Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Body/Appearance/Interior => Topic started by: tc² on October 17, 2007, 11:18:25 PM

Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: tc² on October 17, 2007, 11:18:25 PM
Anyone ever done this?  I see Mustang guys do it alot... I took a "big" buddy around the block in my TC and it really opened my eyes to how big of a factor weight is.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on October 17, 2007, 11:25:20 PM
yup i removed mine LOL

(http://i5.tinypic.com/4louemf.jpg)
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: tc² on October 17, 2007, 11:33:27 PM
Lol looks like you might have removed a little more than a back seat...
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Haystack on October 18, 2007, 01:21:10 AM
all 38 pounds of it...
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Innes on October 18, 2007, 03:34:34 AM
I just removed the seatbelts and insulation under them laid the bottom and back cushions in place I cant see them weighing much by themselves even a delete kit would weigh as much
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: vinnietbird on October 18, 2007, 06:45:12 AM
If it's an all out race car,I can see the reason for removing them,but if it's mostly a street car,it seems pointless,plus it would look like something is just missing.Now,Sleeper has a friggin' roll cage,so that makes the rear seat pointless.In the long run,it's your car,do what YOU like.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Chuck W on October 18, 2007, 07:53:22 AM
Removing the rear seat is not going to make up for lugging around a heavy friend. 

You're going to have to add back in 1/2 as much weight (at least) to make it look not so unfinished.

Leave it be.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Ether947 on October 18, 2007, 08:44:24 AM
If you remove the rear seats, seat belts and sound deadening you can easily pull +50 lbs from the car. Whether or not it's a good idea depends on what your goals are for your Bird.

Mine won't be a year round DD, and I'm removing a bunch of other stuff too so it's not big deal to me.

And there are other places to lose some pounds.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: tc² on October 18, 2007, 09:35:29 AM
Quote from: Chuck W;183136
Removing the rear seat is not going to make up for lugging around a heavy friend. 

You're going to have to add back in 1/2 as much weight (at least) to make it look not so unfinished.

Leave it be.


I'm not saying it will, I'm only saying that weight makes a big difference.  Removing 50 unneeded pounds can drop the 1/4 mile by almost a tenth.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Innes on October 18, 2007, 11:47:13 AM
Like I said after I took it all out I just put the 2 cloth covered foam seats back. Together they can’t weigh more then 10lbs a delete kit is gotta way in that ball park. The 3 pair of seat belts and little bit of insulation-my guess weighed about 25-30lbs so that’s all I saved.
I’m actually considering putting one seatbelt back in for my kids car seat. Year I know laugh but I just look forward to cruising w/him/
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: JeremyB on October 18, 2007, 12:13:43 PM
I was thinking about this last night. Whatever roll bar I eventually put in will render the rear seats unusable. I'd like to remove the rear seats and slap in something that does a decent job of sound deadening in its place. It wouldn't really be for weight reduction, but I think it would go nicely with the theme of, "The car is a  two-seater now".
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: grutinator on October 18, 2007, 01:04:10 PM
could you rig a mustang back seat to fit in the back of our cars, then use the extra room on both sides to run the bars? wont be a 5 seater anymore, but if you have more then one friend, you kinda need some extra seating.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Chuck W on October 18, 2007, 01:45:10 PM
Quote from: JeremyB;183184
I was thinking about this last night. Whatever roll bar I eventually put in will render the rear seats unusable. I'd like to remove the rear seats and slap in something that does a decent job of sound deadening in its place. It wouldn't really be for weight reduction, but I think it would go nicely with the theme of, "The car is a  two-seater now".


Most bars will negate the use of the rear seat. 

My first iteration of the cage took the bars over and then down through the rear deck (At the time we still needed room for a child in the back seat).  Kind of a complicated mess.  Still have those bars (cage was bolt-in at the time).  The new version totally negates the use of the rear seat with the cross bars in there.

Sleeper welded in a bulkhead because he has a fuel cell back there.  I'm just going to use some carpet-covered ABS plastic for mine to just "finish" the area off.  The car is noisy anyway, so I'm not going to fret sound deadening too much.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: JeremyB on October 18, 2007, 01:54:47 PM
Quote from: Chuck W;183201
Most bars will negate the use of the rear seat.

One might be able to physically sit in the seats, but I wouldn't let anybody sit there unless they had a helmet on. Hitting one's head on unyielding steel (or even steel with SFI/FIA padding) is a great way to turn into a veggie.
But that's just me.
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: Chuck W on October 18, 2007, 02:19:04 PM
Quote from: JeremyB;183202
One might be able to physically sit in the seats, but I wouldn't let anybody sit there unless they had a helmet on. Hitting one's head on unyielding steel (or even steel with SFI/FIA padding) is a great way to turn into a veggie.
But that's just me.


Yes.  Like I said in the old iteration, the bars hugged the ceiling and dove behind.  Probably still not suitable for adults, but for kids there would be enough clearance.

Anyway, I know you know what you're doing JB ;)
Title: Rear Seat Delete
Post by: DVP on October 18, 2007, 05:16:20 PM
Quote from: Chuck W;183136
Removing the rear seat is not going to make up for lugging around a heavy friend. 

You're going to have to add back in 1/2 as much weight (at least) to make it look not so unfinished.

Leave it be.


if he is running subs he can make it a dual purpose wall and use MDF for the delete kit. Yes heavy but if its being used for something that other wise would be extra weight, it might help. if your worried about 1/4 times though you would want to take them out at the track... so it wouldnt be worth it