Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row)

[dwill49965]

Yes, I have read all 29 pages of this thread over the last couple of weeks.

I am ready to do this seat swap in my '78 Westy - using leather seats from a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. One concern I just noticed as I was about to order the Small Car adapter bracket from their website is that it does NOT list the bracket as being compatible with a 1978 passenger side swivel seat - only up to 1976, and nothing about '77-79 passenger side swivel seat.

"Seats and Mounting Brackets Fit the Following Vehicles:

1980-1991 Vanagon
1968-1976 Bay Window Bus: Driver's Side
1977-1979 Bay Window Bus: Driver's Side
1968-1976 Bay Window Bus: Passenger's Side requires a custom bracket
1976 Bay Window Bus: Passenger Side with swivel"

So I am not sure if I should order two brackets, or just one for the drivers side. I also recall from somewhere earlier in the thread that it is easy to install the seat directly onto the swivel passenger side, and I believe the '78 swivel is similar if not identical to the 1980-91 vanagon. Can anyone confirm that?

Thanks in advance.
_________________
Darryl
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'78 Westy, Boston Bob built 2.0 L, FI, MSD 6A

[vwwestyman]

I used a pair of adapters, one for each side in my '78 Westy.

But as I'm considering your comment, it may well be possible to bolt the seat straight down to the swivel. I honestly never considered that!

If you're interested, maybe I can look at that a bit more closely, and if it looks like it would work, I'd sell you my passenger side bracket for use on your driver side, and we can both just bolt the seat to the swivel! (Or if you want to try bolting yours down to the swivel, then we'll know and I could sell you my extra bracket.)
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[pnwkayaker]

[dwill49965]

[vwwestyman]

Yep, I will do my best to take a look soon. But if you can also take a look and see if it looks like you can bold your seat straight to the swivel, that would be helpful. (I'm in the midst of a lot of house projects in preparation to move!)

Then we can hit it both ways!

I would very much appreciate if I can get it to mount lower on that swivel, as would my wife!

The SNG seat frames have their own fore/aft adjustment as a part of the frame, so that isn't a concern with not using the adapter.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[dwill49965]

[vwwestyman]

Here are two pics of my Smallcar adapter on my 1978 Westy seat swivel. It is even currently turned to face the back!

I would say their T2 expert is mistaken. The stock seats could be swapped from one side to the other; I don't know why they would think the adapters that fit one set of rails wouldn't fit the other.

Unless he is talking about the increased height? Otherwise, I dunno.

It appears I was mistaken in thinking you could very easily bolt the frame of the SNG to the swivel; you'd need to weld a couple cross braces to the swivel and mount to that. But it would lower the seat a bit. But possibly create other sources of frustration, such as the seat itself interfering with the swivel base.

_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[rustednuggs]

Greatest post and awesome pics! So I have an 80 air cooled vanagon, with swivel seats. I have been looking but what year Town and Country would be best for me to grab the 2nd row, stow and go? Is the Town and Country the only ones I can grab?

Thanks in advance!

[shagginwagon83]

The ~2015 brown leather looks great with brown/tan interior.
_________________
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram: @joannthevan

[rustednuggs]

I agree! I am looking for some as we speak! Located in Southern Alabama and will to drive a few..TY in advance!

[campism]

[gtinseth]

Just a quick note to confirm that the newer Pacifica seats work with the German sliders. It isn't plug and play. The seats I bought had no underseat mounting rails or crossbars. I looked at the smallcar instructions for the Pacifica seats with their slider mounts. I used their idea to bolt on angle iron on both edges to the two spots they highlight. Then I bolted on the German sliders to the angle iron.

Here are the German sliders:

https://www.vw-t3-bus-shop.de/sitzadapter-fur-sportscraft-armlehnensitz-s91s81

I used 2 inch by 2.5 inch by 3/16 inch angle iron and M10 bolts as described in the smallcar pdf. Driver side, for my install, must be moved back to the stops in order to "stow" and I installed the passenger side onto a swivel base with no problems.

I haven't put any time into driving with them yet, but will soon. Feel free to message for more details. I have been super swamped and haven't taken any photos. Sorry. I just wanted to say they are usable with a little fabrication. Or you could buy the smallcar slider system and bolt it on.

[bammbamm1961]

Does ANYBODY have a set of post install photos showing the total install Hgt???

Here is an image of bmw X1x3 seats in my 82, but they are not a great option due to sitting so high.. Looking to see if these pacifica 2nd row seat are a better option.

4" between Steering wheel and seat top puts the head of my 6'2" tall body nearly into the headliner.[img][/img]

[kamzcab86]

[DuncanS]

The Bimmer seats look great. Why not carve the lower seat mount away and get rid of the height.

Duncan

[djkeev]