My Chenowth Build/Resto project...

[Sandjunky]

I figured I'd start a build thread instead of starting a new thread for every question I have.

So now I have a size/configuration problem. The rail came with high back poly seats, which I like. The previous owner had them bolted to the floor pan, which I don't like since it doesn't seem safe; I want my seats mounted to the chassis and not a sheet metal floor pan.

The problem is I'm 6'2" and with the seats mounted to the floor pan they are too straight up and my head rides very close to the roof bar so I can't just fab in flat seat mounts. I want to mount the seats leaning back a few degrees.

As it is now, roughly:

How I need it, which gives me more head room and a better shoulder belt mounting angle on the bar behind the seat:

The problem though is to mount it where I need it the bottom of the seat is below the floor pan and I lose ground clearance.

I can use 1.25" tubing and fab in seat mounts that mount from the bar in front of the seats back to the torsion housing. and then plate it to protect the seats and my ass.

This opens a whole new can of worms. Even mounted to the floor pan, sitting in the seats puts the steering wheel on my legs so leaning back is going to make my legs ride higher and make it impossible to steer. To raise the steering wheel I am going to have to remove and relocate the X-brace supports for the front of the rail.

All of this could be avoided if I can find high back seats with a little more lean when mounted flat. Then I could fab in flat bars that are level with the chassis instead of dropping the mounts below the floor pan.

Even with all of that I still only have about 2" of head clearance so I'm probably going to have to cut the roof bars out and bend new ones to towards the center and go with the T-Top option.

Any ideas? I don't mind cutting and fabricating, but if there is a simpler solution then I am open to suggestions.

Thanks

[Aerindel]

I had the same problem.

It hurt but I cut the roll cage and raised the whole thing 8"

With yours it looks like you cut probably just cut out the A post and roof bars, leaving the B post and it s,bracing alone and fab a new roof bars and a taller A post.

You can rais your dash post at the same time and solve the steering wheel issue.
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Homemade woods/street, bug out rail. IRS, Balljoint front end. 1967 1600cc DP, Weber 32/36 progressive, tri-mil quiet pack. Rear only cutting brakes.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=630046

[TDCTDI]

How about elevating the leading edge of the seat, this would lean the seat back & could also reduce the tendency to submarine or slide forward.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[cbeck]

Corbeau and mastercraft both make seats that recline and look to be not quite as tall in front but I would want a bar/bracing for the back to keep recline mechanism from giving. My poly seat mounts hang down about 2 inches and I forced my floor pan to conform before I bolted it down. When I cut mine in half I intend to install suspension seats then fab my new roll bar to fit me.

[TDCTDI]

Sorry, you already covered the issue with raising the leading edge. I personally would shitcan those seats, there is absolutely no support in those things & the threaded bosses will pull out of them as you tighten them down & they'll likely toss you out or fold backwards & break your back in the event of something serious. I'm almost thinking about a bomber style seat with good padding. That way you could bolt the rear edge directly to the floor & raise the front.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I have fiberglas seats which are next step up from crappy plastic seats like you got. I wanted to lean mine back, but there were all kinds of things making it tough. For one the steering wheel went further into my crotch and also the top of the windshield frame will be right infront of my face. I fabbed up some brackets to lean back the seat which bolt to my 1/4" aluminum floor(pretty safe) and I'll just have to deal with the inconveiniences that go along with it. Hoping someday I will have some money to pick up some compact suspension seats that work better.

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Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[Sandjunky]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I haven't thought about raising the A-pillar. Its easy enough, but I'd like to leave that as a last resort option. I only have a 1.25" bending die so buying a 1.5" die would be $$$ that I could put into a Beard seat or something similar.

I've thought about it all day and I think I can fab in proper seat mounts with the 1.25" tubing that would only take away 2" of ground clearance and it wouldn't have any catchy edges. I can also integrate a battery carrier. I didn't like the floor pan the builder used anyway. It doesn't mount properly at the torsion housing since the center bars that mount the engine sit lower than the edge bars that connect to the torsion housing leaving the rear of the pan unsupported. You can see a nasty battery acid stain where the battery (likely also mounted to the floor pan) took some damage.

Anything different puts my head 1" from the roof bar and I know my driving well enough to know that is going to hurt!

[flashho]

Those seats can cause serious damage to your back. Bite the bullet now and design for suspension seats. Makes a huge difference in driver comfort, safety and keeps your body and arms from flying around. I am 6` 3`` and raised my roof about 4 inches, so I have plenty of clearance with a helmet .
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[Axitech]

I had the same issue. I'm 6'2" and 285. No headroom, and the low windshield and those crappy seats combined to give me a really bad neck and back issue. I cut out my rear seat mount, used 3/16th x 2" steel bar and bent new rear seat mounts that sit below the rails. Mine sits high and doesn't go 'off-road' so it's not an issue.

Find a set of Miata seats on craigslist, or better yet, wider search with 'searchtempest.com'. $100 and your back will love you for it.

I still plan to cut my "A" pillar and raise my windshield about 4" this winter.
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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-Thomas Jefferson

[Sandjunky]

[griffs68]

they make leaned back fiberglass seats I cant remember who sales them but they are made. just the back leaned back and seat flat

[Sandjunky]

[cbeck]

My freinds mastercrafts have been in his mudtruck forever, his 100$ seats off ebay have stitching problems after one year. corbeaus start at 199$

[dustymojave]

People I know who have bought the EMPI suspension seats were real happy at 1st. But they have all quickly complained that the seats were falling apart and they regretted buying them instead of spending more $$ for something to last better.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Sandjunky]

[Sandjunky]

Man I hate analysis paralysis! SEATS!!!

Cheap reclining Miata seats ~$219 per pair. In that price range I figured they would last about a minute off road.

EMPI Beard knock offs- like dustymojave pointed out... durability isn't there.

Kirkey- EXPENSIVE! Worth the price? Definitely. I know a lot of people running them in the online minibuggy community. The problem is I don't want to spend $800-$1000 for seats/covers.

These classic bucket seats are cheaper, but I'd still be in the $600-$700 range. I like them since they are very low profile in the seat and I can mount them flat and level to the pan with an 18 degree tilt. From an aesthetics POV I think the classic seats look better in a rail.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/kir-41700v/overview/

[Axitech]

I paid $100 for leather Miata seats( no speakers). They came with sliders, and recline/tilt forward for behind seat access. I rarely go off-road, except for dirt roads and sand roads, but do have about 12k miles on since installing them. I put a nice set of Cabelas seat covers on them, and I use a tarp to keep rain and sun off when I am not driving. They are holding up very well, which is sort of remarkable when you consider that my fat butt is nearly 300 pounds. Yeah, I'm fat!

Miata seats will last. Also, Mazda is not the only car maker that made a smaller seat. Toyota, Nissan, the domestics all probably have seats that will fit. Take some measurements and go to the local junkyard to look around.

Bottom line: used seats from searchtempest are a lot less expensive than new Beards, and you aren't paying shipping.
_________________
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. Luke 22:36


The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-Thomas Jefferson

[Sandjunky]

I've decided to go ahead and use the seats I have for now instead of spending the budget on seats. I still need shocks, brake lines, possibly brakes, and a few other things.

I started fabbing in some seat mounts. This is what I have so far.

I made the mounts flush with the bottom of the seat so that I could get the seat low enough to be comfortable without losing too much clearance and this saves 1.25". I'll also place the bottom to protect the seat.

Turned out to be a pretty good fit.

Clearance.

I'll fab in a tube across to tie into and then gusset that tube to the center tubes that it will just clear. That should give me plenty of strength during bottom outs.

I'm hoping I can pick up some tubing and finish up next weekend so I can paint it and start reassembly.

[dustymojave]

That's OK for dunes. I don't recommend doing that for any other sort of offroading.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Sandjunky]