Middle (center) seat identification

[Red Fau Veh]

Very cool to know and I just went to look at my collection and one of mine is the so called 67 only but it really is a 68. I think it's value just went up!
_________________
1971 Deluxe Sunroof Bay 1905 stroker, dual idf40's, 74mm Scat forged crank, engle 110 cam. CB 044 heads, AutoCraft rockers, chromoly push rods
1973 Orange transporter stock type 4 with dual 40 Dellortos and Empi single quiet pack
1969 Adventurewagen blue whale Gene Berg 1776 built by Dave Kawell dual 36 DRLA's, Vintage Speed exhaust, Bosch 019 screamer
1961 Swivel Seat camper, L345 grey

[Tcash]

43. Red Middle seat

42. 1973 Middle (center) seat

41. t2a Center seat grey

40. Center seat kick panel 1968-69

39. Double folding center seat. 1968

38. Champagne Edition Middle Seat

37. Center seat

36. Center seat side trim plate

35. 1969 Full Center Seat

34. Center seat

33. Middle Seat Frame

32. 68 Full Length

31. Middle seat clamp and stud

30. Center Seat Full Length

29. Center middle seat mounting brackets

28. Center Seat Full Length

27. 1971 Center seat, note the clamps

26. 1970 Center (middle) seat

25. Center Seat

24. 1973 Center Seat Full Length

23. 1968 Center Seat Full Length

22. 1978 Center middle seat

21. Center seat

20. Center seat mounting plates

19. 1969 Center seat

18. 1971 Center seat

17. 1978 Center seat

16. Center seats early

15. Center seat frame out of a 78

14. Center seat, Note: retractable seat belts.

13. 68 middle seat.

12. Early

11. 72 oe seats

10. Full length middle seat

9.

8. 73 Middle Bench Seat

7. 68-69
Fits a split screen from 1967 as well. Rare Dogtail (armrest which comes from the back)

6.

5. 1970 Middle seat

4. 70's owner called it a 70/30 split.

3. 1971 Transporter

2. Late

1. Middle Seat Trim Panel

1970 Armrest of two person middle bench seat changed.
1971 2112 102 250 Handle to operate flippable backrest of middle bench seat changed.
1973 Handle to operate flippable backrest of middle bench seat changed.
1973 Detachable headrest introduced.

[jtauxe]

All right! So, is this destined to be a "middle seat identification" thread? That would be good (or at least to have one somewhere). I can make some contributions. And photos. Here's what I have now:

- a three-person (3/3) middle seat from left-hand drive (LHD) 1972 or earlier, with nice original upholstery
This one has no headrest tubes, black basketweave upholstery, a handle on the back, an ashtray on the back with a silver frame, and a roundish knob for rotating the third seat forward. This also has the older-style seat belts, with the gray lever to release.

- a 3/3 LHD seat from 1973 or later, with ratty original upholstery.
This one has tubes for headrests, beigeish basketweave upholstery, a handle on the back, an ashtray on the back with a black frame, and a squarish knob for rotating the third seat forward. This uses the newer seat belts, with the orange push-button release.

- a 19?? 2/3 middle seat for a LHD bus, nice canyon brown basketweave upholstery. Armrest is attached at back only, seat back has handle and ashtray with black frame. I don't know the year of manufacture, but it matches perfectly the canyon brown interior in my 1979 Transporter, Snickers.

Seat documentation photos should include overall view, plus these details: upholstery type, 3rd seat knob type, ashtray, headrest tube holes (there or not), headrests if original style, and... what else, folks? Maybe upholstery details to aid in identifying the proper replacement stuff? Pics of the underside?

Should we split the thread into 2/3 middles and 3/3 middles?

Also - a note on Tcash's first photo of the 3/3 black seat: If that headrest is original , that seat is 1976 or later.

I also notice several inaccuracies in TMI's tables. For example (just one example of many) they group the middle seats into '68-'73, but there was a change in 1973 to headrest tubes. I suspect that is also the time the change was made to the squarish lift knob. Is TMI interested in correcting their information? I hope so, because I am going to be ordering from them a full set of new upholstery for my 1973 9-seat Wild Westerner, and they need to get it right! With the information they have in the table, they wouldn't.

This is going to be fun.
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[Tcash]

[nathansnathan]

It's worth noting that there is a late and early end trim panel. I think 73 and later is the late and it doesn't fit under the early seat, the legs aren't bent quite the same for the piece to clip on.

This one is listed as 68 in the classifieds, the one pictured before is the late one, not sure if there is another in between or if the 68 was in up until 72.

[Tcash]

[jtauxe]

A recent post by Matt Stevens in the Wild Westerner thread
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8137326
shows this middle seat, ostensibly from 1973:

[Tcash]

I have not been able to nail it down. But it appears there where 4 Recline lever knobs and maybe ? Escutcheons.
What do you think?

1971 2112 102 250 Handle to operate flippable backrest of middle bench seat changed.

1969 round knob no grooves.

1970 round knob with grooves.

1973 round knob with grooves, Slots and Escutcheon has tracks.

No Pic: square knob.

thanks to jerseylooker
http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/EarlyBaywindow/EarlyBay-Main.html
http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/EarlyBaywindow/EarlyBay-8.html

http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/LateBaywindow/LateBay-Main.html
http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/LateBaywindow/LateBay-8.html

Tcash

[Tcash]

Middle (center) seat Clamps

middle seat clamp advice

[Wasted youth]

1973 model year with seatbelts and headrests.

[alman72]

T-cash,
your pic 33 is labeled as a 72, but wasn't 73 the first year for headrests? or is that only the driver and passenger that got headrests in 73? If so, what year did headrests appear in rear and middle benches?

[Tcash]

[66311]

What is the difference between the 68 and 69 3 seater?

[tonysantacruz]

I'm rebuilding my 74 bay window bus and like many others, it doesn't have a center seat.
So, I got two choices: this one, close to home, I can pick them up on saturday for 30 bucks.

Clamps alone will cost more.

Or this:

Cost is a little bit more, but under 80. Those would have to be shipped to me, but that's not an issue.

I'm just wondering the ID of the gray one, because it kinda feels like the bottom ones are more like mine:

Can anyone give me a proper ID on all? Thanks.

[jtauxe]

A full-width middle seat for under $100?! That's a steal. The first one you show has some odd flat bar on the bottom -- not original.

One in good shape can get close to $1000. Check out the classifieds!

Consider that by 1974 these middle seats would have had provision for head rests, so you may with to look for that, too.

And yes, you will need 8 clamp sets to secure it, and then the very-hard-to-find special middle seat belts.

And fresh upholstery will set you back a few hundred, if you want to go there.
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[tonysantacruz]

Thanks. Yeah, it's been a pain to get everything. I think I can get the clamps from Customandcommercial and the belts from another european place I can't recall just now.
The extra bar was an aftermarket thing, I'm sure. I think the seats look more like a 90's thing. they look different from mine.
I'm still going to go junkyard diving and see if I can scrounge other options.

[alman72]

I thought middle seat belts were re-pop by someone, ie, no longer hard to find. I found some originals last year and got exited that I had something that someone would need, then read about the re-pop, on here somewhere

[djdh68dlux]

[djdh68dlux]

And here's some more...

http://www.mamotorworks.com/VW/product/retro-belt-2-point-lap-belt-without-hardware-75-long-ea

Here you can get 74" or 90"!

http://www.seatbeltsplus.com/category/volkswagen-bus-seat-belts.html

Same options here:

http://www.jbugs.com/product/1800-74.html
http://www.jbugs.com/product/1800-90.html
_________________
1968 Deluxe "Clipper L" Type 2

Looking for a VW club in Southern California? Check out Inland Valley Volkswagens: www.ivvw.org

[jtauxe]