TheSamba.com :: View topic - Beetle to Thing/181 seat interchange years and models

Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:36 am

Found some Beetle front seat backs for sale.

What years can bolt to the Thing seat bases? Anything beyond the 71-72 seats?

Sun Nov 06, 2016 3:27 pm

No...BUT. sometimes you can just bolt the highbacks onto the lowback bottoms..im not sure which years do though

Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:01 pm

Yarkle wrote: No...BUT. sometimes you can just bolt the highbacks onto the lowback bottoms..im not sure which years do though

That's what I'm asking. Can the Beetle highbacks bolt on to the Thing lowback bottom?

Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:06 pm

Ok, found it..pre 1971 should fit (so i THINK any 1970 down with highbacks, but im not 100% sure it will work)

I remember goign down to Curts house and we were grousign abotu how only 2 years would fit, as he had already bought some 70 (?) ones (youll have to look at my previous post in this trhead that shows the different contours) and he had them both sitign side by side and i wa slike..YOu know, it looks liek you can just swap them.

Well, he tried, he did, and it worked.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...highlight=

Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:09 pm

Hi
Only highback bug 1968 1969 with large headrest
and highback bug 1970 to 1972 with smaller headrest
bolt directely onto thing seat bottom 8)

Sun Nov 06, 2016 9:32 pm

el_safari wrote: Hi
Only highback bug 1968 1969 with large headrest
and highback bug 1970 to 1972 with smaller headrest
bolt directely onto thing seat bottom 8)

Perfect, thanks! Hopefully that seller will get back to me with the year his seat backs came from.

My seats sorely need recovering. I'm tired of sitting on springs! I'm thinking about having them done in marine vinyl, as it is a little thicker and does well with sun and water exposure.

Also planning to install seat heaters. I love seat heaters!

Mon Nov 14, 2016 2:38 pm

The seller sent me this pic of the seat backs. He is just selling Beetle seat backs, so I'm curious if they will fit the Thing seat base. Can any of you tell for sure from this pic?

Looks like to me they will. Seller isn't sure what year the seats came from.

Mon Nov 14, 2016 4:21 pm

do you have a picture of the entire back? Like the , i dunno, front view?

Mon Nov 14, 2016 8:30 pm

From the ad:

Tue Nov 15, 2016 5:27 am

Hi Dave
For me it is OK: highback bug 1970 to 1972 . 8)

Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:25 pm

el_safari wrote: Hi
Only highback bug 1968 1969 with large headrest
and highback bug 1970 to 1972 with smaller headrest
bolt directely onto thing seat bottom 8)

So, I’m about to purchase 71 or 72 seat backs, I just want to verify these will bolt directly to the Thing stock bottoms, that is correct, right? I don’t want to be stuck with Beetle seatbacks I can’t use....

Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:54 am

Ha ha, I've had the seatbacks in my shed for a couple years now! Still need to actually decide if I want to use high or low seats for me Thing.

Tue Mar 01, 2022 7:03 pm

Well here's my two cents.. High back seats are much safer if u get rear ended. I changed mine on all my cars after it happened to me. I got serious whiplash. In my 92 Subbie. A old guy rain into the back in the blinding Sunset and I'd be cripple if I didn't have highbacks
I put them on my 73 Bus and my 73 thing as well
.I used the original bottoms and the tops from a 68 up. It looks stock and I feel much safer. The bus was easier I only had to add the incerts in the top from a newer bus.. Both vehicles are prone to rearending. Both slow.. Believe being cool in a wheelchair when u can help it is not cool.
Good luck Bill in PR