Looking For Front Bench Seat

CaratTS · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:23 am Post subject: Looking For Front Bench Seat

I have an 86 Gl and I want to upgrade to some more seating options. I am looking for anyone who may have A front bench seat that mounts on the passengers pedestal to allow for 3 in the front. I am also interested in a 3 person middle seat for my van so either or or both would be great. I am in Oregon so the NW would be ideal but I will also consider shipping if the drive is too far. Thanks for any help you guys can offer. My family has gotten bigger and my wife thinks its time to move past the Vanagon! NO WAY!

bucko · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:31 am Post subject:

The Vanagon never came with a front bench seat, so you're going to have to modify the front driver and passenger seat rails to make one work. Modifying it so that it can be adjusted will also be the trick (being able to slide the bench seat forward or back to adjust for different drivers). Mounting a center seat belt will also need to be fabricated.

Why not just install the rear facing jump seats that were options for Vanagons? I see them for sale on the classifieds here all the time. The middle seat that mounts to the floor sliders seats 2 adults, and has seat belts is the better option as well.
_________________
Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

foodeater · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:27 am Post subject:

You can get the passenger seat from a nine passenger Vanagon (or 6 pass Doka or 3 pass single cab) if you can find one, alot more common in the euro zone, but I have seen a few here in the states.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
89 Bluestar-2.5 Subaru Powered-RIP
'84 Westy Tiico-daily driver-sold
'82 Caddy diesel-sold
'87 Vanagon Syncro-RIP
'81 diesel rabbit-sold
'82 Vanagon auto-RIP

CaratTS · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:29 am Post subject:

Thanks for the Info on the Doka. The seat in the picyure is just what I am looking for. I guess that the challenge will be to find a Doka that some one wants to part out.

I actually have the jumpseats in my other van. (91 Carat) the newer of my two but you can not fit Jumpseats and a middle bench together and I am looking to get to nine seats. Thanks for the thought though.

foodeater · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:15 am Post subject:

Most doka's were five seaters, so even if you find someone parting one out there is a very good chance it wont have the seat your after.

The photo is from a nine passenger vanagon.
_________________
89 Bluestar-2.5 Subaru Powered-RIP
'84 Westy Tiico-daily driver-sold
'82 Caddy diesel-sold
'87 Vanagon Syncro-RIP
'81 diesel rabbit-sold
'82 Vanagon auto-RIP

bucko · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

foodeater · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:27 am Post subject:

I dont know how they are supported in the middle. the only person I've ever know that had a nine pass. is Brady (of Bostig fame). and I saw one in a junkyard one time. I still regret not getting that one when I had the chance.

Maybe someone on the has or has gotten to look at one real well.
_________________
89 Bluestar-2.5 Subaru Powered-RIP
'84 Westy Tiico-daily driver-sold
'82 Caddy diesel-sold
'87 Vanagon Syncro-RIP
'81 diesel rabbit-sold
'82 Vanagon auto-RIP

H2O-Box · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject:

I have seen a nine passenger before but don't recall how the middle of the front seat was supported either... It was for sale at the time to but I had no funds (kind of like now)......

B-

vwlovr · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

not sure how capable you are, but i always thought maybe an alternative would be to get a seat from an american pick up and make it work. i think if you got it upholstered right it would look okay.

i took a big trip in my syncro GL and was tempted to do this so our 3 yo could ride in front. my idea was that it would be more temporary so i wasn't so concerned about looks. in the end i ran out of time, but wished i had done it. with her in the back we had to remove the car seat each night to sleep and my car sick prone wife spent many of hours in the back...getting sick.

i think for sure it will be easier for you to find a 3 seat middle since 8 passenger vans are more likely in the US than 9 pass. although you'd have to rig the mounts, maybe a 3 seat middle from a 68-79 bus would work?

good luck!

delta-ed · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject:

The 2 person passenger seat fits onto the passenger side rails and the center seat is not attached to the driver seat at all. I am not sure about the seatbelts.

Goodluck finding one, as someone else said, a lot more common in Europe.
_________________
86 GL Running
& 89 Wolfsburg (not running)

foodeater · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:13 am Post subject:

you may want to contact this guy about how the seat mounts

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=634596
_________________
89 Bluestar-2.5 Subaru Powered-RIP
'84 Westy Tiico-daily driver-sold
'82 Caddy diesel-sold
'87 Vanagon Syncro-RIP
'81 diesel rabbit-sold
'82 Vanagon auto-RIP

CaratTS · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks foodeater. I Its nice to see help with the seat search. I am still looking for the seats though. His is exactly what I am looking for but I think he might not wish to part with front seat Very Happy

.
_________________
________
91 Carat
86 GL (sadly retired)

H2O-Box · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:56 am Post subject:

Just found these pics on E-Bay and decided to add them to this thread..

B-

drumming123 · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:59 pm Post subject:

boulderdrop · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:53 pm Post subject:

That front seat is sweeeeet!
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OddN · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:50 am Post subject:

Quite common in Europe as already mentioned. Only problem with fitting them is that they require the partition wall behind the seats for holding the seat back. You can see the little bolt and bracket holding the back on some of the photos, and there is a similar bracket between the bench and the drivers seat. As far as belts for the middle passanger, they only use a lap belt mounted to the original bolts for the driver/passenger belt latches. A norwegian company (who also made bus-interiors and other seat arrangements) made a dual seat that didnt need the partition but they are very uncommon to see these days.
_________________
1991 VW Multivan syncro 1,9 TD

foodeater · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:59 am Post subject:

[quote="drumming123"]

camerahunter · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:09 am Post subject:

There is a two person middle seat on craigslist up here in the Seattle area.
You could probably make that work in the front.

Thank you,

David
_________________
1984 - Daily driver

GMByers · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:37 pm Post subject:

I have seen a few military dokas with the double front passenger seat without the bulkhead. They have a square metal tube that runs the across the cab and around the seatbelts. They used the same brackets as pictured on the top of the seat.
_________________
And then there were two...downsized to 83 Doka &
74 Thing.

boulderdrop · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:43 pm Post subject:


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