[MatthewAMEL]

Anyone find a rear seat delete that works with a ZL1 1LE and either has a foldable back or no back panel at all?

[The Chief (tm)]

I had sent an e-mail to Schrader and asked if the delete kit could be modified to fit the convertible, since those seats are *really* useless for adult-sized humans, and since I wanted something flat back there to act as a safer platform for our 50-lb. doggie.

It was Steve himself who wrote back, but didn't offer too much info beyond that the kit would probably need to be worked on. I was hoping to hear a little more detail, before plunking down $600+ on something that might not really work, but hey, that item is not their real type of "bread & butter" so no harm done.

So I got down to business on making my own, and with an incredible *lack* of mistakes and/or disasters, managed to do just that. So far I've only completed the bottom section, the "platform" so to speak, but next I will look into removing the upper seat section also. Only possible issue(s) there is that I'll want to be careful about damaging any of the ragtop mechanicals, and/or that there might need to be compound cuts/shaping of however I come up with the "panel" to block off the opening.

As usual with the home-made "farkle" projects, I started out with anything I had laying around, hoping to buy ONLY what I couldn't make. I fashioned most of the bottom supports out of short 2"x4" and shim-type splints, the two-layer panel itself out of some wood board and insulation, and the panel cover out of a movers' blanket. IIRC ended up needing to buy only two threaded couplers, two pieces of thread rod, and wing nuts. (I did screw up the cut on my first go at the wood board, but I had enough for a do-over.)

Total cost: seriously like $20, and around four hours of work.

I took a few pictures along the way, but not as many as I would have liked, because truth is I didn't really expect it to work out so well on the first try! I mean, you're back there, and there are no flat or parallel surfaces, it's tough to get a level onto anything (I didn't have a short "torpedo"), the driveway I was working in is sloped so I couldn't even "cheat" a level off of the doorsill, etc. And for all that, it worked just fine.

I actually wrote down measurements and angles for the bottom panel, which I can say for sure would work for the convertible, but wouldn't guarantee would be as accurate for the coupe. (Although I suppose that a quick measurement across the interior, at the base of the "B" pillar, would help suggest if any adjustments would be necessary.)

Of course, I don't seem to have the pictures handy, but I can search for them, and if anybody wants to PM me I could try to type up the info and pix and either send it over, or create a new thread. (I had meant to do so months ago, but couldn't seem to drag myself around to getting started. Sorry!)

BTW this is nothing that practically anyone on here couldn't already accomplish on their own, but if having a starting point (and the measurements) would be helpful, then that's why I'd offer it up.

[Joshinator99]

I agree with most everyone in this thread about the usefulness of the back seats… very limited, at best. When I decided to add a roll bar I figured I’d go ahead and have my shop do the Shrader kit too.

[Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

I agree with most everyone in this thread about the usefulness of the back seats… very limited, at best. When I decided to add a roll bar I figured I’d go ahead and have my shop do the Shrader kit too.

That looks fantastic Josh. Everything on your car is 1st class.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Chutzpah

That looks fantastic Josh. Everything on your car is 1st class.

Thank you good sir!

[Sakolw]

Guys the website says 20 pounds removed is that right?

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Sakolw

Guys the website says 20 pounds removed is that right?

It’s probably pretty close to that. I have my rear seats tucked away for safe keeping (you never know lol) so I’ll try to throw them on a scale this weekend for you. But I’d say that’s a fair guess between the upper and lower portions that compose the rear seats.

[Bumbleboy92]

Originally Posted by Sakolw

Guys the website says 20 pounds removed is that right?

This thread, people say about 20 lbs is correct. Someone said 30 for leather though?

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Bumbleboy92

This thread, people say about 20 lbs is correct. Someone said 30 for leather though?

I have a 2SS so I should be able to verify that one way or the other…

[truckrglenn]

Will that work in a convertible?

[Bumbleboy92]

Originally Posted by truckrglenn

Will that work in a convertible?

Technically no, but I recall seeing somewhere on the forums someone had been able to remove the rear seats and claimed it acted exactly like the coupes. (It may have been regarding folding the rear seats in a convertible but I can't fully recall)

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

It’s probably pretty close to that. I have my rear seats tucked away for safe keeping (you never know lol) so I’ll try to throw them on a scale this weekend for you. But I’d say that’s a fair guess between the upper and lower portions that compose the rear seats.

Originally Posted by Bumbleboy92

This thread, people say about 20 lbs is correct. Someone said 30 for leather though?

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

I have a 2SS so I should be able to verify that one way or the other…

Just went out to the garage with my bathroom scale and can confirm, 2SS coupe leather rear seats (upper & lower cushions) weigh exactly 30 pounds! Wowzers…removing those offset the majority of the additional weight from adding my CMS 4-point roll bar…