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fotoroadie
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Joined: May 07, 2013
Posts: 185
Location: Manitowoc, WI
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 Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:33 pm Post subject: Seat Position |
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This could be one of those 'oh, of course' questions but, what was VW's thinking for the different spacing (1/3-2/3 seat) between the seat edge to the door on the driver's side versus the passenger side ?
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olliehank47
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Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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It's to line up the driver more closely to the steering column by shifting the seat to the right. It doesn't matter on a solid bench seat because the driver can simply move to the right to center himself in front of the steering wheel. But on a walk through or a separate, adjustable driver's seat, the seat is a fixed size and so the seat itself must be moved to the right to center the driver in the seat and move him closer to center alignment with the steering wheel.
The key is the size of the adjustable seat. VW used the same width seat for the driver in both walk through and adjustable seats. They could have made a wider seat for driver seats to make the spacing symmetrical, but it would have been a waste as no one would sit that far to the left to drive the bus. |
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G-wood Todd
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Joined: January 11, 2005
Posts: 1047
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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| olliehank47 wrote: |
| It's to line up the driver more closely to the steering column by shifting the seat to the right. It doesn't matter on a solid bench seat because the driver can simply move to the right to center himself in front of the steering wheel. But on a walk through or a separate, adjustable driver's seat, the seat is a fixed size and so the seat itself must be moved to the right to center the driver in the seat and move him closer to center alignment with the steering wheel. |
This and to center the driver in the windshield for an unobstructed view. If you ever sit in a walk thru passenger seat, you have a fantastic view of the right side windshield piler. 
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and take the kids for instance "Are we going in the Volkswagen bus?" and they say "Yay!" and clap their hands and if it's a glorious day you can slide the sunroof back and let a little of the glory in and all of a sudden, it stops looking funny.
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Clara 
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Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12605
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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| G-wood Todd wrote: |
| olliehank47 wrote: |
| It's to line up the driver more closely to the steering column by shifting the seat to the right. It doesn't matter on a solid bench seat because the driver can simply move to the right to center himself in front of the steering wheel. But on a walk through or a separate, adjustable driver's seat, the seat is a fixed size and so the seat itself must be moved to the right to center the driver in the seat and move him closer to center alignment with the steering wheel. |
This and to center the driver in the windshield for an unobstructed view. If you ever sit in a walk thru passenger seat, you have a fantastic view of the right side windshield piler. |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. 
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EverettB
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kenshapiro2002
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Joined: April 26, 2013
Posts: 1826
Location: Bawlmer Hon
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:43 am Post subject: |
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When I was 17 (1970) I drove my 1962 23 window from Maryland to CA. My fondest memory is the seating position...left foot up on the "ledge" and arms draped across that great flat wheel. 
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JohnnyRingo
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Joined: October 22, 2011
Posts: 432
Location: United States
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| Clara wrote: |
| G-wood Todd wrote: |
| olliehank47 wrote: |
| It's to line up the driver more closely to the steering column by shifting the seat to the right. It doesn't matter on a solid bench seat because the driver can simply move to the right to center himself in front of the steering wheel. But on a walk through or a separate, adjustable driver's seat, the seat is a fixed size and so the seat itself must be moved to the right to center the driver in the seat and move him closer to center alignment with the steering wheel. |
This and to center the driver in the windshield for an unobstructed view. If you ever sit in a walk thru passenger seat, you have a fantastic view of the right side windshield piler. |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. |
Unless you have a 59 swivel seat....thanks to you back when I was looking for a early walk-thru bus, made me second guess that option. |
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Clara
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Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12605
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| JohnnyRingo wrote: |
| Clara wrote: |
| G-wood Todd wrote: |
| olliehank47 wrote: |
| It's to line up the driver more closely to the steering column by shifting the seat to the right. It doesn't matter on a solid bench seat because the driver can simply move to the right to center himself in front of the steering wheel. But on a walk through or a separate, adjustable driver's seat, the seat is a fixed size and so the seat itself must be moved to the right to center the driver in the seat and move him closer to center alignment with the steering wheel. |
This and to center the driver in the windshield for an unobstructed view. If you ever sit in a walk thru passenger seat, you have a fantastic view of the right side windshield piler. |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. |
Unless you have a 59 swivel seat....thanks to you back when I was looking for a early walk-thru bus, made me second guess that option. |
Not everyone has a swivel seat. 
Evidently they are better than the same time frame w/t buses.
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mandraks
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Joined: November 28, 2004
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Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:51 am Post subject: |
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another item is the position of the gear shift lever and the e-brake. much easier to reach when you sit close. especially for short people.
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srfndoc
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 3384
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:11 am Post subject: |
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| Clara wrote: |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. |
Never driven an early w/t bus, this really sounds horrible. Moving the seat over like they did must have been a "Aha" moment for the engineers at VW.
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olliehank47
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Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:32 am Post subject: |
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| srfndoc wrote: |
| Clara wrote: |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. |
Never driven an early w/t bus, this really sounds horrible. Moving the seat over like they did must have been a "Aha" moment for the engineers at VW. |
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've observed, early walk-throughs still had the pedestal and bulkhead in the same location, but the seat itself was wider and extended closer to the door and it was not adjustable. To center yourself, you would be sitting on the right edge of the seat, relative to the entire, wider seat. Later seats were narrower and shifted to the right so the center of the seat was closer to the steering column.
The above may not be true for very early, barn door buses, but seems to be true for late 50's through 61, or whenever the seat was changed to an adjustable one. |
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srfndoc
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 3384
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:41 am Post subject: |
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| olliehank47 wrote: |
| srfndoc wrote: |
| Clara wrote: |
If you drive an early (like a 61) w/t bus, the seat is right against the drivers door. Either you can have the right side of your bottom hang partly off the seat to be centered behind the wheel, or you can have your arms off to the right to hold the steering wheel. Either choice is not very comfortable. I needed back help after a road trip in one.
Another choice is bottom centered on seat with an S- curve in back so upper body is behind steering wheel.
Moving the seat over was a vast improvement. And you can set your cup down in the space between the door and seat. |
Never driven an early w/t bus, this really sounds horrible. Moving the seat over like they did must have been a "Aha" moment for the engineers at VW. |
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've observed, early walk-throughs still had the pedestal and bulkhead in the same location, but the seat itself was wider and extended closer to the door and it was not adjustable. To center yourself, you would be sitting on the right edge of the seat, relative to the entire, wider seat. Later seats were narrower and shifted to the right so the center of the seat was closer to the steering column.
The above may not be true for very early, barn door buses, but seems to be true for late 50's through 61, or whenever the seat was changed to an adjustable one. |
That seems to be true based on this photo:
It sounded like the seat was the same size but was moved over closer to the door. I'm guessing it's still not the best experience since you are sitting on the right edge of the wider seat and/or leaning to the right to get centered over the steering wheel. Your Chiropractor would not approve.
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RPM=(MPH*336* (R&P*4th*1.26))/Tire Diameter in inches |
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55samba
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Joined: June 21, 2002
Posts: 805
Location: CA Bay Area
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:10 am Post subject: |
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I will dig up photos later but in 62 VW extended the metal on the drivers side seat back further towards the passenger side. So it is not just a narrower seat on late walk through.
If you look from the back of the drivers side while sitting in the middle seat you will notice the metal goes straight up and down on 61 and earlier, 62 and later it kicks out to widen it. |
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olliehank47
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Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:41 am Post subject: |
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| 55samba wrote: |
I will dig up photos later but in 62 VW extended the metal on the drivers side seat back further towards the passenger side. So it is not just a narrower seat on late walk through.
If you look from the back of the drivers side while sitting in the middle seat you will notice the metal goes straight up and down on 61 and earlier, 62 and later it kicks out to widen it. |
This makes perfect sense.
Notice the back of the seat in this 67 walk through:
You can clearly see the bulge on the right side of the bulkhead and notice how the seat back lines up with the bulged edge, yet the pedestal is still in the same location. |
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srfndoc
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 3384
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder if the seat stand width is any different. Here's an photo of an early w/t for comparison:
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olliehank47
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Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| srfndoc wrote: |
I wonder if the seat stand width is any different. Here's an photo of an early w/t for comparison:
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I did a little "eyeball" measuring on my 67, with the pic you posted. Looking at the side of the base, from the rear towards the gas pedal, you can see it lines up almost exactly with the bottom left corner of the gas pedal. My 67 base lines up exactly the same, and I'm sure the size of the walk through opening is the same. Additionally, on the 67, the bottom right rail of the seat base sits directly above the right edge of the base--it's moved as far to the right as possible without hanging over into the walk through gap. By the time the spring frame and covers are added, the seat back is a bit wider than the frame so the bulkhead is bulged so it can wrap around and be secured to the side of the base. |
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EverettB
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joefriday
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Joined: November 30, 2015
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Location: Richland WA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:54 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Position |
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| I have a 1960 with a bench seat and I was noticing there is no shelf on the left for my drink. Seat is also not adjustable. I've seen some pics where there are more than one slot for the seat bottom, mine is fixed. I assume those slots are for adjusting, not sure how that worked with the seat back on those with 3 slots. |
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EverettB
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| Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 11:04 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Position |
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| joefriday wrote: |
| I have a 1960 with a bench seat and I was noticing there is no shelf on the left for my drink. Seat is also not adjustable. I've seen some pics where there are more than one slot for the seat bottom, mine is fixed. I assume those slots are for adjusting, not sure how that worked with the seat back on those with 3 slots. |
1961-62 are the ones with the 3 slots for adjustment.
Example
The shelf aka drink tray is in the center behind the front bench seat.
Example
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mandraks
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Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7115
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 3:54 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Position |
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| EverettB wrote: |
| joefriday wrote: |
| I have a 1960 with a bench seat and I was noticing there is no shelf on the left for my drink. Seat is also not adjustable. I've seen some pics where there are more than one slot for the seat bottom, mine is fixed. I assume those slots are for adjusting, not sure how that worked with the seat back on those with 3 slots. |
1961-62 are the ones with the 3 slots for adjustment.
Example
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i think they are all in the same rearmost slot, can't imagine many that were actually adjusted forward. Most people would want to scoot back i would think.
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regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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