8 cylinder front engine iconic vehicle
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By jschiller
#110533
I'm finally getting the interior back together after a long summer and I am stumped by the rear seat backs. Which side does the release lever go on? Inboard for convenience while loading through the hatch or outboard for easy access when opening the car door? I don't have a photo of the seats before I disassembled them and the Internet is awash with photos showing the release levers in either position.

The seat backs mounting mechanism seem to only fit one way so that's pretty determinative for me. On my car, it would be to the inside. And that's the way I remember them. But why are there so many photos showing them on the outside? Have they been converted or did Porsche alter the release location at some point?
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By Geza-aka-Zombo
#110536
Outboard, at least that's the way mine is. Makes it easy to flip the rear seats down while standing by an open door. You don't have to move the front seat back forward to do it.
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By worf
#110547
I just looked through some of my pictures.

Inboard:

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By jschiller
#110554
Given the way the seat back mounting mechanism is built, the seat backs only fit one way so I don't have a choice in the inboard/outboard decision. My car is an 89S4. Maybe early cars had outboard, then they changed ii somewhere along the line. Or maybe a ROW vs. US split. Anyway, its inboard for me. Onward and upward.
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By Geza-aka-Zombo
#110614
Had to go down to the garage to double check - Yep, outboard. That trip had me thinking that Porsche had to switch to inboard in '88 when they introduced the shoulder belts for the rear - they could get hooked up on the release lever.

A quick survey of BaT auctions, it looks like 87 and earlier, outboard.

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Last edited by Geza-aka-Zombo on Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
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By Don Smith
#110615
Inboard for me also. Which reminds me, one of mine always sticks, when it is in the full down position. Yesterday, I went to play golf, came home, and took the clubs out, and to put the seat back in place, I had to dig in with a screw driver, on the bottom hinge, to get it back up...... oh well, maybe some WD 40 will do the trick.
It is probably just not getting used enough, or has some crud in the mechanism.
Oh, and don’t even ask about the game. Lol!
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By jschiller
#110658
Geza-aka-Zombo wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:03 am Had to go down to the garage to double check - Yep, outboard. That trip had me thinking that Porsche had to switch to inboard in '88 when they introduced the shoulder belts for the rear - they could get hooked up on the release lever.

A quick survey of BaT auctions, it looks like 87 and earlier, outboard.
Well, mystery solved! Your explanation makes more sense than my guessing it was for the convenience of loading through the hatch or through the door. Thanks for the research, I can now sleep a little easier :lol2:

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