TheSamba.com :: View topic - Suzuki Seat in a type-3

Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:41 pm

This is a thread about installing late model seats in a 1967 type-3 Fastback.

Here are the original seats, recovered by this cars PO and his son. Not too bad a job, but I need something a little more old-back friendly.

The new seats are from a 2004 Suzuki Verona. They will get recovered to match the rest of the interior.

My first thought was to mate the Suzuki seat to the type-3 base using a little frame I fabbed up. But just putting it on the top of the seat base leaves the seat several inches too high.

My little frame will survive, but I may need to cut down the base somehow. Back to the drawing board. ;-)

Max

Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:57 pm

you need something lower, the MK1 vw recaros would be a good choice for that mod. they have a low profile base, I used them in a 61 beetle and 73 super.

Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:08 pm

Thing is, I already have these seats and I like-em. Plus, any seat that fits in a beetle is too narrow for my type-3. ;-)

New plan. Bolt the inboard side of my bracket to the rail and extend the outboard side to reach the lower rail.

Tomorrow, more welding.

Max

Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:38 pm

I did something simular to this back in the day to my 66 fastback and 1990 Geo Storm Seats. I too had to ditch the og base to make it work with a fabbed bracket set up.

Good luck. 8)

SHE 699

Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:03 am

Success! My wife and I agree that this lower position is better than what I had been thinking. And I really like having the modern ball-bearing mewchanism to move the seat fore and aft.

Now I'm off to make the right side mount.

Max

Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:23 am

Good job, your back will love the new seats. All of my VWs have non OEM seats. With my back the OEM seats are a deal breaker on long drives.

Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:16 pm

That's clean! Good work!

Sun Mar 12, 2017 4:22 pm

Done. Well ... except for cleaning the seats. ;-)

Plenty of room between the seats for me to make a nice console.

I totally understand about OEM seats, especially early ones. I did the 2006 Berg Cruise sitting on stock 63 Beetle seats and was all but crippled when I got home. 7110 miles in three weeks.

Max