The Cal-look Lounge

Anyone got some good pics of Cal-lookers with Porsche seats? I may have a chance to pic up some 356 (either b or c, not sure which) seats for my project. I figure they will need custom rails and will have to figure out how to fab those. Anyone done this conversion before that might have some tips? They look nice but are they any more comfortable than stock lowbacks?

Thanks,

--louis

I've got a pair of what I think are Porsche 356C seats in my car. No pics unfortunately. They're a bit wider than stock bug seats, but so much more comfortable. To fit them to the pan, we took the stock rails off and left no trace, then built up a 1" box frame for them to sit on. Sliders were already on the seats.

look better , more comfortable , they recline .....  apart from that , theyre terrible !!! dont buy them coz i dont want everybody having the same as me !!!  :D

i remember i pic of aronson installing them ....   mr. seume ???

I remember the pic in the first Cal Look book of the Goss/Seume/Richie chop top having the interior fitted at Brads Upholstery, shows the car with no seats but I think the seat rails are in place.

Here's a couple from my 67 that i did.(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/G-log/IMG_0279.jpg)(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/G-log/IMG_0286.jpg)I cut off the original seat tracks and made my own from aluminum angle with a quick release setup.

hey gary .

great car !! :D

Thanks! I am really happy with it! :)

gonna show your rear seat detail ??  :D

Here ya go!(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/G-log/IMG_1435.jpg)(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/G-log/IMG_1434.jpg) They're based on Porsche seats ,but i remade them larger and wider,and the cushions are just purely custom to look more like the fronts.

FAWESOME !!!
:D

lookin at the mag pix , i was wondering how you did the rears .

I was going to use one of those EMPI rear bucket sets ,until I found this set of 356 seats at a swap for $40.00 along with the rears.The rear seats were so completely rotten,I could only use the 4 pivot bars ,the rest I made from baltic birch ply and more polished/drilled aluminum.You wouldn't believe how many hours I spent with a hole saw ,belt sander and a hacksaw cutting the ali pieces .I didn't have a metal bandsaw in my shop.And then I started polishing it all..... :D

I was just drooling over your car last night in HVWs. Its the one that put the idea in my head anyway. Great idea on the mounts. Thanks for the pics.

--louis

Does anyone have pics of speedster/spyder seats in a beetle? Are they comfortable, do they need to be raised? Sorry for the hijack ;D. Thanks.

Here you go. 356 speedster seat on stock rails. Way more comfortable than the old stockers.


(http://www.akernel.com/cal_look/INTERIOR.jpg)

i love the 356 speedster seats! hopefully i come across a pair of those one day.

I love that look! Great color choice. They seem somewhat low. Hows the view?

I sit about 1/2 inch below my old stock seats. If you look at the height of the pad from the bottom top of the mount, they are about the same height as stock. But when you open the door the backs look really low. I'm 6'0" and have no problems.

The Porsche rails were welded into the Beetle, the inner ones to the tunnel.

thanks kieth .
do you have any pictures please ?

superb

I believe I saw some real mccoy speedster seats on the 356 registry for sale recently, you dont wanna know the price! (well you probably do, I think it was around $3500 :o)

to me , those are the ultimate seats for a hot rod VW. I'd love a set in my '67, done in dark royal blue corduroy. Very Nice!

reals are expensive but you could find copy too

Thanks, Wait till you see the back seat. Out getting the skins on it now. Took a single bucket, cut it in half, stretched out the center and added the bean holes plus a couple for seat belts. Hope to have it back by then end of the month.

Keep us posted, Rob. That sounds sweeeet! I would love to have speedster seats in my oval as well. I think fibersteel sells both aluminum and fiberglass replicas. How are yours attached to the stock seat frames?

These can be had in red, black or tan for $225 each.
(http://www.fibersteel.com/gallery/images/144.jpg)

This glass frame with steel reinforced bottom is nice too, but some upholstery shop would have to build them.
(http://www.fibersteel.com/gallery/images/139.jpg)

Maybe i'm poluting the Topic.

I'm not crazy about 914 seats... maybe if they lost the head rests it would work.

Or these for $2050!
(http://www.fibersteel.com/gallery/images/145.jpg)

I saw those and I have spent a good amount of time lusting over the other cool stuff on that website. ;D  If the $225 seats are light they are fine by me.

The ones I got from Intermeccanica are two fiberglass molds bonded together. The base has two strips of steel - one front and one back. I had tabs added to the inside of the seat frames. Then drilled, tapped, and bolted them up.

I contacted fibersteel about the red seats that I posted above. He told me that it is possible to mount them in a VW since he has put them in replica speedsters. They come with a seat  track that is bolted to the seat frame. To adapt them to our cars it should only be a matter of unbolting the existing seat track and fabricating some tabs on a stock seat frame. Oh I was also told that the seats weigh only 14lbs each which is not too shabby i think. When I have some extra cash I will buy a pair of those seats.

Finally got the back in - too a little longer than I expected, but....

(http://www.akernel.com/cal_look/backseat.jpg)

Incredible work. Love this interior.

and after having to put your ass and drive in bucket seat , you will never want to drive any more with normal seats  ;D ;D ;D as me  ::)...........you are to high.................. ;D ;D ;D