage, I'll take lots more. Thanks for the compliments.

[myoung]

Keith..I'll check with your gallery page next week to see the car with the bumpers. Your wheels look really sharp. Did they fit with no mods?

[Yargk]

Yep, no mods, they just bolted on.

[sammyg2]

This is something I need to do also. Seems like mounting brackets to te floor is the hot set up, assuming the floor is strong enough structurally.
Any pics of a floor mounted bracket would be mucho appreciated.

PS, I've looked at my stock brackets several times in preperation to re-welding them lower on the tunnel, you may have saved me from burning down my car. I owe you a beer.

[myoung]

Here are the only two pictures that I took of the surgery to the 911. The quality of each photo SUCKS because they are photos taken with my 35mm SLR and then scanned on a crappy old scanner here at my office. Anyway, the pictures are taken from the point of reference of standing outside the car and looking down onto the floorpan from the driver's side door opening. One photo shows the floorpan with the seat rails completely removed...one had previously sat on the top left edge of the transmission tunnel and the other had rested on a flat area of the unibody near the driver side door. After removal, the sheet metal on the floorpan had to be ground to eliminate all of the rough and sharp edges. The second photo shows the seat rails reinstalled...one on the side of the transmission tunnel and the other on the side of the raised area near the driver side door. Once completed the seat bolted directly onto the rails and now slides back and forth just like it did from the factory.

I love Newcastle by the way!

[Teutonics]

Thanks for the pics! I just dropped my car off at the body shop today to get this done, I'll print this thread out and leave it with them.....

[sammyg2]

Thanks, lemme know the next time you're in southern ca and i'll buy you that Newcastle, maybe three.