Help With ‘63 Rear Seat Sizing

[JustDreamin]

Hello, I’ve searched this topic in multiple “year” forums and still no help.

PLEASE HELP. Can’t find my answer anywhere.

I have a 1963 Beetle (non-vert) and the rear seat seems to be too wide. Getting it in the car is a major PITA, but once I do I have to literally come down with all my 185lbs (not much, I know) on each side to mash it down into place. The seat back is bolted to the factory pivot points without issues.

Question: what is the best way to tell if I have the correct seat bottom? Are there known measurements? I’ll take another look to see if I have one or two braces on the bottom (not sure if that would be telling).

At this point maybe I should ask about my seat back… just because it bolts right up, maybe it isn’t correct… coming down too low to allow proper room for the bottom to fit?

Again, it just seems too wide. It smashes against the side “cards” all the way down. Doesn’t seem right and I’ve been driving around without the bottom because I’m also tweaking my adjustable shift rod (whole other story) and accessing it regularly means I’m constantly wrestling with this thing. Makes taking a 3rd passenger a major PITA.

[glutamodo]

Has the rear seat bottom been recovered and repadded? Are you talking about the stock style side cards?

I just put my rear seat cushion down in my 62 yesterday. No problem with side to side, it's wedging it rearward so it will clear the lip of the cross bar that is the difficult thing for me.

I thought I had measured that seat at some point, but it was actually something on the backrest. All I found for the seat bottom was this photo of it sitting there lifted, I think I took this photo to show how I had used spray can rubberized undercoating to coat the underside of the hair padding, but you can see what the seat looks like sitting between the side panel cards.

Also, you can't see it in the photo, but that aftermarket seat cover is stretched over an original seat cover. I'm pretty sure it's this seat bottom, which was in my first bug, a 61.

I never messed with the upholstery, just went over on top of it. So the vinyl and padding are all stock. But with an aftermarket cover over it you would think it might do what you're describing, but it lifts up into this position just fine as long as it's between the cards.
_________________
Andy T.

"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!"

[Slow-N-Rusty]

The rear seat back changed starting in 65. If your seat back has carpet its a 65-up seat. A vinyl back would be a pre-65 seat back. As far as the bottom I remember reading in a thread once that 56-64 rear seat bottoms were interchangeable which may mean 65 up seat bottoms were also different. I suppose if it is that difficult to get the bottom in it may be a 65+ seat bottom?

I have a 64 rear seat frame stored in my shed. i'll see if I can get it pulled out tomorrow and give you a measurement to compare to.

[Käfer2]

Wouldn't it make sense for you to first tell us the dimensions of your backrest bottom and send us photos of the back seat?

I just measured my 1963 backrest bottom
It measures 135 mm at the widest point of the underside, including the original seat cover.
Have a look at glutamodos red backrest bottom photo above, where the widest point is visible.