E92 rear seat delete panels

[Cheezy]

I've been running my e92 without the rear seats for a while now. I never have passengers, and it's a shit ton of weight savings. As of recently the noise is starting to annoy me, so I'm wondering if anyone here does a custom panel kit, or at the very least, if someone has made their own and could point me in the right direction of where to start.

 

[doublespaces]

Is it really that much weight? Seems to me when I pull the seat bottoms out, they weigh next to nothing.

 

[Cheezy]

Is it really that much weight? Seems to me when I pull the seat bottoms out, they weigh next to nothing.

The backs are really the killer, something like 80lbs all together tho

 

[doublespaces]

The backs are really the killer, something like 80lbs all together tho

Gotcha, I have fold down seats so I've never needed to take them out. I don't know why the vert has a fold down option, it's a wall behind it anyway.

 

[Cheezy]

Yeah I have the fold down seats too, with the ski bag and what not. They're pretty chunky. My plan so far is to just buy some 1/4in ply wood, cut it to shape and have it upholstered, but a) I feel like that might add back too much weight, and b) I think maybe a flat, level piece of wood will eventually sag in the center of the seat bottoms. So if someone online has some custom fiberglass or cf panel kits ready to go PnP style I would totally jump on them. The problem is finding them haha.

 

[The Convert]

Look for e92 M3 GTS rear seat delete and try to find replicas. Someone has to make them by now.

 

[R.G.]

There a ton of DIY guides out there, just not for our cars. Exact same process as any platform so easy to get a game plan.

If it is noise only that you want to resolve you can do a few minor things to drop decibels in the cabin.
Rubber liner for the trunk, noise deadening mat under the trunk storage cover, noise deadening spray for rear wheel fenders, etc. It is all stemming from right there under the trunk storage cover thing.

@doublespaces the fold down seats are stupid heavy. I want to say ~50lbs. Removing them the first time was a PAIN. One of the bolts is tucked super low. It noticeably changes the balance of the car, but unfortunately it is in a bad way. Unless you have made a huge effort in dropping weight from the nose of the car the car just feels off. The traction issues this platform has out of the box also makes removing rear weight less rewarding.
Alternatively, unsprung weight shedding makes a huge positive impact for this car.

 

[Cheezy]

@R.G. youre right that bolt is such a PITA that i threw it away when i got it out. And the weight does throw the balance off. Rear end feels wishy washy, but that may also be the bushings in my rear subframe

 

[R.G.]

@R.G. youre right that bolt is such a PITA that i threw it away when i got it out. And the weight does throw the balance off. Rear end feels wishy washy, but that may also be the bushings in my rear subframe

Yea, there was no way in F I was going to put that bolt back in either.

Rear slop is probably a little column A a little column B. If I could make a suggestion it would be to swap your toe arms out for some Megans if still running the stock rear toes. That did as much for rear slop as my sub bushings did and was much cheaper / easier.

 

[Cheezy]

Well to revive an old thread, i did end up making a panel.

 

[Jmw3607]

what's your panel made out of?

 

[Cheezy]

what's your panel made out of?

1/8th inch pegboard. I think if i were going to do it again id use an 1/8th or 3/16 inch wood paneling instead of the pressboard.

 

[doublespaces]

Post the rest of the pics!

 

[Cheezy]

Post the rest of the pics!

Haha i only posted the one in here because i know ive shared it in a few other places and i didnt want to feel like i was soamming the interwebs with this. But yeah, for anyone who wants to do this its pretty simple. First i mocked it up with cardboard, then i purchased a panel of 1/8th inch peg board (in hindsight 3/16 plywood paneling might be the better route to go with this) traced it out from my card board, left the edges a little proud so i had room to err on. Then i picked up 1yd of felt from the local fabric store, took me a while to find the right look/ texture i wanted. Then i glued the whole piece to the front using e6000, theres probably better glue out there but that worked fine. Let that dry overnight, pressed between sheets of plexiglass, then the next day i trimmed it and folded it, glued it, clamped it all at first then after about 20 minutes i took the clamps off and pressed it between plexiglass again.

 

[doublespaces]

This is the only place those pictures will actually be saved online tho! Nice work

 

[Dkhan22]

There is a company making it now. I'll try to find their name.

 

[Cheezy]

There is a company making it now. I'll try to find their name.

Oh freaking great like 2 days after i make mine someone finds them for sale. Lol no the only ones i saw were a couple grand. Mine was $30.