- I'd like to remove my rear seat next time I go racing. However, a few people noted that I would lose the structural stiffness that the seat provides as well as the unwanted weight. By installing a RSTB, could I, in effect, replace the rear seat's role in the car's structural stability?
- If that doesn't work, should I just have a bar custom machined to mount where the seat goes?

The rear seat is just a cushion, once you remove it there's a metal piece behind it that stiffens the chassis. I don't think it would make that much difference if you take it out or otherwise, it's not very heavy.

yep, it think that both back and bottom
 

cushions weigh only about 35-40lbs (a guess)... not much of a gain (loss).

Any lost weight is good.
 

- Just keep in mind that any true racer would rather take a 10% decrease in weight over a 10% increase in power. Lighter is better.
- Getting rid of the 35lb seat and the 30lbs worth of spare tire means losing 65lbs. That could mean a lot of things on the track: braking later, crisper turn-in, etc. I'm removing it next time - I'll report back to see if it was noticeable. Thanks, guys. ;-)

Some common sense "track" stuff...
 

Okay, I can understand running faster in the 1/4 than someone else... but why do people go to the extent of stripping there cars, run on 1/4 of a tank...
Check this... When you race someone on the street, do you say.. yeah, hold on while I remove my spare tire, seats, and kick out my passengers... NO, you GO AS IS... if I come to the track with 3/4 of a tank, I race with 3/4 of a tank, I don't drive around for an hour until my gas goes down.. see my point... When I ran in the quarter, I even ran with my friend in the passenger seat, just to see the time that I get. Most of the time I'm driving, someone's in my car.
I guess from now on when people list there times on here, they should write, 1/4 tank, no interior, 30 degrees, 70% humidity... IMHO I just think it's foolish to strip your interior just to run the quarter unless you have a "race" car.

Re: Some common sense
 

- I don't drag race and I don't participate in street racing. I've started to attend track days, where the weight will make a difference. Heck, Lotus is practically founded upon lightweight cars.
- And since when would crisper turn-in be of benefit on a drag strip?

stripping car
 

after stripping the car, you will gain about 2 tenths, 1 tenth for every 50lbs, lightweight wheels are a help in achieving a good time. among other important things.

I put on 18 inch chrome rims added four 12 inch subwoofers, two amps and 5 TV's. My quarter mile time improved 3 seconds!!! (J/K obivously)

When I was installing my system I removed the back seat completely for a couple days when I was running wires, and video cables...etc and the back bench seat is about 8-10 pounds. The back part that has the metal frame on it is mabey 2 pounds heavier. I'm not into racing so I can't offer you any advice in that respect, but I just thought I could help you out a little with the weight stuff.

Its 1 tenth for every 100 pounds....and the rear seat (top & bottom) weighs about 10 pounds. Its just two big pieces of foam. Its pointless to go thru the hassle of removing it.

Besides, its cooler to be fast with all your parts still on your car.

go for it
 

removing the seats won't decrease your structural integrity but neither will it reduce enough weight to matter... but of course if you're probably stripping everything else like the door panels, center consule, most of your fron dash, fancy rims (for some 15' aluminum ones) and a whole lotta other stuff than it's only natural that the seats go too might as well take out the driver side seat too...don't even bother putting on the RSTB if you're just draging- that's another good 15-20 lbs.-cuz you're only going forward