PROPER BACK SEATS - REPLICA

Sounds like a lot of work.  I say let the passengers get their own speedster.  I have one passenger seat for my hot blonde wife.  Any more passengers would ruin the speedster experience.

I'd like to turn my speedster into more of a Cabriolet. It's personal preference, but I'd also like to take the kids to/from school - Since I have 3, that means I need back seats.

There is virtually no leg room back there. I cut inspection plate area out for the shifter coupler.  There is extra space either side of rear seat (for speakers maybe) and behind rear seats (for secure storage of tools, battery, gun smuggling or a gas heater). I've been looking at the locking cubbies used for boats to store phone/camera/notebook).

 

There "was" an English proper 4 seater replica Speedster that was on a full size VW pan - looked out of proportion but had more room.  Anyone save a picture of it? 

Really not a good idea.  In Michigan kids need to be in a booster until 8 or 4'9", whichever comes first.  I know that each state is different.  I can't imagine being 4'9" and sitting back there.

 

With the top down, there's no back seat because the top is stored there.  With the top up, it's mighty cramped.  The seats don't pivot forward, so they would either have to climb between the seats or over the seats.  No easy feat.

 

I have three sons, 25, 23, and 3.  The eldest have ridden in Natalie many times.  The younger one will have to wait until he's out of a booster seat.  Luckily for him, I'm sure that 4'9" will probably come before 8.

 

These are 4-wheeled motorcycles and they're best enjoyed like you would a motorcycle.

What Tom said, ditto........

Sometimes the SEARCH actually works on SOC.  I didn't photo shop it - it was (is) made in UK (or is it Canada?) by Pilgrim.  Note the short deco strip below the door. It's got to look worse with the top up.

 

https://www.speedsterowners.com...er-on-fl-irs-chassis

 

http://www.halerconcepts.com/english/speedster.htm

 

 

Wow. That's.... "interesting".

Go buy a used MB CLK 350, put the top down and take the kids to school in that.

 

 

There was an SOCer in Europe a while back that built a car similar.

Or there was a thread on here with a video of a really amazing Porsche collection located in Dayton, OH.  He converted a real 356 into a stretch 356 for his daughter's wedding.

I don't know how old your kids are, but they ain't gonna stay small forever, and unless you stretch a 356 so there is considerable foot room behind the front seats, this is a pretty short term fix that, over time, might leave you with a car that is at best unique even among speedsters or at worst, an abomination.....

 

My twins were 9 when I acquired my speedy and they are almost 13 now. With the roof and frame out of the car, one could sit crosswise in the back and the other would sit in the passenger side seat.

 

That lasted from my house to the end of the street. Way too dangerous for the little guy in the back.

 

They aren't little any more and so we opt for the MB or the Volvo now.

 

To my eye, the stretched 356 above is just ugly, but my opinion only has value to me, and as Stan says, your mileage may very (along with your opinion.)

Pilgrim build their version on a full size beetle chassis which gives the extra room. Chesil build a version that utilises the area where the battery goes (chesil put them behind the rear seat usually) I think they move it to the front and carve out that area that the battery used. It gives enough space but keeps the same dimensions as the Speedster, i.e. shortened chassis.

I have seen a pic of a real  356 sedan with a full back seat .. They did do it !!

Could you just sell the kids? You might be able to afford a Raby engine with the profits.

Jeff

You'd think they'd be worth a lot but I tried; definitely a money-losing proposition...

Maybe donate to charity and count your losses?

Just and update on my back seats; if anyone's interested.

 

 

 

 

It's a little hard to tell - did you lower the seating area, reglass and put in seats with belts?  How difficult was it?

No, I didn't.

 

My plan is to tackle that in the next few months. I have, what I think is, a good plan.

 

CURRENT	PROPOSAL

 

The proposal lowers the butt of the back passengers by a few inches, making it feel less like they're floating above the front seats. It also keeps their heads below the windshield; for people under 6 foot.

 

I want to make these as buckets, like the following -- even if not functionally perfect, it's the look I'm going for, too. When the top is in the boot, the back will look good with the seats up, or down.

 

 

 

 

That looks promising!  How is the knee room?  I have had two occasions where I needed to drive two adults and ended up in having one of them sitting sideways on the back shelf.  

 

I've toyed with the idea of scooching the front edge of the rear shelf back an inch or two and moving the front seats forward on their mounts (plus maybe switch to speedster seats instead of "comfort seats" so there would be less padding on the backs pushing the driver forward).  A more extensive project I've thought about would be to cut out the bench and back on both sides and then glass in the seat and backs of two simple plywood or plastic chairs, like the one below: 

 

 

I decided this would be a project requiring skills I haven't developed and would require that the car be off the road for awhile during the warmer months (I don't have a heated garage).  The cost/benefit analysis didn't work out.  I haven't even gotten to the point of looking into where the frame hits the back shelf so I don't even know if either these ideas could be brought to fruition without having to modify the frame.

I put sliding rails on my seats, and can scoot forward where it's still comfortable for me to drive and the feet room is "acceptable"; I say that loosely. Long drives would not be okay. I thought then, I'll just move the back bench backwards, but in mine, the frame is there and I'm not going to remove the body to attempt to reposition it.

 

The problem then becomes the back passenger's head. It's above the windscreen. Which is what I'm trying to solve by placing their butts at least 2" down. This will keep their heads below the windscreen.

 

 

So, my theory is, butts down, deal with the leg room and you can last 15 to 30 minutes in the car without a foot cramp.

 

Anyone over 5'10, larger than size 9's will probably have an issue. I'm size 13 and it doesn't feel too nice.

 

BTW - I like the chair idea. It has a good shape to it. Slap it with foam and make a vinyl covering and no one would be wiser that it was a plastic school chair.

 

I just might do that actually. My personally made wood ones, are good enough, but the chairs are much better.

We have people ask for this semi-regularly.  Our lawyers will not allow us to install seat belts in the rear and we have to call them a "rear padded luggage tray", but we have done this in several styles; custom fabbed bench (no back), custom fabbed split bucket (fixed back) and with modified 911 rear seats (folding back).

Makes sense. Keeps you protected.

 

I'm challenged with making this "conveniently" safe. e.g. Roll bar that isn't in the passenger's face and doesn't keep the passenger from entering the vehicle easily.

 

I have some thoughts, but nothing panning out.

Hey Carey,

 

Have any photos of the work you've done/seen in the "rear padded luggage tray" area?

That sounds like good advice.  

 

Do you move the front edge of the shelf towards the rear for a little more room or is that simply not an issue with Beck's body mold? 

I thought I had more pictures of the CMC sub chassis but they are are very small.  This one shows the braces under the rear "seat" fiberglass area.  It doesn't look like it would get you enough to be worth the effort.

 

 

Ted: haven't been asked to move the edge for more leg room, but it is doable.

 

Here is a simple one that just velcros in place with velcro cushions for backs.  This client ran his kids around their lake and to local ice cream parlor, etc...

 

I'm not going to move the bar, so leg room will have to remain. My frame doesn't look like that picture though and I have 2" to drop the butt. Like Carey's customer, I'm carting my kids to/from school on back roads. Their ages are 11 / 5 / 6.

 

My 11 year old works with me on the car to do the things I do, so I feel it's just as much his as it is mine. My 5 year old sings while we do random things on it, ... so she's contributing.

 

 

Just rear cushion.  Hand made wood and steel frame, permanently attached.  Not the best photo, but the best I have of it

 

Modified early 911 rear seats

Hit the nail on the head in the second photo. Near exactly what I want to do. Nice work! I hope your lawyers don't frequent this site

 

You're giving me confidence to proceed, ... Not sure if that's good or bad.

 

Thanks!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this only remotely works with the top up or completely removed (not easily done on a Beck since it's glued down), correct?  I keep thinking about MI state law which requires booster seat up until 4'9" or 8 years of age (whichever comes first).  I could never get this one past the boss.  My youngest son will probably hit 4'9" before he hits 8, but he's not riding in Natalie (except up & down the driveway) until then.

The top, as seen in my photo works fine when down actually - I tuck it in a boot and the seat is comfortable where it is. From messing with this concept, I could be wrong, I would guess that from Carey's picture the top would fit fine behind the back rest.

 

 

Regarding boosters, yes, they're required - But that's not an issue since the booster will fit in that space. I've measured. Regarding safety - this is why I'm also looking into a roll bar. Regarding obstruction of entering/leaving the vehicle - I'm looking into folding front seats, and collapsible roll bar.

 

All are challenges, but it's a tinker toy, let's tinker. Doing all of that and making it look good is another challenge.

 

Yes, it is more comfortable seating, errr LUGGAGE space ;-) with the top up.  The silver car (brown leather seats) actually has a removable top (and we have done that to several other cars over the years as a custom requested feature)

Alright - I've started back on the rear seats. I've made the cut on the passenger side and ready to glass.

 

 

 

-- This is the goal - mocked up --

 

 

 

-- This is a real car --

 

 

 

-- With the cut overlay --

 

 

 

-- CUT - overlay --

 

 

 

-- CUT --

 

 

This drops the back seat space around 3 inches.

Made a quick foam seat for the back and positioned everything -- still experimenting at this point.

just be sure to glass it real good,you dont want no diss~ass~ter....

I had thought about the same thing and also making the shifter joint axsessable with reenforced removeable pannell.if stay with the vw chassie.