Alt seat recommendation, shoulder belt + tall driver

[Davidsquared]

I've got a new to me 68 Ghia convertible. I have back issues and wont be able to keep the soft stock seats. Plus I want a shoulder belt. I'm 6'3" tall. A shoulder belt has been installed anchored to the pillar, but it falls off my shoulder as its too low.

I'll never use the rear seats, will mount the new rails as far back as possible. Looking for a seat that has intregrated shoulder belt or has a track that you can run the shoulder belt through so it would stay in the right place.

I looked through the long seat thread but none of the recommendations where speciific to what I am looking for. Any nice seats that look like they might do are too expensive to just buy and try (like a honda s2000, bmw e46 cabrio).

Hoping someone else has already solved for this. THanks in advance
David

[54bug]

Dave

There are two separate answers

1) Seat Belts: VW's conformed to the Delivery location rules, and in 1968 shoulder harness belts weren't required for US Delivered cars. VW had provisions for harness built in every car, as European deliveries required them. The captured nuts are hiding in the column of your car. Look at a later model Ghia Cab and note where the shoulder harness bolts on. Probe that location on your car and you will find the mounting point. You could find replacement harnesses for a later model Ghia and bolt them in. If you attend a larger VW shows you may find more modern seat belt adaptations.

2) Seats: Lots of seats will fit into a Ghia. I've found Honda Civic, and smaller Mazda seats fit well, have great support, and recline and slide well. Adapting the seat tracks to your car will require some metal fabrication. You could use a set of Ghia seat base tracks, and have the new seat tracks welded on, making removable without messing the floor. Some builders will weld mounts to the floor and bolt the new tracks down, thinking this is safer

There are a lot of seats available from everywhere from wrecking yards to EBay, to The Samba. Best to see what you are buying in person, and realize you can't use the airbags. Given some searching you will find a great seat with matching upholstery in great shape.

My only guidance is to ask the welder to mount the tracks without the seats attached. Once the upholstery is burned, it's not pretty.

Scott

[jeffrey8164]

I’m 6’2”. I put in Mazda 626 seats on Scat universal seat rails. They fit in between the stock tracks so they sit low and I have plenty of head room.
I have the stock, non-retractable lobster claw style seat belts. When on and adjusted they don’t move and neither can I. 🙄

I looked through salvage yards with seat rails in hand to find something suitable.
Since I knew I was reupholstering them, I wasn’t too concerned about the condition other than making sure the mechanical parts were intact and working.
_________________
Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.

“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1)

[kurt912]

Vespas And I think I see a Lambretta too!
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1964 MG Midget MK1 Monte Carlo Replica
1969 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1972 Mercedes 250 Coupe

[kurt912]

Oh sorry, got distracted. I'm 6'2" and just use the lap belt.
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1964 MG Midget MK1 Monte Carlo Replica
1969 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1972 Mercedes 250 Coupe

[Steelz21]

Audi TT
MINI cooper (bmw mini)
Miata
Jag XJS.

Just few I have seen in my travels.


We need more scooter pics too please


Andy

[TDCTDI]

I vote Miata.

They sit well, they’re a thin & slim profile that don’t look too bulky in a vintage car & they are sorta Porsche-esque in appearance.


At 6’3” myself, I fabricated my own seat tracks to drop the seats as low as possible so that could fit in the vehicle with a helmet, but I still had to eliminate the headliner.

Mazda Miata seats from a junkyard, Mazda seatbelt latches accepted VW Jetta mk4 rear seat belt assemblies.


Custom made brackets to hide seat belt retractors in cavity behind b-pillar.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.