HiBack Seats for Beetles

StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk

2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 · 26 Sep 2006, 1:39 pm

#538173

Folks.. I am looking for a set of aftermarket seats for a 67 beetle.. I have been advised that early 80's honda seat or similar are the goods..

Just to avoid time and getting the wrong types.. Can anyone give advice on what they have used?.. I imagine the tracks etc have to be adapted but someone may know of a type that are easier to use than others..

Cloth condition is not a big deal as they will be re-upholstered,...

Thanks
Rob

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,473 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 26 Sep 2006, 4:05 pm

#538218

hyundai excel and silvia are the ones ive had done by the old man. it all depends on whos sitting in them as i cant get comfy in the excel ones but the silvia are perfect for me.

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 26 Sep 2006, 5:09 pm

#538249

Honda prelude and accord are fine.

I currently have Swift GTi Recarro copies and they are great

just make sure you get ones with a flick release and not stoopid wind / dial things.

Futue te ipsum!!!

StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk

2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 · 26 Sep 2006, 8:10 pm

#538314

Thanks.. I'll go looking this weekend.. Where do I go in Sydney?.. I know its a dumb question but I haven't been to a wreckers in years

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 26 Sep 2006, 8:19 pm

#538319

I "use" to go to Brookvale Spares. When they were at Brookvale

Brookvale Spares
134 Gipps Rd Smithfield 2164 (02) 8788 8888 www.brookypartsplus.com.au

Start there maybe.
They at least sold my last set already on runners

Futue te ipsum!!!

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,473 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 26 Sep 2006, 9:15 pm

#538351

ichibarn was good to me even though they sniggered a little when i turned up with a tape measure and asked to see all their seats and ended up sitting in most of them

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

david777 Officially Full-On Dubber

307 posts · joined Mar 2005 · 28 Sep 2006, 1:45 am

#538848

If you ever want to use the back seat, make sure the seats you get are not too big.
I have Recaros in my beetle, and even my 2 year old complains about not enough leg room in the back seat.

shaihulud Custom Title Time!

1,448 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 28 Sep 2006, 5:45 am

#538855

One of the problems with Beetles is that the seat runners need to be only 19 inches apart to fit easily. I have found that seats from the Datsun 260Z and 280Z fit well, are not too big, are comfortable and fold down to allow access to the rear.

I have adapted Ford Falcon runners to a set of Datsun 280Z seats for the SR. This puts the seat as low as possible, the haed rest is removable, gives full slide adjustment backwards and just fits in the narrow space in the rear of the floor section.

To give the seats an upwards slope at the runners towards the front I boltes the rear to the floor bent 5mm x 25mm steel into suitable brackets for the front.

For support of the thighs the seats must not run level, they must slope upwards to the front. This also raises short people who need the seat adjusted to the front.

A good pair cost me $350

I removed the original runners and to comply with the ADRs I was required by my engineer to use 50 mm washers that are 4mm thick on both sides of the floor pan and 10 mm high tensile steel bolts with nylock nuts.

baybuscamperkid prince of insufficient light, ruler of heck

4,316 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Sep 2006, 10:04 am

#538892

very early subaru stuff (pre 1980) adapts well to bays and is incredibly comfy (i spent 6 hours a day for a couple of months last year in mine)

Reimagined/Recycled/Upcycled Cool

StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk

2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 · 28 Sep 2006, 11:21 am

#538915

Thanks.. This is good info..
So regardless of what I get, I either make up an adapter for the runners on the seat (so it fits the existing frame on the pan)..., OR.... Chisel off the existing frame on the floor pan and weld in a new one (which will hopefully come with the seats)..

shaihulud wrote:One of the problems with Beetles is that the seat runners need to be only 19 inches apart to fit easily. I have found that seats from the Datsun 260Z and 280Z fit well, are not too big, are comfortable and fold down to allow access to the rear.

I have adapted Ford Falcon runners to a set of Datsun 280Z seats for the SR. This puts the seat as low as possible, the haed rest is removable, gives full slide adjustment backwards and just fits in the narrow space in the rear of the floor section.

To give the seats an upwards slope at the runners towards the front I boltes the rear to the floor bent 5mm x 25mm steel into suitable brackets for the front.

For support of the thighs the seats must not run level, they must slope upwards to the front. This also raises short people who need the seat adjusted to the front.

A good pair cost me $350

I removed the original runners and to comply with the ADRs I was required by my engineer to use 50 mm washers that are 4mm thick on both sides of the floor pan and 10 mm high tensile steel bolts with nylock nuts.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Sep 2006, 12:55 pm

#538930

You are much better off adaptimg the seats to existing runners.
Engineers prefer it that way as well

Futue te ipsum!!!

Euro_67 Wolfsburg Wizard

690 posts · joined Oct 2003 · 28 Sep 2006, 5:31 pm

#539006

Pay particular attention to the height of the seat. Make sure that what ever you buy will have you sitting at the same height as you would be on the standard seat or it wont feel right. The seats also need to be slim (not lots of plastic mouldings, etc) around the base so they fit between the tunnel and door without fouling and so you can use the adjustment knobs, etc. The easiest way to fit them is to cut up an old set of seats and build a frame to accomodate the new seats runners on top of the lower tubing section and runners of the old seats. This gives you two sets of runners for seat adjustment, plus the beetle runners can be a real pain so you can use the new bearing runners from the jap seats to adjust the seat position. In my '67 we purchased a nice set of slim seats, however the trimmer for a reason unknown substituted a set of seats he preferred and ruined the seating position. The seats he substituted are way too big for the cabin, and make you sit high. This is on my list of things to fix. Happy to post pics or let you sit in the car if it helps.

Wayne.

StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk

2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 · 30 Sep 2006, 6:32 pm

#539657

Guys.. I bought a great seat of Nissan NX coupe seats today.. $150.00..
They are quite narrow (500mm) and the track wasn't too far off the track base in the beetle..
I spent the whole day making a frame to sit over the old base which will take the new runners.. good fun and I think I've got it sorted..

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,473 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 30 Sep 2006, 9:12 pm

#539730

good to hear rob if they are like the silvia ones i got they will grip you in the corners

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me