What are you using for front seats?

74 Thing · Samba Member Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7393

I noticed viewing the steering wheel thread and going to Bugorama that a lot of people are using aftermarket front seats. I am sure it is for the comfort factor since I have been usind stock seats for 20 years now and they are not the best.

Just curious what you guys are using and what would you recommend and maybe describe any mounting modifications that are necessary and a photo if you have one.

I think this would be a useful thread.

Thanks

DougD · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:17 am Post subject:

Mine are re-upholstered originals and I got to say they are quite comfy. I drive my Thing every day to work and during the day for work ... no sore back or rear yet. I wouldnt mind having an option to recline though.

mising · Samba Member Joined: August 01, 2011 Posts: 32

I would be interested in some of the non VW options also. The PO included the original front seats with the car, but they need a complete redo before I could use them, but I would also like to see some more modern options. Right now mine has what I think are late 70's GM buckets bolted onto 4x4s which are bolted to the floor. They are comfortable, but ugly. I will post some pics tonight when I get home.
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Semper_Dad · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 12:33 pm Post subject:

guppysoup · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:37 pm Post subject:

I put some mid 90s Dodge Caravan bucket seats in mine. They are very comfyand were pretty cheap (50 usd for the pair) The adjustable tracks were built into them so I just had to box in a metal frame. The width dimension was perfect. Height was adjusted with the metal frame. They also recline Laughing

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1973 Thing/Safari
1985 Bug/Vocho wanna be class 11
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jjrannauro · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:45 pm Post subject:

Hi, I have a 1977 Thing, when I bought the car the seats looked nice but they were in really bad shape. They were welded on an ugly base (the seat tracks were missing). Making the long story short, the seats were about to disintegrate, they were very rusty. So I got a couple of VW Gol seats and I also found the original material for the upholstery. As soon as they are mounted on the car I will take them to my expert uphosterer, I will ask him to add some extramaterial to make them more comfy. Here is a picture of one of my seats.

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

This is the material that I found.

sixty9fasty · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:05 pm Post subject:

Here's the Porsche seats in my '74, you may have seen it at Sac Bug O last year cruising through the swap. Hoping to have them refinished soon, might add seat heaters for those top down evening cruises as I have no heat...

The big plus for me is that they have both the stock Thing AND Porsche sliders so they leave a lot of room for my 6'6" self.

cecil · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:36 pm Post subject:

I have PRP Hi Back Suspension seats from Moore Parts in Anaheim. A lot of side support and pretty comfy. Attached to Thing seat bottom frame, so they can be adjusted.
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I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented....I forgot where I was going with this
I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus."

Hooking · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 12:23 am Post subject:

I'm using scat low backs , I like the low profile and the cost wasn't bad . very comfortable and they bolt to the pan .

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tallman206 · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:11 am Post subject:

High back Beetle seats covered with OEM-look vinyl. Here they are on the naked 181 chassis (NSFW). Still just as immensely uncomfortable as the stock seats Sad

but they look very close to stock.

_________________
Jerry Henning
Southern Classic Works
St.Petersburg, Florida
1973 VW Type 181 with 616/33-6 powerplant
1962 356B-T6 Cabriolet Rustbucket

Nijyboy · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject:

I have stock military recliners in mine, very comfy.
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1969 ex Bundeswehr VW 181
1st year of production

74 Thing · Samba Member Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7393

I just wish the stock steats had a bucket or something to keep my butt int he seat while going around corners hard. Sometimes I find the g force pushing me or making me slide off when cornering.

Those Scat seats look nice, but I would not want to drill holes in the pan.

jjrannauro · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:41 am Post subject:

FV195 · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:55 am Post subject:

not even sure what my seats came out of, but they are comphy, welded to stock sliders, the seat frame, so they move with out mods to the floor, seats have sliders too, double adj. recline lumbar support, that is adj.
would post photos but don't know how?????

Rev. Scott · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject:

i have the stock springs with some crappy auto parts store seat buffers...they function.
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"I haven't seen one of those since I was shootin' at 'em!"

dan macmillan · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:18 pm Post subject:

Honda Civic minus headrests. Honda seat adjusters bolted to 1" square steel floor cross braces. Very smooth operation. Not sure of the year. Automatic lap belt retractors from the same Honda are in the rockers just below rear doors.

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Licensed Automotive Service Technician
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66 Modified Manx,68 Kyote,74 Thing,74 Beetle, 76 Transporter,75 self made Double Cab,65 Meyers Manx,78Westy,68 Ghia, 79 Bradley GT2
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kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3266

These are Kubelpanzer's crushed velour front seats (with matching rear)

Herr Kublemanns has bolt on mounts that slide with Race Trim suspension seat front and stock seats rear. (I plan for a race trim rear bench suspension seat eventually. )
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_...nsion+seat

NOVA Airhead · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:35 am Post subject:

mondshine · Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 6:45 am Post subject:

Mine are the stock seats, but they're covered with "basket weave" as shown in the owner's manual.

It's a nicer surface than the smooth vinyl; keeps my butt from sliding around.

1989

See you in Elizabethtown, Mondshine

90runner · Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:08 am Post subject:

I've been thinking of seats with shoulder belts built in like full size Dodge truck seats
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74 Thing stock lots of rust figured someone needed to save it.


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