Hi folks,

I've got a 71 Bus with original seats front and rear (the upholstery has been replaced neatly), but am thinking about headrests for safety. I've seen some reference to this on the web, and that it's not hard (so they don't go into detail), but am wondering - is this something that you'd do with a kit (if so, what kit), or is it more complex?

Anyone had experience with this?

Peter

Well your stock seats have no provision for headrests. On later Kombi seats, the headrests mount into the seat tops with two long chrome rods about 2cm in diameter. The rods are moulded into the headrest. You could find some headrests at a wrecker, but I don't know how you would make mounting brackets in your existing seats without taking them apart and welding them in.

It would be easier to get another set of Kombi seats, with headrests already fitted. My '74 came with them, for example. As far as I know, the mounting rails are the same. You might have to have them restitched nicely, but that's a lot easier and more elegant than pulling your existing seats apart!

I'll swap you for a pair of later model ('76) front buckets if you like. Mine need reupholstering, so maybe we could just swap frames or something?

well i have a set of front seats form my '74, the driver seat sort of slides in on a rail and the other fits in on clips (for lack of a better word) under the hinge. just if you were interested.

Peter, I believe the frame on the early seats had provisions for the head rests. If I feel the material in the top of my '72 van seats you can feel two holes in the frame. If your's are the same, I read in the US forum's that the later head rests will slide into the holes!!
Check the archives on http://www.type2.com 
If you can feel the holes under your material, try to measure and see if you can compare this too a later headrest.
(before you cut the material of course!!)
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input folks. Looking closely at the seats front and back, neither have any brakets inside them - the back seats are packed so neatly it's hard to tell, but the front are more like flimsy shells and it doesn't seem like they'd neatly accomodate a modification. Only the front driver is on rails, while the double passenger front is on some form of articulated hinge that allows the back and the bottom to move (to provide access to the spare), so swaping in later buckets might not be the solution - and I'd loose a seat (I've not got the middle seats).

Given I'm interested in doing both front and rear, I might retire and ponder this some more - possibly see what an auto upholstery company says. I _could_ mount some headrests on the small wall that separates the front seats from the rear cab (ie not actually on the seats), but the back are more problematic...

Will report back. for others in the same boat.

Cheers, and thanks

Peter

or try some slip-on headrests.

As promised, I'm reporting on what the auto trimmers had to say on the subject:

1. Hmmm, difficult - lots of labour
2. Not impossible, however
3. Need to remove entire seat fabric (coconut fabric too flamable to only selectively remove), weld new brakets and supports (existing frame too flimsy), acquire and mount new headrests
4. Repack seats
5. Likely that new problems will emerge as soon as the covers come off the seats (age of car)
6. $150+ each headrest.

Peter

:o Cruzin' - not meaning to sound stupid, but what's a "slip on headrest"?

[Edited on 3-4-03 by teamfaulkner]

Slip on headrests are exactly that; they slip over the top of your existing seat backs. I have one in our '68 bug, so I'll get you a photo when I get home. I don't find it very useful or comfortable though.

Quite seriously, how much would it cost you to repad and recover a set of later high-back kombi seats? I have a pair here that I would gladly swap for a pair of lowbacks like yours.

Kol,

If he isn't interested I might be.

My passenger side has been sprayed but the drivers side is still grey and dirty.

Kol,

Have you heard from teamfaulkner yet ?

Nope. If you want them, we'll do the swap. You might want to take a look at mine first. I'll get you some photos. They will need re-padding and re-covering.

Ps. Strangely enough, I think the blue covers are going to work nicely with my intended colour scheme! :thumb

[Edited on 10-4-2003 by KruizinKombi]