TheSamba.com :: View topic - Beetle to Thing/181 seat interchange years and models

Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:51 pm

Rumor control time (perhaps even a sticky)

Beetle to Thing/181/Safari/Trecker seat interchange list.....

1971 and 1972 Beetle/Super Beetle are the ONLY stock VW seats which are a "Bolt in" interchange.

Period.

Thanks,
Eric

Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:44 pm

I AGREE!!

Thu Jan 12, 2012 10:34 am

What about seat tracks? Is it the same 2 year beetle deal on them too?

Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:40 am

Thing/181 seat tracks are Thing/181 only due to the different shape of the floor.

Thu Jan 19, 2012 8:29 am

Great, I need a set and was hoping to get away with some beetle tracks. I'm running Ghia pans on mine......

Thu May 17, 2012 11:00 am

can some one tell me was beetle economy and thing steering same?

thanks

Thu May 17, 2012 11:00 am

can some one tell me was beetle economy and thing steering same?

thanks

Thu May 17, 2012 11:08 am

bravo122 wrote: can some one tell me was beetle economy and thing steering same?

thanks

Hmmm

Not really a seat interchange question.

However... I'll bite...

When you say "Steering" do you refer to a single part or to the entire steering system??

Answer...
Steering box = same
Steering box coupler = same
Steering damper = same
Tie rod ends (ALL) = same
Tie rod (left) = same
Tie rod (right) = DIFFERENT
Ball joints (ALL) = DIFFERENT
Steering wheel = same (kind of, I've been told the textured wheel was Thing only)

Anything else??

Sat May 19, 2012 7:42 pm

uberautowerks wrote: bravo122 wrote: can some one tell me was beetle economy and thing steering same?

thanks

Hmmm

Not really a seat interchange question.

However... I'll bite...

When you say "Steering" do you refer to a single part or to the entire steering system??

Answer...
Steering box = same
Steering box coupler = same
Steering damper = same
Tie rod ends (ALL) = same
Tie rod (left) = same
Tie rod (right) = DIFFERENT
Ball joints (ALL) = DIFFERENT
Steering wheel = same (kind of, I've been told the textured wheel was Thing only)

Anything else??
thanks that really helped alot
another question
there are two types of steering wheel i saw on things of the members
one was the one that cae in 1302 beetle
http://www.google.com.pk/imgres?[url]um=1&hl=e...i:66[/url]

and the other was the econmy beetle one
http://www.google.com.pk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&...2,s:0,i:72

which one shall i buy for my 71 thing?

Sat May 19, 2012 11:29 pm

I believe the earlier wheel would be correct.

Mon May 21, 2012 6:16 am

1302 one?

Mon May 21, 2012 8:21 am

http://www.google.com.pk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&...2,s:0,i:72

Wed May 23, 2012 2:42 am

thanks

Tue Jul 16, 2013 8:44 pm

I have a question. The drivers seat back on my 73 thing is wasted,rusted beyond and is junk,both frame and backrest springs. The seat bottom is in good shape. What seat low seat back from a beetle will bolt to the seat bottom of the thing seat bottom and allow you to use thing seat covers??

Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:15 pm

I googled the part numbers:

113881511AD Seat frame and got this:
http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/hstrial-ThingsUnlimited/Detail.bok?no=472

111881705L Spring Core for front seat back rest:
http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/hstrial-ThingsUnl...Detail.bok

Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:48 am

I have noticed that the thread talks about years of interchangeability of the bug/trekker seats what it doesn't talk about is how to correctly ID the 71 Bug / 72 SB seats to help source these say from a lot of 50 seats a seller has in its backyard.

I need this identification information in order to buy the correct seats to put on my 181. There is no point in ending up buying a pair of seats that are sold as 71 by the seller and not fitting in the end.

Pictures/other identification information help would be highly appreciated. Thanks

Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:25 pm

do you have thing seats to refer to? if you look at the bottom, the lever, the fingers and the track profile will look identical. Later year beetle seats have a funky three point mount, while earlier have a different track profile.

id search the beetle forum for more specifics, e.g:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=554648&highlight=seat+tracks

Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:36 pm

Yarkle wrote: do you have thing seats to refer to? if you look at the bottom, the lever, the fingers and the track profile will look identical. Later year beetle seats have a funky three point mount, while earlier have a different track profile.

id search the beetle forum for more specifics, e.g:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=554648&highlight=seat+tracks

If I have had the 181 seats why would I be looking to identify a pair of 71 bug seats?

I have searched the Late Bug forum but with not much luck, all they say is they had a round knob at the seat back and thats it.

Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:00 am

:shock: well, most people want the beetle seats because they are highbacks, as opposed to thing seat lowbacks. many consider it an upgrade. I sold my thign lowbacks to affrod beetle highbacks. Jeesh, just tryign to help.

Basically, beetle lowbacks are too old, wont work. the 68-69 seats, IIRC , have wide headrests, while the later ones have narrower headrests..look at the thread i linked, it shows an older one.

73 and up seats will have a three point mount, as opposed to the rails.

68-70 rails have a different profile, more like an "L" than a "T"..

if you have access to a mid america motorworks catalog, i think you can see sketches of the seat covers and the mounting points

or look here:

http://air-cooled-vw-parts-search.mamotorworkstv.com/nav/cat2/seat-covers/cat1/interior/0

this gives you a general idea of seat profiles

71-72: http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/319037/
65-67: http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/313719/
74-up http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/313727/
73: http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/319047/
68-69: http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/319036/

i think the 1970 standard beetle has the same shape as the 71-72, but itll have the L profile tracks .

At least this should narrow down the field.

Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:41 pm

I bought a 1973 Thing last year with no rear seats and some not so great looking front seats. My Thing does not appear to have any seat tracks currently welded to pan. It looks like the front seats are bolted to giant block of wood which I'm guessing is bolted to the floor.

I am looking for replacement/upgrades that will not break the bank. I found a complete set of leather seats from a 2000 VW GTI for sale near me and would like to know if they will fit. And how much work it will take to get them all mounted safely.