'81SC rear seat straps

I am currently restoring the interior of my '81SC Targa. Does anyone know or have pictures of the orignal placement of the straps that hold the rear seat-backs in place? I forgot.......duh!

Your response is greatly appreciated!

Hey Schubee,
I too am in need of one of those straps that hold the rear seats in the upright position. They are simple leather straps with a male and female snap. They should be fairly easy to reproduce but if you know someone that has them please post it.
Rich

Don't have a picture to post but...

There's nothing special about these straps. Just cut them out of (about 3/4 oz) (black or buy/stain to color of choice) leather. Cut the ends round to look better and avoid corner fraying.

Female snap goes on seatback strap, Male on body strap. Straps are about 1" wide (I make mine 1-1/2" for better strength).

Body strap is about 2 inches long, rounded both ends. Attach with one black flathead (wider-head-the-better) screws at a point that would allow the strap to mate up with the seatback strap without folding this body strap (screw head is on the same side of the leather as the snapping part of the snap. You may have a screw hole in the metal?/cardboard (can't remember what's behind the leather-covered panel) already there that may show you where to attach this strap. If not then align with...

Seat straps go on outside (nearest window) of each seatback about 2 inches from the end. Attach with one (two is better) black flathead (wider-head-the-better) screws - under the carpet backing. Make sure screws are right under the very eedge of the backing so that it will not pull the backing up. Strap should be at least 4 inches long --- you only need to round off the end that shows. Don't attach this strap until you do the body strap so that you can get the length right to meet up with the body strap. This strap will fold back to meet the body strap.

When done correctly there should be enough tension to keep the seats fairly tightly snug to the body BUT NOT so tight that you want to kill me because you can't get it snapped.

Snap parts can be had at a local upholstery supply. Attaching them requires a tool (cheap) or can be done (with difficulty) if you can find something like a nail set tool (only wider) in your tool cabinet --- leather in such a small quantity might be difficult if you don't have some already or if you have a leather supply store locally (they can also supply the leather stain --- if you need to go to a color other than black).

Hope the above is clear enough if you don't get any pics posted or sent to you.

P.S. you may also have screw or heavy-duty staple marks on the seatbacks (under carpet) leftover from the previous straps to help you with alignment of the strap attachment-point.

P.P.S. I also use countersink screws with special washers for wider grip (I forget what these washers are called --- I have lots of them and have had them so long I forgot what they were called but they look like half of a tin donut --- that's not so it looks like the letter "C" but so it still looks like a complete letter "O" --- jeez, I can't figure out how to describe this --- I'm hoping that you know what I mean )

Whoops... just correction-edited the bodysnap description to make the working part of the snap face up... NOTE --- Seatback snap should be on top of snap-pair when the two snaps are connected.


[This message has been edited by tog (edited 11-15-2000).]

...thanks tog for the detailed instructions. I had an idea how they went back on but I wanted to make sure I had them on as they were originally.

This is my first 911 and I am itching to get everything back together. My motor is still at MotorMeister getting a full rebuild. I'm sure Roy is doing a great job!

Anyways, I did make my own straps out of some left over leather from my panels. However, I didn't make 'em wider than an inch. I also purchased the buttons and the tool at my local Home Depot. Oh yeah, the washers you mentioned are finishing washers.

Thanks again!

John
Platinum '81SC Targa

I had mine made by Autos International (San Diego, CA). Here is a pic. Obviously I didn't re-fabricate the rear deck trim piece yet. That's on "the list".


Chris C.

[This message has been edited by campbellcj (edited 11-15-2000).]

Just fyi, dealer wants $40 per strap....ouch.
John
79 930

I forget what I paid AA, but it was more like $25/pair?

campbellcj --- what year was your strap for? - never seen one like that.

schubee ---
campbellcj's strap is different from what I described and appears to be a GOOD one-strap way to do it. It's also much longer than I usually see (attached farther back toward the window). If you're looking for factory original only, then I'm really not dead sure if the factory didn't make them several different ways though the only way I'm familiar with is as I described and is (I think, though it's hard to see clearly for sure) what is in the factory manual. If looking for original then you might wait for somebody to send some more pics (one of these days I'm gonna buy ME a digital camera), though the way I described was as is in my 82 SC Targa and same as in my 74 911 Targa (I think, memory is a little foggy)... Good luck

(schubee --- bet we're looking at about less than $1.00 to do it ourselves aren't we... everybody else can be envious! )

"finishing washers"... thanks, gotta try to remember that!


[This message has been edited by tog (edited 11-16-2000).]

[This message has been edited by tog (edited 11-16-2000).]

Hi,

That pic is from my 70 Targa. The rear deck and seats are original. The straps are taut when the seats are up and the straps are snapped. The setup on later cars may be different!

Yep, a pack of finishing washers and a snap kit is essential. I got them at a marine supply store (West Marine, Marina del Rey Calif).

Chris C.

[This message has been edited by campbellcj (edited 11-16-2000).]

The factory manual diagram I checked was for the 74. I also had a 69 but cannot remember the straps arangement... so campbellcj's pix is probably what my 69 looked like and they probably looked like that thru 1973 --- maybe it was in 1974 that they changed --- again, just guessing.