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beckaluver
Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2020
Posts: 3
Location: Ohio
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 Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:26 am Post subject: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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Hello everyone,
I am currently working on a project that I picked up halfway through completion. The project is a ‘78 convertible, and currently has no seats. I’ve been gifted with a set of front seats from a ‘73, but it has become apparent that the seat adjustment mechanism is quite different. My research indicates that the adjust changed somewhere around ‘76 or ‘78. Does anyone have pictures or their ‘78 seats from the bottom that shows how the adjuster for this year functions? I’m considering options of modifying the ‘73 seats to add seat adjuster hardware from ‘78 or going the other route of adding the center tunnel bracket and retaining the ‘73 seat adjuster mechanisms. In both cases, I’ll need to buy almost the entire mechanism as the project did not come with those items. I’m also looking at simply picking up a set of aftermarket seats from Scat and installing those, but I would like to explore the original seat options first.
Thanks,
Gary |
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APPLEGREENVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2003
Posts: 2388
Location: Seekonk,Massachusetts USA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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76-79 type 1, bottom of the seat frames are all the same. Also Mk1 Rabbit's,etc. water-cooled vw's of the same time period, have the same setup.
Passenger side seat
Driver side seat
More photos in my gallery.
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02/76 Beetle sedan |
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H2OSB
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2013
Posts: 1292
Location: Modesto, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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Though the Golf Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 seat base is the same style as the 73.5 and later cars, the legs at the rear are 1 inch per side(if you center the seat base over the seat tracks) wider than your seat tracks. There are a ton of ways to make them fit and you can likely find instructions online somewhere, but they're, unfortunately, not a direct fit. In all honesty, I'm not certain this applies to Standard Beetles because the newest Standard I've ever owned was a '67 or '68, but this certainly applies to the OPs Super Beetle 'Vert.
H2OSB
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David Grason
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005
Posts: 103
Location: Princeton, Kentucky
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 10:17 am Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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How do these seats compare with the seats used in Mexican VWs up to 2003?
I've been planning a trip down there so I can bring a car back. But I have no idea what my options are as far as seating
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That means: "Little Volkswagens Live Forever!"
Do each day a little more than expected and soon you'll be expected to do more. |
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H2OSB
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2013
Posts: 1292
Location: Modesto, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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| David Grason wrote: |
How do these seats compare with the seats used in Mexican VWs up to 2003?
I've been planning a trip down there so I can bring a car back. But I have no idea what my options are as far as seating |
Not sure, I've never seen the mexibeetle seats. All of the Golf seats have bolsters, but are a bit wide. I run Miata seats in my two Supers.
H2OSB
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H2OSB
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2013
Posts: 1292
Location: Modesto, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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(o\_i_/o) I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants. |
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David Grason
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005
Posts: 103
Location: Princeton, Kentucky
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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Not one to intentionally wreck the thread, but I have to ask....
What kind of shifter is that?
Now, getting back on topic, those Miata seats look fantastic and seem to fit the "motif" of the car perfectly. Were they difficult to mount?
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¡Siempre Viven Los Vochitos!
That means: "Little Volkswagens Live Forever!"
Do each day a little more than expected and soon you'll be expected to do more. |
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H2OSB
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2013
Posts: 1292
Location: Modesto, CA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:20 am Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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| David Grason wrote: |
Not one to intentionally wreck the thread, but I have to ask....
What kind of shifter is that?
Now, getting back on topic, those Miata seats look fantastic and seem to fit the "motif" of the car perfectly. Were they difficult to mount? |
Bug-Tech. Awesome shifter.
The seats are very comfortable and supportive. I used Scat seat adapters I got at a swap meet for $25, years back. I had to do a little drilling and finagling(On the adapters only. The car is 100% unchanged)but they were not monumentally difficult to mount. Oh, and I bought Scat seat adjusters, but Miata adjusters COULD have been used with a bit more fiddling. The seats look identical to mini, cloth covered Porsche seats and fit the width of the cabin.
H2OSB
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APPLEGREENVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2003
Posts: 2388
Location: Seekonk,Massachusetts USA
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H2OSB
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2013
Posts: 1292
Location: Modesto, CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:55 am Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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| APPLEGREENVW wrote: |
| What year Miata seats did you use? |
I wish I could tell you. I bought them on craigslist and honestly just went by the picture. I just didn't want the ones with speakers in the headrests, and I looked for the style that looks like Porsche seats. That said, I THINK the bases are the same, so, at least, the first two gens should fit the same.
Sorry I can't help further
H2OSB
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(o\_i_/o) I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants. |
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creative native 
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007
Posts: 1227
Location: WNC
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Seat modifications 73-78 |
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| I have a '74 Sun Bug and although the recovered (in vinyl) stock seats look decent, they are uncomfortable to me. For my interior restoration, which is nearly complete, I went though the trouble to find '73 Sports Bug seats (that I'm recovering in Sun Bug upholstery) and find them very comfortable. A clear advantage over stock seats. |
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