Making a bay window 2/3 middle seat in to split 2/3 middle

[iamdonquixote]

I have heard of this being done. Cutting of the diagonal brace & changing the armrest somehow. Has anyone done this with any success? If so how bad/ good does it look

-r

[Lind]

the only bay seat that you can easily convert to a splittie seat is a '68 only 2/3 seat to '67 only 2/3 seat. the differences in the seat frame is that the top of the backrest is folded sheet metal on the '68 seat, and it is tubing on a '67 seat. the springs for the backrest have a thinner profile on the '68 seat, but that can easily be made up for at the upholstery shop. also, you have to come up with a grab handle for the backrest.

trying to convert any other bay window seat into a splittie seat would be a nightmare. it would probably be easier to start with tubing stock and a bender.
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a while ago I posted an answer about welding a single "D" shaped piece of tube ("C" shaped until it is welded in place) to the passanger side leg, flat along the floor. lets any bay seat match up with the stock split mounts.
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[dstefun]

[adam r3]

This is a really old thread, but i am wanting to do the same thing. Does anybody have experience with this kind of thing?
I have a 66 bus with holes in the floor for a 2/3 seat. I bought a bay 2/3 seat, and am going to modify it by moving the right side leg over to fit.

I also am wondering about the grab bars. has anybody successfully added grab bars to a middle seat?

And I found the kick panel for the original middle seat back under my back seat. The clips are rusted off, but I already started to restore it. does this still clip on to the bay middle seat? the bars are a little different.

Here is a picture of what I've got.

[BarryL]

You got a lot going for you. Your old one should mate up pretty well after you move the leg. Are you going to have the armrest pipe continue down?

[adam r3]

I am not sure If I'm going to change the arm rest. I'm trying to find some good pictures of the correct arm rest. I think this is what it should look like.

and this is mine

I think it would need to be moved forward a little in the front, and bent. And would have to be connected in the back too. I have an extra bay seat frame with no springs so I might be able to use the arm rest from the other one to connect the back?

Also the arm rest pad is different.

[55samba]

The one in my old mango was once a bay window seat. Cut and weld... Move the leg flush with the end etc.

[Stocknazi]

There was a guy selling armrest tubing sections ready to weld on.

He was selling the grab bars as well.

As far as I know the armrest is not being repo'd yet; hopefully someone with the ability will make some; there is a market for them.
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[adam r3]

Ok, so I think I am going to move the arm rest and have it loop around. does anybody know what the arm rest pad should look like for a 66? I couldn't find that in the middle seat thread. it looks different than the pictures I've seen for the pre 67 short middle seats.

Stocknazi do you have a link to the guy that was selling the armrest tubing sections?

[EverettB]

It looks like the photo shown above and the arm rest photos in the Bus middle seat thread, apart from the color.
This:

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[M183kombi]

[adam r3]

M183kombi, those are for the early seats. I need the 64 - 66 style grab handles I think. does the way it is mounted change for the later style? I haven't been able to see any pictures of the seat without a cover. what would I have to weld in? just a tube at each corner? what about in the middle? are they just screwed into the bar?

[EverettB]

[Z]

This was the repro 64-67 grab bar ad, currently inactive:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1453943

My 67 2/3 middle seat is currently stripped down to the frame - I can get some pics of the mounting points tomorrow.

[azbob]

Digging up 3yo thread here. Hope you dont mind!

After trying to a few years to find a '67 short middle seat that was within reason and without the sellers flaking, I picked up a 68 for the right price (+easy transaction) and I'm thinking of doing this conversion.

Does anyone have pics of this process? I haven't stripped off the upholstery yet but I'm assuming all that needs done is the top 5 or so inches replaced with tubing for the grab bar. Other than the padding that Clara mentioned, are there any other modifications I should be aware of?

Is anyone selling repop grab bars? Called Koch's and they said they no longer sell them.

Z - Long shot here buuuuuut did you ever get pics of the seat stripped down?
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[Z]

Wow, I suck for never posting those pics. Yes, I have some. Will dig them out and post them up ASAP.

[Z]

Here are some I posted in another thread. Lemme know if you need dimensions, etc.

[azbob]

Holy smokes! The long shot came through! Thanks Z!

Now if only they were in HD j/k

That seat back frame looks pretty straight forward to replicate too.
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Bus Builder

[Z]

Yeah, the crap lighting down there doesn’t allow the best pics. If you need better I can probably get it.

It’s s a VERY simple seat frame, and the factory welds are...less than pretty.