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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:39 pm Post subject: Front seats |
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Hi all ....... My front seats are shot. Rather than have someone rebuild them I thought there might be some sellers out there that have reproduced them (probably imported). I would prefer some without the high backs. Any ideas ?
Thanks
Important edit: I forgot to mention that the springs are broken in the center of
the drivers seat. Ouch
Last edited by nanometer on Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:18 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50270
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Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:03 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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Your year and model/cab layout would be helpful. |
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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Wildthings wrote: |
Your year and model/cab layout would be helpful. |
Sorry about that - It's a 71 Day Camper |
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aeromech Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 16926 Location: San Diego, California
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Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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Nope. _________________ Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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OB Bus Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003 Posts: 2531 Location: Ocean Beach in Beautiful BLUE California
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50270
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Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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At times some shops have done rebuild exchanges. Maybe do a search online or buy a VW specific magazine and go through the ads. |
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sooonice Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2008 Posts: 92 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:20 am Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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-repair or have some one else repair your seats, springs, padding, covers etc...
-find good used ones
stock seats are quite comfortable, i dont think you will be disappointed...
there is no great aftermarket option(afaik), unless you hack in some seats from a newer vehicle.
-mish _________________ 1969 deluxe |
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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More details on "Nope" ? |
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mikedjames Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2012 Posts: 2715 Location: Hamble, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:42 am Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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There are upholstery Z springs that can be used to repair your existing seats. You can even wrap a broken spring in iron garden wire ( not galvanized) and weld it.
I did this to my old seats. Fixed broken springs poking through and a passenger seat flattened by the Worlds Heaviest Passenger.
Good enough in the end to sell them on when I went from pre 76 to post 76 with headrests. _________________ Ancient vehicles and vessels
1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.
1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy |
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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mikedjames wrote: |
There are upholstery Z springs that can be used to repair your existing seats. You can even wrap a broken spring in iron garden wire ( not galvanized) and weld it.
I did this to my old seats. Fixed broken springs poking through and a passenger seat flattened by the Worlds Heaviest Passenger.
Good enough in the end to sell them on when I went from pre 76 to post 76 with headrests. |
I found that interesting. Thank you |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1229 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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i brought my seats to my local auto upholstery guy. he was ready to replace springs and metal when necessary. i also brought padding and ready-made seat covers (original westy pattern), which was much cheaper than having him find and sew the fabric. _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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OB Bus wrote: |
Lots of folks in these forums like the Chrysler Stow-and-Go middle seats. Google it. |
This isn't too bad. Wonder what it costs ?
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:07 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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dodger tom wrote: |
i brought my seats to my local auto upholstery guy. he was ready to replace springs and metal when necessary. i also brought padding and ready-made seat covers (original westy pattern), which was much cheaper than having him find and sew the fabric. |
I'll probably have to do that. I don't know what they do with broken springs though. Maybe they can fix the one sticking out of my head
Last edited by nanometer on Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1229 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:13 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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sewfine is one of the places that make seat covers for vw’s. if they don’t rebuild/repair the seats, someone in denver who specializes in doing classic cars does. _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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richparker Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2011 Posts: 6937 Location: Durango, CO
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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Sew Fine is excellent, but they are kinda pricey. I used them for my branch/bed material and foam.
I used TMI for my front seats. _________________ __________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build |
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61 BUS Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2005 Posts: 692 Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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I'd look for a used 71 front driver or passenger seat that has some good springs and do a transplant, using the good springs from the donor to replace the bad springs in your seat. A passenger seat will likely have better springs as it's not used as much as the drivers seat is. _________________ 61 Bus, 71 Bus, 76 Beetle, 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth, 47 Plymouth Business Coupe, 58 BMW Isetta 300 |
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nanometer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 136 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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OB Bus wrote: |
Lots of folks in these forums like the Chrysler Stow-and-Go middle seats. Google it. |
Good solution IF you can find them. They're not that old so auto parts yards don't have them. I'll probably end up buying seat materials from Wolfsburg West |
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OB Bus Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003 Posts: 2531 Location: Ocean Beach in Beautiful BLUE California
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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nanometer wrote: |
OB Bus wrote: |
Lots of folks in these forums like the Chrysler Stow-and-Go middle seats. Google it. |
Good solution IF you can find them. They're not that old so auto parts yards don't have them. I'll probably end up buying seat materials from Wolfsburg West |
I have not done this swap but I have seen quite a few of these for sale on eBay. My replacement seats came out of some kind of motorhome. _________________ Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper. |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:19 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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it is a 50 year old car and reproduction seats are not available. People have suggested how to repair the old ones. Some people replace them with other car seats but don't do it if you plan to sell it later on because to many it will be a downgrade. The factory seats work fine, I drove a 1971 for 600,000 miles and the seats lasted that long and longer - requiring only an occasional reupholstering. If yours are so shot you don't feel they are worth upholstering, and repairing, then go to classifieds here and watch for a pair near you so you can go get them. There is a pair of early frames and springs in Florence Colorado for sale right now in classifieds. You can buy quality burlap at Joanns or online, and the seat pads from Wolfsburg West. Several places sell TMI seat upholstery like the original. |
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jtauxe Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004 Posts: 5778 Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Front seats |
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You can search the classifieds for used seat frames that are not yet broken. Clean those up and paint or powdercoat them, then have an upholsterer rebuild them. If you are in the Denver area, you could use Sewfine, who will do an excellent job or provide you the materials to do it yourself (which you can do).
Do you and your passengers a favor and get seats from 1973-1975 which support head rests. _________________ 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
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