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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32433 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15129 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 7:56 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Edit: oops I thought this was YOUR thread Dave, not the stow & go thread.
and I appreciate your posting here was meant to say how nice the back supportive merits of the Stow and Go are.. and for that I look forward to getting mine installed someday.
that's odd that they don't have stone in PA?
I mean really stone isn't free to transport.. as you noticed in your back..
at your age you should know better though I know often times one doesn't till too late.. that saving $50 in stone can cost you $500 in chiropractor fees.
classic example of Penny wise is a pound foolish..
protect YOUR body above all else man. _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32433 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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whafalia Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009 Posts: 685 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:36 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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[quote="vwwestyman"]
vwwestyman wrote: |
Welp I'm planning to join this club sometime soon. For my '78 Bus.
fxr wrote: |
Did mine over the last couple of days. I was very happy with the ebay seller - the seats were very well protected and packaged, and arrived promptly.
My old, manky, non-OEM seats did have slides for the turntables, so I made some brackets from some 1/8" 1"x1" steel angle to marry them to the seats. I cut four 420mm lengths, drilled 8mm clearances holes - the VW slides are 387mm between centres, and the T&C seats are 240mm between centres - and chopped a bit more off each one to give clearance for odd tabs and things on the slides.
I had to straighten out the VW adjusting rod so it didn't foul the new seat. Total extra cost including a few hack-saw blades and some 8mm nuts and washers was less than $20, even buying the angle-iron from Ace (it's at the end of my road...).
Mrs fxr is very pleased, and *loves* the armrests. |
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Seats are on the way, westy with a big steering wheel and I will harvest the tracks so fxr's approach looks great. The picture makes great sense, but,
the text says he cut 4 lengths of angle iron. I only see 2,
What am I missing? _________________ 84 westie 2.2 w/ digijet, AT |
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Twan Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2015 Posts: 67 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Probably a pair for each seat, if I had to venture a guess. _________________ 1984 2wd 7 Passenger Tin Top |
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whafalia Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009 Posts: 685 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Well color me Duh! _________________ 84 westie 2.2 w/ digijet, AT |
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
I installed mine this weekend. Passenger seat rocks. Driver side with the big manual steering wheel is not good. I've got some huge thunder thighs. It's honestly hard for me to exit the van. I might try adjusting it again but I think I'll be sitting at 90degree angle. |
This issue has been happily resolved with a smaller steering wheel and electric power assisted steering. It is nice to hop in the van very easily _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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nij_tp Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Amherst NH
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Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Just got the SmallCar brackets this weekend. So now I have to make a decision, I sort of cornered the market in S&G seats and I have a grey set, a black set and a black with red stitching set all leather. Need to make a decision on which color to fit in the van. will 'probably' go with the grey as the back seat is grey(ish).
I think I know the answer to this issue but asking it anyway..... the heated option is a no go on these, correct? I heard that they just heat and heat and there is no way to control them, or has someone made them work with a collection of bits from a T&C and some bailing twine and duct tape?
Thanks in advance. _________________ 1990 Vanagon GL _ Brunhilda (marked up as a Caravelle from new!) Just over 1/4 million miles, custom exhaust
1985 Vanagon GL - Josepha 140,000, Has a 2006 Forester 2.5 VVT custom exhaust
1989 Wolfsburg (Bluestar) - Walpurga
1989 Vanagon GL a parts bus
1984 Westralia
2006 Audi A4 2.0T with a unitronic tune
2007 Toyota Sequoia
1976 Mercury Capri 2.3l
1986 Honda Shadow VT700
2000 Suzuki Intruder VS800
1988 Kawasaki Voyager XII
2018 Chonda Hawk 250cc
1995 Subaru SVX (possible 3.3. swap) |
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nij_tp Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Amherst NH
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 9:50 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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The SmallCar brackets are a simple (but effective) design. I have long legs and in the van, originally I cut an addition slot for the seat to go back further. Unfortunately my Vanagon is at a shop having a bunch of under dash stuff done so I am unable to test the fit and see if the leg room is going to work or if I will need to adapter the adapters .
One negative comment I have is that they are badly finished and look like the person didn't really care, when I contacted Small Car their reply was less than I would have hoped for.
"It’s just paint you won’t even see the brackets once installed." (Verbatim from email reply)
This statement is indeed 100% accurate and true, but not what I would expect. I cant see the pistons but I would hope they are correct, I cant see wiring under the dash so should I not care, I cant see inside the converted harness for a Subie install, but I would hope that a modicum of care was taken. It felt a little like, we have had your money, you've received something, go away.
_________________ 1990 Vanagon GL _ Brunhilda (marked up as a Caravelle from new!) Just over 1/4 million miles, custom exhaust
1985 Vanagon GL - Josepha 140,000, Has a 2006 Forester 2.5 VVT custom exhaust
1989 Wolfsburg (Bluestar) - Walpurga
1989 Vanagon GL a parts bus
1984 Westralia
2006 Audi A4 2.0T with a unitronic tune
2007 Toyota Sequoia
1976 Mercury Capri 2.3l
1986 Honda Shadow VT700
2000 Suzuki Intruder VS800
1988 Kawasaki Voyager XII
2018 Chonda Hawk 250cc
1995 Subaru SVX (possible 3.3. swap) |
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campism Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007 Posts: 4485 Location: Richmond VA
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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I stopped in at Smallcar during a fly & rental car PNW trip and was given a tour of the place and met several of the crew. Although not a paying customer of theirs, I'm surprised by that response. _________________ '87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
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nij_tp Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Amherst NH
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 12:16 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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I've purchased from them before this and I expect I will again in the future, just found it to be disappointing, this time _________________ 1990 Vanagon GL _ Brunhilda (marked up as a Caravelle from new!) Just over 1/4 million miles, custom exhaust
1985 Vanagon GL - Josepha 140,000, Has a 2006 Forester 2.5 VVT custom exhaust
1989 Wolfsburg (Bluestar) - Walpurga
1989 Vanagon GL a parts bus
1984 Westralia
2006 Audi A4 2.0T with a unitronic tune
2007 Toyota Sequoia
1976 Mercury Capri 2.3l
1986 Honda Shadow VT700
2000 Suzuki Intruder VS800
1988 Kawasaki Voyager XII
2018 Chonda Hawk 250cc
1995 Subaru SVX (possible 3.3. swap) |
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MarkWard Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005 Posts: 17014 Location: Retired South Florida
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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You could take them to a local powder coater and have them blasted and coated. The welds look good which is more important. _________________ ☮️ |
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khughes Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013 Posts: 736 Location: Phoenix AZ
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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nij_tp wrote: |
I've purchased from them before this and I expect I will again in the future, just found it to be disappointing, this time |
I can repaint them for you. They'll probably look just as bad though _________________ '86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin) |
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Franklinstower Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006 Posts: 1892 Location: PNW
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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I have been a customer of SC since my first bug in 1981 when I was 17...The attitude you described has been pretty much ongoing since then. They might surprise you with actual customer service when you catch Brian in a good mood, but don't count on it.
Apparently it got so bad at one point, someone was selling "Small Car Sucks" T-shirts at one of the bug national races at SIR about 20 years ago...Every now and then I still see one at the Vintage Meet.
Regardless of their service, you can't deny their innovation and getting products to market. Like that seat base - they are the only option I know of. But I get where you are coming from, for $160 it would be nice to have the bracket powder coated, or at least sprayed decently. _________________ '89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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This just makes me giggle! Something anybody can do for themselves, and would probably look even worse, getting a bad review... sure, they look crappy. Do they work?
Mine look crappy, and they work. I never see them. I wish they were a half inch shorter tho. Not sure of how that can happen tho.
I didn't want to make my own, and hadn't heard of the "small car sucks" t-shirts. Now I want one
Whom ever painted those (yours and mine) was obviously having a Monday morning, or working into the afternoon on Saturday. _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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nij_tp Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2010 Posts: 140 Location: Amherst NH
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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I even said
"The SmallCar brackets are a simple (but effective) design.":
I get your points ((MarkWard) & bobbyblack) that I could get them powder coated or we could do it ourselves and it could look worse, but that's why I paid hard earned $ on it from a 'professional' company.
"Small Car Performance has designed this bracket to our high quality standards." Taken directly from their website for this item. The design may be high quality but the execution is lackluster
It was just the total lack of customer care (not what I wanted to write, but public forum) that irked me.
Put me down for a 2xl Tee as well! (Long sleeve and Short in Navy) _________________ 1990 Vanagon GL _ Brunhilda (marked up as a Caravelle from new!) Just over 1/4 million miles, custom exhaust
1985 Vanagon GL - Josepha 140,000, Has a 2006 Forester 2.5 VVT custom exhaust
1989 Wolfsburg (Bluestar) - Walpurga
1989 Vanagon GL a parts bus
1984 Westralia
2006 Audi A4 2.0T with a unitronic tune
2007 Toyota Sequoia
1976 Mercury Capri 2.3l
1986 Honda Shadow VT700
2000 Suzuki Intruder VS800
1988 Kawasaki Voyager XII
2018 Chonda Hawk 250cc
1995 Subaru SVX (possible 3.3. swap) |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Huh,
Well, I'm usually a 'one and done' guy, but this has gone about as far as I care to hear. SHUT IT DOWN, this thread is NOT about YOU and your issues with a particular vendor, or a bad paint job on something that YOU'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN.
As the English would say "Get OFF!" _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32433 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32433 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Vanabon Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2019 Posts: 11 Location: Pocono, Pa.
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 5:15 am Post subject: Re: Front Seat Swap (Town & Country 2nd Row) |
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Dave, keep lifting those buckets and you will rebuild your muscles )) I checked VW Bulli's website, and the brackets are currently out of stock, but they look great! Thanks for the info on the option! |
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