Board Logo

Stick with the Telstar seats or go back to original?
Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 07:41 AM

Here is the question, I bought Rosie with Ford Telstar seats installed. The seats do require upholstery but are comfortable.

The down side is they are a little wide and bulky. Of course to go back to VW seats I'd have to buy some and have the original rails rewelded.

What are the pros and cons of going back to original seats and where would I be able to source original seats?

Here is a photo of the current seats which are very comfy

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae86/Paulc1964au/Rosie/IMGP1982640x425.jpg


Bizarre - May 8th, 2010 at 07:55 AM

IF it is a daily stick with those

If you want period go the uncomfortable low back original

You will pick up a set at a swap meet.
Then but a TMI kit that is the original or close to material and get that put on


Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 08:00 AM

Driving her on weekends only does that constitute a daily lol


STIDUB - May 8th, 2010 at 12:11 PM

do you drive like a grandma on the weekends? go stock
do you like your passenger alot & dont mind bumping into them? stock
like corners & speed & not too fond of your passenger all the time, stick with those :)
i had telstar seats in mine when i first had it, was far better than stockers, that said my stock seats were.... well stock & old & flat etc


Joel - May 8th, 2010 at 01:05 PM

how have they been fitted?

are they just welded to VW runners?
or have the floors been modified for telstar runners?

if there just welded to vw runners, find some cheap vw seats, put them in, find out how much you hate them then put those back in, or reupholster the low backs if youdo like them


Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 01:06 PM

No joel they have been properly installed with runners welded to the floor / chassis they did a very good job.

I think if they get upholstered with red and white in the centre and red head rests they should look pretty cool.


Joel - May 8th, 2010 at 01:10 PM

thats a safer way of having it, vw runners are light duty to say the least
especially the pre 71 L runners, alot used to derail in accidents as its only 2x 5mm strips of metal holding the seats in.

plenty of people have had modern seats reupholstered with old basket weave and its looks good


colonel mustard - May 8th, 2010 at 01:21 PM

something to note is that those vinyl seats can be quite slipery and sweaty. id stay with whats in there. if it really bothers you, go all one color and get the seats to match.. I wouldn't bother getting the seats in the same material that the rear is covered in.


Pumba - May 8th, 2010 at 01:32 PM

Go original, those telstar ones are:td:


Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 01:39 PM

Rear seats needs new upholstery as well my main aim at the Nationals is to get some ideas of what works and what doesnt


colonel mustard - May 8th, 2010 at 03:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paulc1964au
Rear seats needs new upholstery as well my main aim at the Nationals is to get some ideas of what works and what doesnt


take heaps of photo's. then post them up. cause i cant go...


Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 03:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by colonel mustard
Quote:
Originally posted by Paulc1964au
Rear seats needs new upholstery as well my main aim at the Nationals is to get some ideas of what works and what doesnt


take heaps of photo's. then post them up. cause i cant go...


I fully intend too I will also be going to the Supernats on the Saturday


pod - May 8th, 2010 at 05:47 PM

Stock seats are the most uncomfortable things out ,i'd stick with the telstar seats ,recover them and go from there ,and what stidub says is true ,they are slippery flat things that dont make for driving comfort..


Sherbie - May 8th, 2010 at 06:11 PM

I had a set of Toyota seats in my bug but wasn't happy with them because as you said they were too bulky. I tracked down a set of original 71 bug seats
& am much happier now.


Paulc1964au - May 8th, 2010 at 06:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sherbie
I had a set of Toyota seats in my bug but wasn't happy with them because as you said they were too bulky. I tracked down a set of original 71 bug seats
& am much happier now.


think i'll stick with the ford seats, do you have any threads or pics of you car it looks so sweet


SuperOwen - May 9th, 2010 at 03:44 PM

I have some jap seats in mine, it transforms the way the car drives. I kept the originals to just slide back in when I want the look, but if your actually driving the car put something modern in. Maybe even track down something a bit slimmer like MX5 seats or something. I managed to find seats out of a jap import 20v corolla that fit nicely.


Paulc1964au - May 9th, 2010 at 06:37 PM

My nephew who was admiring Rosie today came up with a good suggestion, he suggested i remove the head rests as they make the car look too modern and make the interior look smaller.

Next weekend i will look see how it looks without them.


71-BEETLE-SEDAN - May 9th, 2010 at 06:48 PM

thats a agoo idea.

im glad i upgraded my seats but i welded them to the vw rails but we beefed em up quite a bit beofre fitting.

So i can fit stockers again.


DubCty - May 9th, 2010 at 07:02 PM

I've mounted some R32 GTR seats on to VW rails, I found these seats were a lot skinnier than most jap seats so they sit nicely in the bug. They also hug you like a fat women on a cold night!!:rolleyes:


Joel - May 9th, 2010 at 07:09 PM

head rests off and some lambswool seat covers :tu:


Paulc1964au - May 10th, 2010 at 08:35 PM

Will take some photos over the weekend


Paulc1964au - May 16th, 2010 at 10:50 AM

Ok removing the head rests made a real difference, here are some photos sorry about the poor quality too much sun out there

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae86/Paulc1964au/Rosie/IMGP2183640x425.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae86/Paulc1964au/Rosie/IMGP2184640x425.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae86/Paulc1964au/Rosie/IMGP2185640x425.jpg


Sherbie - May 18th, 2010 at 08:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paulc1964au
Quote:
Originally posted by Sherbie
I had a set of Toyota seats in my bug but wasn't happy with them because as you said they were too bulky. I tracked down a set of original 71 bug seats
& am much happier now.


think i'll stick with the ford seats, do you have any threads or pics of you car it looks so sweet


Hi,

Thanks, Yeah she is a great Bug. I can't find my thread with the pics of Sherbie so I have attached a pic
Of her hope it is clearer than my avatar. I owned Sherbie about 7 years ago & sold her due too many kids
not enough room but I always missed her so much & fate stepped in...At Christmas 2009 hubby found
Sherbie up for auction on ebay whilst looking for a car for our son so he brought her back for me for Christmas.
She was still exactly the same as when I sold her even still had the plates I put on her.


Paulc1964au - May 18th, 2010 at 08:57 PM

Excellent i just realised i'm getting those EMPI 8 spokes for rosie soon. looks like Sherbie is a later model than my rosie. I am planning on keeping Rosie she is my mid life crisis and i wont ever sell her


Sherbie - May 18th, 2010 at 09:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paulc1964au
Excellent i just realised i'm getting those EMPI 8 spokes for rosie soon


I am actually trying to find a new set of rims
for her but it has been an impossible search
unless I change her over to a 5 stud. So for
now will just be sticking to the empis I think.


Paulc1964au - May 18th, 2010 at 09:10 PM

why do you want to sell them? I am off to the VW nationals on the weekend just to make sure they are the wheels i want, you are right not a lot of selection for 4 stud wheels


Sherbie - May 18th, 2010 at 09:34 PM

If I could find a set of rims to fit my bug
I would sell them, Yes. I have been looking
for a few months now & as yet nothing...I put
those empis on her before I sold her the first time
& would just like a change now as she is being
painted soon & having a bit of work done on her.

I know I never realized how hard it would be
to find a set of rims for a bug until now.


Paulc1964au - May 18th, 2010 at 09:48 PM

well i will be taking photos of wheels on the weekend will post them in my thread on vw wheels


Paulc1964au - November 19th, 2010 at 05:25 PM

does anyone have some pics of what original 69 front seat look like?


Joel - November 19th, 2010 at 07:56 PM

Chop the backseat in half and you pretty muych have it :lol:

exactly like this

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/481566.jpg