TheSamba.com :: View topic - Question about EMPI Seats and matching adapter/slider

Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:43 am

I need to install the seats with a little extra room.

I am 6'3" and my son is 6'9". I already have a slightly smaller steering wheel to install which will help a little, but I still could use a little extra room in the front seats.

Has anyone altered the connections for the EMPI seats and adapters for my Beetle's age range (mine is a 1970)? How is the best way to do it to maybe give me 2-3 more inches in the front?

Any pics available?

Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:01 am

My buddy who is over 6' tall had a shop cut/remove the seat mounts (the ones welded to the floor pan), slide them back a few inches and re-welded to the pan so he could fit into the driver's seat. There's no leg room for the rear seat passenger anymore, but he fits nicely.

Looking at his seat mounts I suspect they are not the original ones but some custom made seat rails that mimic the stock seat rails. They appear longer than stock.

Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:07 am

Thanks, ashman... I really don't want to get into breaking the weld and re-welding. (I don't weld, and affording someone else's welding right now isn't feasible.)

I was hoping that someone had an option of something to do with how the slider bolted onto the bottom of the seat and those holes on the seat themselves...

Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:20 am

Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:26 am

Q-Dog wrote:

Yes... okay... I get it. LOL

But I only want to find an extra 2 inches up front with those seats... it's not like I want to completely remove the front seats and have him sit in back like Bubba Smith did in "Police Academy".

Thu Aug 05, 2021 2:03 pm

If you are not interested in cut/weld job:

Consider an aftermarket seat replacement kit.

ProCar/Scat is what I installed

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=696324&highlight=

I don't recall how far it slides back (I'm under 6ft) but I feel it goes back further than my stock seats ever did. My 6'3" father in law seemed to appreciate the new seats though

If it would be helpful, I could slide it back and measure? Let me know. Might be a few days though between work and the "honey-do's"

Fri Aug 06, 2021 8:02 am

I already have the EMPI seats/adapters... not the ProCar/Scat ones.