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tosimplify
Samba Member
Joined: June 08, 2009
Posts: 110
Location: The Open Road
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 Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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captincanuck
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2014
Posts: 730
Location: The Great White North
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2694
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| captincanuck wrote: |
| Don't know if I missed it, but does anyone have the wiring details for hooking up the heaters in the seats? |
Sadly not possible without an expensive mopar relay setup. Few of us have tried and have not been successful. I got mine to *work* using the stock relay setup from a canadian vanagon. The seats would get hot and then hotter and then stay really effing hot no matter what the setting was on. Very dangerous as it could ultimatley burn through. I think I remember measuring the temp with an ir gun at like 128 degrees or so. So long story short i yanked the TC setup and installed an aftermarket set of seat heaters from amazon. Used it all last winter and it was great. The install was pretty straight forward and only took about an hour per seat. |
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a1fa
Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2011
Posts: 585
Location: Central Arkansas, United States
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 7:37 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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So.. one small problem. I can't get to the battery, or open the driver side battery compartment with the T&C seats. 
Anybody else having the same issue? Mounted them using smallcar mounts. I need about an inch.
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Learn to ride. Ride to learn. |
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2321
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Can you not slide the seat right off? That's what I've had to do with the original (to me, not OEM) seats and the T&Cs.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2694
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| a1fa wrote: |
So.. one small problem. I can't get to the battery, or open the driver side battery compartment with the T&C seats.
Anybody else having the same issue? Mounted them using smallcar mounts. I need about an inch.
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I can access my drivers batt lid, but im using the mounts that were discussed by the PO at the beginning of this thread |
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porterbrown
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2005
Posts: 718
Location: Bentonville, AR
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Anybody have recommendations for best places to find the seats? I've had zero luck on craigslist. I'm watching eBay, but they don't appear to be super common.....and the prices on eBay aren't great.
I've called local wheelchair van conversion outfits, and no luck.
Thanks for any help!
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'90 Westfalia GL Automatic |
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Guybrush
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2015
Posts: 453
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| It used to be a cheap option, but it no longer is. EBay sellers got wise to the value it seems. |
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yiucycle
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2007
Posts: 421
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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i think its still cheap on CL, it just take time, got mine $90 a pair. When i was looking for mine, it took about a week or two for a listing. Also some people list the title wrong so you have to search different combination. I got quote from a dismantle shop and they want 400-500 for set and i just laugh. If you want it cheap, it will take time.
_________________
1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Guybrush
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2015
Posts: 453
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Many places don't have a very active CL when it comes to this stuff, you might wait 2 years.
Probably time to find what else is nice and would fit well.
I've got Eurovan seats in my Vanagon personally. It's nicer than the original seats but a bit hard. |
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2694
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:52 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| Guybrush wrote: |
Many places don't have a very active CL when it comes to this stuff, you might wait 2 years.
Probably time to find what else is nice and would fit well.
I've got Eurovan seats in my Vanagon personally. It's nicer than the original seats but a bit hard. |
Thats a good point. It seems the TC seat caught on enough that prices have gone up. Like anything good deals are still to be had. There has to be other good options just waiting. With that said, glad I got in on the ground floor with brand new leather seats from that ebay seller last year when prices were still reasonable. Good luck with the hunt! |
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captincanuck
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2014
Posts: 730
Location: The Great White North
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:38 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| porterbrown wrote: |
Anybody have recommendations for best places to find the seats? I've had zero luck on craigslist. I'm watching eBay, but they don't appear to be super common.....and the prices on eBay aren't great.
I've called local wheelchair van conversion outfits, and no luck.
Thanks for any help! |
Any auto recycling places where you are? How "good" of a deal are you long for? If good used seats are an option, mine were less than $200 us for the pair. You could probably have them shpipped. Company up here is LKQ dominion auto
_________________
1979 Westfalia "FireFly" Subaru 2.2 with Subaru gears 5spd.
Build Thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=634777&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |
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a1fa
Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2011
Posts: 585
Location: Central Arkansas, United States
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Does anyone know what seat belt would work with the seat belt receiver on the chair? I got an universal seat belt from amazon, and unfortunately it didnt fit.
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Learn to ride. Ride to learn. |
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yiucycle
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2007
Posts: 421
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| a1fa wrote: |
| Does anyone know what seat belt would work with the seat belt receiver on the chair? I got an universal seat belt from amazon, and unfortunately it didnt fit. |
As stated from others, that it is unwise to use the seat beat bucket that is on the chair. The vanagon chair mount is not design to hold on to the chair in a crash. it is best do nothing and use the stock seat belt and seat buckle. I took my seatbelt buckle out of the seat so nobody will get confused about it.
_________________
1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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a1fa
Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2011
Posts: 585
Location: Central Arkansas, United States
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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I've missed that note. Thank you for sanity check.
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Learn to ride. Ride to learn. |
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gregaz
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2012
Posts: 407
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Couple of comments -
#1 - yes, these are WAY more comfortable than my (beat up) original seats. Having just done a 3,400 mile trip - I am extremely happy with them. The passenger side is awesome, it turns AND folds, which makes the cabin space more useful. The driver seat ... I think I am going to end up removing the rotating mechanism - can't turn it with the seat. But even folding is tricky, with my large steering wheel, the chair won't fold.
#2 - I recommend you contact the Phoenix eBay vendor direct. I am local, so I went down there and he has a TON of inventory that isn't on eBay. I got his cell phone, but sadly misplaced it. Hit him up through eBay chat - he's a really good guy that will shoot straight with you.
#3 - Pacifica seats are next, since that is what is currently being sold, but from what I understand there are no kits for them yet. |
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hercules2
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2012
Posts: 5
Location: Albany ny
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| Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Just opened my smallcar brackets thanks usps.. mint 2015 leather t&c seats ready to install..for anybody northeast jbap auto parts glensfalls ny area good price on seats pulled wrapped and ready for me to pick up. As of yesterday 8/17 also had set black leather available too jbap jerry brown auto parts great outfit to deal with
Many thanks to everybody who made this upgrade plug and play for rest of us
_________________
83 vanagon full camper
93 euro "frozen in time...and place."
82 diesel RIP "Took the Lexus with it..
93 westy- passed on |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32584
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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physast
Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2005
Posts: 675
Location: DC
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:06 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap, (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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| djkeev wrote: |
I will be joining this Stow and Go movement soon, I pick up my seats next weekend......
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Those of you who purchased the tracks from Small Car..... how to they latch to the existing Van tracks?
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I've studied the photos in this thread but so many are now dead. Tim was good enough to repost his photos here! Good Guy!!! 👍 His old TV hanger home made track deserves further exploration.
I'm hesitant to cut the tracks off of my OEM seats, the seats are in perfect shape with new covers. If I like these T&C seats I'll be offering my recovered OEM seats free as a good Karma thing to whomever needs them and is running classic shredded Corduroy like I was!
Thanks for any help provided!
Dave |
Without looking at my van I remember the small car adapters sliding onto the tracks then they use two bolts to secure them to the original tracks. I don't remember having to drill or cut anything, but I might have had to bend something to help the track slide into the old track.
The two things I did not like about the small car adapter:
1) the bolts holding the adapter to the old tracks do not seem secure enough
2) there is no good way to take the seats off without removing the small car adapter plate as well (and it was not easy to slide in).
Other than that I love the seats and really see no reason to take the seats off.
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1967 L633 VW beetle (currently being restored...slowly)
1991 Orly Blue Vanaru 2.5L |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32584
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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