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1976 OWNERS, We need your help!
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Bala
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From Ratwell:

Quote:
The seat rails change mid-year in 1976 with VIN 216 2078 000 that allow you to use later model Vanagon seats.


Oh, and I think, the '76 I sold to Waves2day had late bay seat rails, but not sure and of course none of my pictures show it. I'll PM him and see what he says.
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jtauxe Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vw76westy wrote:

my other bus is a 75-9seater the original driver seat in that bus
looked identical to the 76 seats I had I was not able to notice anything
different about them

Do you still have this bus? If so, I'd be interested to hear what you find on the bottom of the 1975 driver's seat. What sort of spring mechanism does it have for returning the seat back to an upright position?

The 1975 and later seats have spring-loaded backs (the tapered back) and a notched positioner on the side in order to adjust the angle of the seat. The '75 is unique (in my experience) in that it uses a spring mounted fore-and-aft under the seat, but the 1976 and later versions have a torsion spring mounted in the tube across the back of the bottom. This makes no difference in the mounting of the seat to the pedestal.

[quote="Bala"]From Ratwell:

Quote:
The seat rails change mid-year in 1976 with VIN 216 2078 000 that allow you to use later model Vanagon seats.

Oh. Shocked So, we had this information all along? Embarassed Where did you find this? What is Ratwell's source, I wonder...
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1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus
, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Stuartzickefoose
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hat gives us one of the vins....there are 3 seperate seats we need to figure out still:
75
76
76.5
77

Somewhere in there the seats changed twice...
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Bala
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jtauxe wrote:

Bala wrote:
From Ratwell:

Quote:
The seat rails change mid-year in 1976 with VIN 216 2078 000 that allow you to use later model Vanagon seats.

Oh. Shocked So, we had this information all along? Embarassed Where did you find this? What is Ratwell's source, I wonder...


His site on the "comparison" page:
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/Comparison.html#seats

Not sure where he got his info.

Oh and for the record, my October of 1975 has the knob style seats. Smile

*edit*, my VIN is 2362046854
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Last edited by Bala on Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:52 am; edited 1 time in total
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jtauxe Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stuartzickefoose wrote:
Hat gives us one of the vins....there are 3 seperate seats we need to figure out still:
75
76
76.5
77

Somewhere in there the seats changed twice...

Right. So, something like this?

75 at VIN 2*52 000001 ??
76 at VIN 2*62 000001 ??
76.5 at VIN 2162 078000
77 no change from 76.5, right?

Bala wrote:
Oh and for the record, my October of 1975 has the knob style seats. Smile

No way! You mean the seat with the back adjuster knob on the front? Are you positive that it's the original seat, and not one that some PO slipped in there from a '73-'74 bus? If that is original, then this is pretty hopeless, as there is no rhyme or reason to any of this.
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"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus
, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Bala
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jtauxe wrote:

Bala wrote:
Oh and for the record, my October of 1975 has the knob style seats. Smile

No way! You mean the seat with the back adjuster knob on the front? Are you positive that it's the original seat, and not one that some PO slipped in there from a '73-'74 bus? If that is original, then this is pretty hopeless, as there is no rhyme or reason to any of this.


Sorry no, the knob style mentioned in the first post:

Tcash wrote:

Do you have this #1 seat release KNOB?
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vw76westy, I appreciate your input as I do everybody's and I gave it great consideration.
We also need to consider other members post, stating the seat track change occurred in Mid-76.

Considering everything, I needed a starting point, to get to a definitive answer. 76 seemed like a good place to start. If this post does not, provide results. As you suggested, I will ask the 77 owners for their help as well.

In review of my original post. It appears I am stating a fact. When in fact I am asking a question? I edited the post to reflect this and alleviate any confusion.

I am presently working on a, Front Seat I.D. post, with lots of pictures. This is proving to be a daunting task.

Sincerely
Tcash
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RONIN10
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I appreciate the effort to get to a data driven answer, whatever the answer. To wit, my Bus is a February 1976 build with with the knob style seat adjustment. VIN: 2362099662.
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Stuartzickefoose
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

More semi related info...

Quote:

My issue was Sewfine didn't have patterns for open back passenger seat.  I had to send them my original pattern to get them to make covers for me.  Based on this thread mine are 75 seats where it folded in instead of using seat tracks like the 76 and later.  

On Tue, Nov 25, 2014 at 7:54 PM, Stuart Zickefoose <[email protected]> wrote:
you had a nice run around with sewfine or something didnt you?

got any of that info handy for this thread?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7453243#7453243

Stuart

ill post it if you email it to me. whenevers fine, no rush.

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Waves2day
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My dads 76. 9/75.
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bump
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Waves2day
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally back home. Here is mine. Sorry for the poor quality.
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The Dubbernaut
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome, I now have a complex about my 76' I just got. (hauled it back from Addy WA after dark and haven't got to see it in the light yet. Damn you long work hours...)
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highlandmurf
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My Westy:

1976 Westfalia

Manufactured 9/75
2362026798

Old Style seats


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Tcash
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

deleted

Last edited by Tcash on Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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eche_bus
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tcash - that vehicle is not what it seems. It is pieces from other years stuck onto/into an earlier model. Don't use it as a reference for anything like this. Sorry.
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

eche_bus wrote:
Tcash - that vehicle is not what it seems. It is pieces from other years stuck onto/into an earlier model. Don't use it as a reference for anything like this. Sorry.


Thank you. The owner sent me vin# 2362048206. Which would make it an early 76 build. The seats certainly don't add up.
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bump
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jtauxe Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, why the bump? I thought we got our information from RAtwell. Or are we trying to test/confirm that VIN for the seat change?
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"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus
, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jtauxe wrote:
So, why the bump? I thought we got our information from RAtwell. Or are we trying to test/confirm that VIN for the seat change?


Further research has produced more conflicting information.
Here is what we have.

1. quote: VW Transporter and Microbus Specification Guide 1967-1979 2nd edition.
Spec. Guide pg. 34
"Rails of driver's seat changed; change to handle that releases mechanism to allow seat to slide."

2. quote: Mayor Ratwell
"The seat rails change mid-year in 1976 with VIN 2162 078 000 that allow you to use later model Vanagon seats."
Best years for seat swaps:

3. Postings from this thread.
Serial numbers are non sequential. Confusing.
But note, 2362 162 178 serial number is greater than 2162 078 000 that Mayor Ratwell posted on his page.
#1 Knob release lever
Date: 4/76
V/N 2362 117 699

#1 Knob release lever
Date 07/76
V/N 2362 162 178

#1 Knob release lever
Date: 9/75
V/N 2362 128 412

4. Finally there is conflicting information from members.
Some say the change took place Mid 76.
Some say the change took place 77.

All it would take is someone with a 1976 to post they have the center paddle, seat release. This would confirm a 76 change.

Or someone with a 1977 to post they have the seat release knob and not the center paddle. VW was notorious for continuing to use the discontinued part until they ran out of them. They did not make a change and then throw away all the old stock they used it. This would confirm a 77 change.


Thank again and Happy Holidays
Tcash
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