Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row)

[pnwkayaker]

Is anybody using a back seat organizer with their stow-n-go seats? If so, which one are you using? Any issues preventing the full forward-fold/tilt?

A picture would probably be very helpful too, thanks in advance!
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87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")

Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link)

[vwwestyman]

Since these seats just have a plastic panel clipped in, in moments of boredom I've looked at mine more than once and contemplated either modifying the current one or making something new that would replace the back panel that would have some kind of storage.

If you replaced the panel or attached something to the panel, I can't see any way it would hinder the folding of the seat. Though you'd want the container to not send the items stored flying when it is flipped down! (Probably since it doesn't go completely flat or fold into a floor, this isn't a big concern.)

Since the headrest bars do flip forward and the bars kinda go down and into the seat, I bet a generic storage organizer would foul that up. (Since most of them rely on clips or straps around the head rest to hold them up.)

I imagine one could come up with a way to make a pocket and hang it from the bars inside the seat. And then pop the plastic panel over the top of it, inside the pocket.

Here's a pic of the inside of the plastic panel and the inside of the seat for anyone who wants to try to make something.

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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[BCgee]

[soledoctor]

Ive read through most of this and getting ready to pull the trigger for a westy and would like to retain the swivel base

Do I need the small car adapters??? Im getting more confused the more I research...
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87 westy (2.4)
1964 /2 conversion (in progress)
73 R75/5
15 RC390 race prep
Blundstone 500

[iliketowalk]

Pulled trigger on the SmallCar brackets and some '15 T&C SNG seats... Will take some pictures if it all works out and I didn't do something dumb like buy the wrong seats.
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1986 Weekender "Birch"

[82westyrabbit]

If you are putting the town and country seats in westy. You don’t want the small cars adapter. It rises the seat up to high. You just bolt them to the swivel base. It is really easy. John

[soledoctor]

Thats what I was looking for, thanks!
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87 westy (2.4)
1964 /2 conversion (in progress)
73 R75/5
15 RC390 race prep
Blundstone 500

[Franklinstower]

I just found these, not sure the year, I think '05-'07. Any of you experts that have done this comment on whether these seats are worth picking up or not?

Or should I be holding out for later model like' 13+?

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'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug

[campism]

Those would be from '08-'11 and do not have the flipdown headrests, which began in '12. If that matters to you, keep looking.

Here's an '05 in my old Mopar van. Note the curved seams versus the straight ones on the later seats.

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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Franklinstower]

I just double checked: They were from a 2005 grand caravan SXT.
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'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug

[campism]

That seems unlikely, as mine was a 2005 Grand Caravan SXT. I suspect the ones you posted are '08-'11.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[leathersmyth]

Just installed a set of stow and go seats in my 85 yesterday. Seem to work all right, havent driven more than a five minute test drive yesterday so will have to see what longer drives will be like. The few minutes drive seem good. for the drivers side, i was able to pull a old seat apart for the rails, which gives me about the same height as stock so hitting the steering wheel is not an issue when getting in and out or driving. The passenger side, i used 1"x3" steel bar to bolt to swivel base. Using the steel bar, raises the seat a little,which is why i didnt want to use on driver side. The extra height made my knees hit steering wheel, so decided to find a set of rails i could use to try keep close to stock height. With the rails on the drivers side, i am able to fold seat down and not hit the steering wheel well folding down flat...

[bobbyblack]

I joined.. So I just got the Small Car bolt on tracks.

I like the seats enough to keep tinkering with the Small Car rails.. I don't get enough travel towards the rear with the clamp bolts placed as far back as I can get them on the VW tracks of my swivel base.

Anyone figured a way to get a 'claw' into the VW track notches with the Small Car rails? I'd like the seats to go further back. Also, I'd like an easier method of removing the seats than unbolting the clamp bolts. (Although that is pretty easy, admittedly)

Maybe they can be turned around and the clamp bolts somehow fit under the front edges of the seats? Looks cramped.

-bobby
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[gbarrier]

Has anyone tried the stow and go in a split window. How does the mounts differ?

[CessnaJon]

I’ve had my stow and go seats for a few years now. I’m very happy with them. Just got back from a trip from Atlanta to key west. Took three days to get down there, but made the return trip in one day . I don’t think I could’ve done it in the original seats.
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1973 Westy (shared birthday)
1990 Westy Multivan
2015 Passat TDI 6sp
2015 Sportwagon TDI 6sp
LR-JET, Gulfstream 159

[danfromsyr]

the mounts will differ, because they are different.

the split will need it's own custom solution. though some back in the day would just bolt through the wheel wells with large fender washers.
YMMV

[djkeev]

Not an ad, more of an offer........... I'm going to throw this out there, if anyone is seeking beige fabric Stow&Go's I have them in absolutely excellent shape. Almost new like they are NOT for sale.

I would like to have grey or black fabric ones, I will be happy to swap if they are in comparable shape (like new) or I'll probably just end up dying mine.

Seems like a shame to do that to hard to locate beige seats but........

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[bobbyblack]

Found some adjustable arm rests on BangGood ... says shipping from USA is an option. I'm trying a set.

https://usa.banggood.com/Universal-Adjustable-Comf...mds=search
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[bobbyblack]

Update:

Arm rests; not yet installed, struggling with the seller, I paid for 2 pairs, only got 1.

Seats themselves;

First real 'trip' with them, Iowa to Colorado, ~13 hours each way.

On the way out, I was vigilant to 'notice' how long it took for me to start fidgeting in my seat from my buns getting tired/sore. 6 hours. I don't recall exactly when that was in my original seats, but I did get saddle sore in them at some point. Anyway, the S&G seats proved themselves to be at least decent. I am still undecided weather they will stay in or not though.

Also, on the way back, same, 6 hours. Confirmed that the seats are practical and affordable. Perhaps I just rounded an age bump that my buns are just going to get tired on extended rolls. Mid 50's is 'when the fun begins' or so I am told.

Perhaps there are other inexpensive alternatives to try, and I am game to find out.

-bobby
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[schuetter]

Has anyone considered attempting to mount the T&C 3rd row bench seat in the back to match the front seat conversion? I tried to find the dimensions, but could only find "48.7" 3rd Row Hip Room", which is pretty darn close to the approximately 48" Westy bench. It seems possible that the hip room measurement could include a little space between the edge of the seat and the sidewall, so it MAY be able to squeeze into the Westy with some modifications to the way the T&C seat hinges and perhaps removing that passenger side arm pad on the wall. Could be a way to remove all the padding/etc of the Westy bench and somehow attach the T&C bench to the Westy back/seat "plates" (for lack of a better term) so that it still functions as a fold down bed. The T&C seat also allows one section of the bench to hinge down/forward, which could be a handy feature if preserved.

If anyone has a T&C or knows someone who does, maybe you could share dimensions (seat width/depth, back width/height) so we can collectively wrap our minds around how this could be done? All things considered, it would probably be easier to just have the bench reupholstered to match the front T&C leather seats, but that's not as fun to obsess over ).