Vintage Speedsters seats, I'm 6' 1"

They're called comfort seats.  The backs and bottoms are thicker with more padding.  I'm only 5'09" and I fit very well.  My seats are not all the way back either.  I've been on drives up to four hours long and I'm fine sitting in them that long although mine probably need stiffer padding.

Thanks Robert, I'm slowly learning the vernacular, it's been a few years since we were Porsche owners (back in the early '70's) and the Vintage Speedster language has it's own terms, like Samba...what the heck is that?!!

Anyway, I think, based on your information, that the comfort seats would be...more comfortable.

Will

Will,

The Samba is a huge VW forum...take a look:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/

Funny, I wanted to check the site address before I posted this. I typed samba.com (forgetting "the"). Not sure what that site is, but I suspect I'll be getting a visit from those friendly folks at the Department of Homeland Security!

You might want to find one to test fit. I'm 6'1", have the bucket seats on the floor and all the way back and I barely fit but comfortably.

Long legs or short torso will make a difference in leg or head room. My old speedster had buckets on tracks, I don't think I'd want any more height then that, otherwise my head would be in the "jet stream"

Bill, first, thanks for the reply, you too Paul!

When you refer to your seats as bucket seats, are you referring to the ones Kirk (Vintage Speedsters) has with the vents in the back? Or something else?

Thanks, Will

Will

I have Kirk's standard seats (with the 2 slats) in my VS. I'm 6ft 2" and weigh around 225 llbs. It's a highly personal thing but I find my outlaw more comfortable than my BMW X5 daily driver. No problems with my head being too high either. That said I can't comment on the 'comfort' seats you mentioned. Best, Chris

Chris, thank you for your reply, it sounds like the slotted/slatted seats may be the way to go. I hate the wind noise on my Vespa enough to wear earplugs before each ride. At my height (almost as tall as you), the comfort seats might just put me right in the wind-zone, not good!

Who knows, I may end up wearing earplugs in the speedster?

Love the color of your speedster!

Will

Will, I wear Alpine earplugs on longer drives. They allow me to listen to music but remove some of the drone/wind noise. I'm particular about protecting my hearing after 20 years riding motorcycles. Hope you enjoy your VS, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Just a thought Will. Post your City/State and see if one of our members is close enough for you to let you come by and have a seat in the car to try it out.

Many of our members have the Speedster seats (slotted backs) and they don't seem to complain about the comfort.

Disregard, I see you're in Atascadero.  We have several members near you and I'm sure they'd be willing to meet you to let you sit in their Speedster.

If you're in Fresno real soon let me know, I have the comfort seats in my car.  Teby has the original style slotted seats in his and he's not too far from me.

Will:

In general, the two-slot Speedster seats are about a 1-1/2 to 2 hour seat, meaning, that's about how long you can ride in them before you REALLY have to get out and stretch.

The so-called "Roadster Seats" (next one up in Kirk's line) are a bit more padded all around and get you to a 2 - 2-1/2 hour seat.  

Remove the bottom cushion and install a similar (albeit, thicker) cushion from a Porsche 914 and you get up to a 3 hour seat (ask Jack Crosby on here).

If you want something better than that, you'll have to go to the Roadster seat from Intermeccanica or find something else that's better  - We've heard that Mazda MX-5 seats fit the pan-based cars and are good for 3+ hours.  I installed a pair of seats from a LeBaron/Maseratti and I think they're good for about 3 hours, tops.

Bear in mind, though, that at 7 gallons of gas in a typical Speedster tank, you'll be stopping for gas every 2-1/2 + hours, anyway.

Daaang Gordon---you don't forget anything do you? I am amazed.

Robert, Kirk gave me Eddie in Paso Robles number whom I called and am meeting tomorrow morning. I didn't think to ask Eddie which seats he has, guess I'll find out tomorrow.

I wonder if the padding in the bottom of the two-slot seats can be upgraded, 1 1/2 hours is not good for cross-country trips!

Gordon, thanks for the information, you're the guru around here I'm thinking.

Chris, I've been wearing earplugs for about 25 years, 20 years too late! I've got a pretty gnarly case of tinnitus which I've learned to live with but want to limit to where it's currently at. I wear them each and every trip on my Vespa and every time I fire up a compressor or saw or nail gun. I want a pair of ear-buds I can listen to music through which would also cut ambient noise, I'll check out the Alpines.

Will

Will, essentially your looking for noise suppresion ear plugs, muffs, Normal yellow plugs can only cut 45db of noise, earmuff even less, it is next to impossible to listen to music with ear buds, you will move the music level over 85 db which is the threshold for the stapedius muscle to hold your ear drum in a noisy enviroment. After 20 minutes the muscle gets tired and your now doing hearing damage to your ears. 

I have found a pair of bose quiet 15 soundsuppression muffs, the only way to listen to music on a plane without making the volume too loud, I can even sleep on a long trip, well even short trips ... Ray 

(Update:, around here is they see you with earplugs or buds in both ears they will pull you over. )

Will I happen to be 6'1" with a long torso, so I am particular sensitive to have the right Seats. I had an original 59 coupe and I have had an IM with roadster seats and they were good but not for a whole day they were too low, I did try the speedster seats and they were also good but I would not have wanted to drive in them long.  I just did the California coast in my new IM Roadster, with Recaro seats we drove 12 hours in the saddle got out as if I had just started, absolutely wonderful seats, good support high enough to hold your back and even a good head rest. We did 2500 miles on that trip, and we had no seat issues whatsoever. Ray

Thanks guys, for the information.

I sat in a VS speedster today that Eddie from Paso Robles' generously let me examine. I definitely need every inch of space I can get so I'm going to roll with the stock speedster/slotted seats.

I'll put them back as far as possible and maybe even tilt them back like Eddie's to get my weight off my tailbone, his seat was very comfortable tilted like that!

call me Comfortable in Atascadero

Will, many ways to skin a cat... Ray

Congrats and Welcome to the Madness!!