Barndoor Swivel Seat

[mandraks]

[CaLiBus]

Ok Everyone. Here's the latest..

Given with the latest information and some investigative work "special thanks to tstracey39 and easy e for pointing out the shifter extension" that we have a swivel seat as an option for Barndoors.

For those who have great doubt think of the VERY FEW SURVING BARNDOORS that are here today vs production leaving us with only VW literature to go with. So just because we haven't seen one it doesn't mean it didn't exist. We now have great evidence it was an option.

Would be incredible to see someone build one this year!

[mr white]

Of course this is real,or could be. Are we saying that barndoor Binz photos might be air brushed? Still neither example has surfaced. Am I wrong on the fact three barndoor deluxes that were coachbuilt with extra windows up front have been found? Or 1954 or 55 15 windows could or might exist. All these are real. Perhaps,many have not yet been discovered or confirmed,or possibly owners have not come forward. They are out there.

[Lowdown Dirty Rat]

[gr8vw4sale]

For those that may not have considered why the actual barndoor swivel seat shown above and in the thread "Summer 2016 Barndoor Find" differs slightly in the seat height from the VW graphic in the 1953 Transporter Interiors Brochure it is pretty simple, blame the Marketing Department at VW.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/transporter_interiors_german.php

Why do I say that, because if you know large manufacturing companies, there is always this internal struggle between marketing, manufacturing/engineering and accounting.

I am pretty sure when the marketing department gave this brochure to their original customer focus group with the actual seat, no one knew what it was. Swivel seats were relatively new to the consumer in an automobile back in the barndoor era (the actual swivel chair dates back to Thomas Jefferson).

Remember this is a 45 page brochure. Most customers were going to either take this brochure home with them to read on their own or a sales person had to quickly show them a graphic that would register in their mind at the dealership. Everything needed to be self-explanatory.

If the marketing department put that actual (seemingly) flat, single chair in the swivel seat graphic in this brochure, I'm sure no one would know what it was. How does that flat seat turn? What does the sales person do then, loses a potential sale.

In typical marketing fashion, they then had to change it so people could associate what they were depicting. What better way than to include an exaggerated swinging pedestal cone on the chair, similar to a barber or dentist chair. Ah, now people can associate with it and know what it is!

Look closely at the graphic. That is why the front pedestal and the swivel seat chair look like they are super-imposed/photoshoped on top of the rest of the pic. Marketing had to change it to meets their needs.

Another way to debunk the pedestal seat height portion of the photo/graphic is the following:

Look at the top of the steering wheel, right by the bottom of the windshield. Same place as usual. Knowing that a typical bench seat allows the driver to seat comfortably in place, how could you throw another 3-4 inches of seat pedestal, then a seat cushion on top of that and still maintain the same height of the steering column or even the same distance between the bottom of the steering wheel and the seat cushion as this graphic depicts? Not realistic.

In addition, the engineers would never allow this pedestal on top of a pedestal concept either. A lower center of gravity is always preferred. Later swivel seats dipped even lower.

[Clara]

[Clara]

[gr8vw4sale]

Per the translation of the preface of the BD interior brochure, it is done at the dealer as a dealer option.

See the following link, page 3, starting in the middle of the page for start of the full discussion.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=40

[EverettB]

[EverettB]

[mandraks]

[gr8vw4sale]

This is the key:

The examples of interior fitments and body styles are not offered by the Volkswagen Werk ("the Factory"). They were built partly in specialty shops, partly by VW dealerships, to the order for their owners; the individual companies and following examples are frequently ordered according to the large Distributors and dealerships, whose trained personnel are always available to consult, refer, and help to solve any transportation problem with locally available means.

I later confirmed via a German speaking friend, after the original post in the other thread, that my interpretation of the Google translation was correct.

All my posts in that other thread however refer to a dealer, nothing else.

Thank you for the translation above as well.

[Clara]

[gr8vw4sale]

[cory464]

here is what i posted on the other thread. it appears to me that the installation of the seat matches what is described in the brochure, at least in dimensions. i strongly believe that this was a dealer installed option. i am also curious what is lurking under the hideous upholstery, as the legs appear to match and the curve on the top appears to be present.

[EverettB]

I can't tell that the walk-thru mat matches an original floor mat.
It looks like normal rubber runner material to me, available almost anywhere.

This doesn't really matter though, I'm sure a coach builder or a dealer or whoever would have used whatever they could lay their hands on for dirt cheap, they aren't going to hack up a real VW floor mat for no reason.

I still think we need a photo of the Bus from the driver's side door opening.
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[gr8vw4sale]

Here is a shot from the drivers side and a closeup of the walk-thru mat

[EverettB]

Cool, that is a pretty dry Bus.

What does the handle do on that side versus the one in the walk-thru section?

The walk-thru mat doesn't look like a VW mat - it's too thin and I doubt it has the large waffle pattern on the back side.
The later walk-thru mats are pretty thin too.
I'm sure they used whatever mat they could get their hands on for the walk-thru section.
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[gr8vw4sale]

Having had a later walk-thru before, agree, you really can't have a very spongy mat there which the waffles seem to provide. It really needs to be pretty firm because if you have a wet foot that could spell disaster if that mat has any give to it, especially since it is on a slope. The pattern looks dead on though and the wear showcases its age. These engineers tested everything so I am sure they knew best what worked, what didn't.

The knob is for adjusting the seat forward/backward.

[djfordmanjack]

That seat looks very, very oldtimey to me. it looks as if the foam cushion is covered with sheep wool? the frame tubing for the back looks very professionally made. all looking very 1950s

The rubber mat reminds me of mid 1950s GM trunk lining. my 1953 Chevy had pretty much that pattern and would be large enough to cut the whole walkthrough area from that piece.
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