86 Westy Rear Head Rest Install

tam_shops · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:40 pm Post subject:

This? [url]
http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts....211A[/url]

Now, *that* I love. I like the metal pipe idea better than the white PVC tube idea b/c I've always worried that in a serious enough crash it might break through the plywood/tubing and pierce the person.

Now, few things about that. First, certain plastic high back boosters do *not* require anything behind them. That's actually created great discussion and debate in the car seat community b/c some off the cheapest/thinnest plastic ones do not require it, but some of the sturdiest ones do.

Next, if the crash is severe enough to break through pvc tubing, the plywood and/or the metal tubing, so that it can in fact pierce the child in that seat, um, what do you think would happen to that same child's neck w/ *nothing* behind him/her? That goes beyond simple whiplash.

Finally, another tech and I just discussed this, if you do the math on a 10# head and some weight/force from the body, in a 50km/hr crash, you're going to have a range of force for that kid's head from 100# to 300#--depending on rebound and how quickly the vehicle comes to a stop after the crash.

We also had the same response, rear face your kids in a VW as *long* as possible...Not possible for either of the pretty ladies in the pics for this thread...for average sized kids, the max is 7yo. Small kids will get another year or two of the a seat, big ones less...

Joetiger, what exactly did you use out of the baby seat for the head support behind your older daughter? if you still have a car seat around and take a look, there is some white foam inside. Looks like Styrofoam. It is not. It's EPS (energy absorbing foam). A nice piece of that is, in the shape of the back of the head rest off a high back booster. That, is what I'd want back there, until I could get a proper head rest installed.

I'm a CPST if anyone has more car seat related questions...I get so excited that you guys care about safety as much as my tech friends, just not common in the general public. It's usually more of an eye roll when we tell someone to spend $20 to buy their 6yo even a low back booster b/c it's safer and IDK the law...

tam

joetiger · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:28 pm Post subject:

Tam,

I ordered this:
If you search "Westfalia original head cushion clamp" on the site, it'll pull up the parts:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

I figure if it's OEM Westfalia, then it should be stout enough.

I did use a piece of the styrofoam-looking stuff and wrapped the car seat fabric around it, then stuffed it in the net storage thing I mounted there. I realize it's not the most elegant solution to say the least, but it's made me feel a bit better.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

tam_shops · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:02 pm Post subject:

Thank you! It's on my list once I find head rests. I found some great blue ones here, w/ the metal plate needed to install them, but have yet to hear back from the person.

tam

joetiger · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 6:16 am Post subject:

Last night I removed my rear seat for reupholstery and made some measurements for the headrest kit. I'll post up pics and description when I get everything installed, should be this week I hope.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

tam_shops · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:24 am Post subject:

Did you wind up getting this set?
http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=1083846

What'd it cost including shipping?

Thanks!

tam

Their links keep changing!
http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts....255070211A

stevey88 · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:59 am Post subject:

I have asked Gunzl Classic parts about the shipping and they say it will cost 29.90 euro. But I forgot to ask what the shipping is for two sets. The cost for the two sets will be about $ 105 ( should subtract 19% VAT from this ). Shipping for one set is $34 but don't know what it is for two sets.
_________________
Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

joetiger · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:04 am Post subject:

stevey88 · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:27 am Post subject:

Joetiger,

I am considering making my own brackets since I already have the 4 plastic pieces needed. Can you do me a favor? Measure the distance between the two mounting taps ( the brackets that has the round holes ) and the distance between the top edge of the plate and the top mounting tap for the plastic piece ( looks like about 1/4 inch from the picture) for me.
Thanks in advance.
_________________
Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

madspaniard · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:45 am Post subject:

stevey88 · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:33 pm Post subject:

I went to madspaniard place to measure his OEM set but I bought the ones he had some one built for him instead. They are installed using T nuts instead of the backing plate as using the plate will have the screw head sticking out too much. The difficult part is to cut the foam to make room for the steel tubes. I think cutting the plywood per the OEM method is easier but the draw back is the head rest is further to the back than the original one from the hard top.
_________________
Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

squbbles · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:16 pm Post subject:

I have a lead on some old front seats.
Can I gut these and take out the insides to install for rear headrests?
Anyone know what the insides of the front seats look like?
Will the brackets from these work on my rear Z-bed?

Bntbrl · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:00 pm Post subject:

Looks like if the shipping calculator is right it'd be 200 used for three shipped to the US.

I need to just break down and buy another welder.
_________________
1984 Vanagon Westfalia 1.9 wbx

www.DIYSeattle.com

squbbles · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject:

tam_shops · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:07 pm Post subject:

Know someone said "No, you can not" to that, probably earlier in this thread, but I've read all the head rest/seat belt/car seat threads, so could be somewhere else. I didn't really understand the why not part, beyond there are no usable parts there, which makes it hard for me to remember things. Essentially he said that there is nothing inside *most* of the seats that can be removed to use for the posts. I know *some* seats have something inside, as I once saw a set of blue head rests w/ a metal plate and guides on swap. BUT, I'm not even sure they came from a Vanagon, as the seller mentioned that the spacing was different than our OEM head rests and the brackets couldn't be used w/ our head rests...

tam

joetiger · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:08 pm Post subject:

The only parts you can use from old front seats are the headrests themselves, the plastic shafts, and the litte metal clips that hold them in. The holes where the headrests mount are integrated into two cross bars in the seat.

Check out this thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=547116&highlight=headrests
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

squbbles · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:24 pm Post subject:

squbbles · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:39 pm Post subject:

Anyone know about the insides out of a backseat of a vanagon that has head rests?

tam_shops · Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:45 pm Post subject:

I've been wondering that myself. Like using the back of say a 91 that HAS head rests. It was the Weekender and some tin tops that *had* bed and head rests, right? Can't I just use the back of *that* seat and attach it to the back of MY seat? So much easier and I could do it myself. For that matter, I could take the entire seat out and put it inside my 87 head rest-less Vanagon! LOL

stevey88 · Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:12 am Post subject:

You need to modify the two pins that are inserted into the back of the seat in order to be able to pull the head rest out without removing the clips. There are V-shape indents on the pins but the last indents are different. Use a metal file or a grinder to modify the last indent so they look like the others. Then you will be able to pull them out.
_________________
Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed


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