RED X19

[Dr.Jeff]

A suggestion when you go to reassemble the seats side bolsters. The molded foam pads for the side bolsters tend to wear out across the top edge, where the metal bar rides inside it. Especially the left bolster on the drivers (left) seat. It is from getting in and out of the car and your "back end" slides across the bolster:

Two things you can do to help prevent that.
The first one will also repair your pads if they are already worn. Glue a thin layer of neoprene foam (like wetsuits) across the top edge (contact cement works best) and sand the edges to feel smooth with the rest of the foam (around the neoprene). This will repair any worn holes and last longer in the future to prevent more wear.

The bolster foam on this one was very bad so I trimmed away the rough top area and glued some thicker neoprene onto it, then sanded the edges:

If yours are not so bad then a thinner layer is easier to work with.

The second one gives the bolster foam more support so it has less stress across the top. Fill in the area under the metal bar with a solid panel (maybe thin wood). You can use aluminum foil tape or similar to keep it on place. The molded bolster foam will fit over it:

Then cover the bolster with your upholstery cloth.

 

[Janis]

Thanks, I’m putting first passenger seat from Polo into X drivers side because of wear.

Drivers from Polo isn’t actually that bad, leather has been worn through only on backrest side bolster. But when You sit in both tgere is difference- passengers one is more fresh and tight.

When will restore that worn side bolster will check and use Your suggestions

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Thanks, I’m putting first passenger seat from Polo into X drivers side because of wear.

Drivers from Polo isn’t actually that bad, leather has been worn through only on backrest side bolster. But when You sit in both tgere is difference- passengers one is more fresh and tight.

When will restore that worn side bolster will check and use Your suggestions

I did the same thing, swap driver and passenger sides. You really can feel the difference when you sit in them.

All of the old original seats from my X's are really bad on the drivers side...I don't think they can even be salvaged due to the extreme foam deterioration and rusted frames. But the passenger side seats aren't too bad. I guess the X is a type of car that most often gets driven without any passengers.

 

[Bjorn Nilson]

Looks like the Recaros I have in my Golf R, but my seats are not foldable. They are a little bit high even if lowered max. I have a height adjustment lever on the side so there must be possible to remove a lot of mechanical stuff under the seat to make them fit in a X.
Nice looking seat and very comfy.

 

[Janis]

I took off all te height/tilt adjustment parts and mounting points off, to install them as low as possible.

At this point if I am sitting in the seat without any bolster under ass, then there is still ~2 to 3cm from ass to floor. And if sit straight and imagine that someone could hit in the rear of car then would hit my head on targa bar.

Without heavy modifications to bottom metal structure I cannot make adapters lower then by 5mm max.

I would love to lower it by ~2cm so could use bolster under ass and avoid hitting targa bar with head.

Unfortunately that means thatbwill have to cut and weld structure.

Another option would be to make a “ H “ cut in top view under ass - and make bottom part deeper, but again by doing that I would have to modify backrest brackets, to get backrest by same amount lower to avoid ruining great ergonomics of this seat that I have absolutely not felt uncomfortable ever.

I guess that last option might be the safest and less complicated.

@Bjorn Nilson these are Recaro Classic line model LSB, but with what You see in my photo - modified by vw

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Sounds like the "H" cut to lower the seat pan (under ass) is a good solution. If you do that, could you just lower the lumber foam cushion on the backrest rather than move the whole backrest lower? Or would that still ruin the overall comfort?

Also look to see if it will be any easier to cut out the seat pan (under ass) as a unit - around the outside edges of it (red line) - and add an extension to lower it (blue shade), to new position (green line), instead of the "H".....

Fortunately I am shorter and this isn't as much of a problem. But one thing I noticed is the angle that the seats are mounted at makes a difference. With the front edge of the seat frame raised up a little and the rear edge as low as possible (blue arrows), the whole seat is more "reclined" overall. That makes the top of the backrest lower compared to the car (purple lines), but the backrest still a good angle compared to the seat cushion (red lines angle = green lines angle). So it is still comfortable position but my head is lower.

So far I have only test fit my seats with the targa top removed. It looks like I have plenty of room above me. But I may find different after I get things more complete and back together (with the top on).

 

[Janis]

@Vagone have You tried to attach rails and slide that Recaro seat in?

I put adjusting handle on right side and still it was very hard to slide seat, to get side bolster pass center console it took a lot if time. Be careful to not damage cloth on Your.

Maybe Your is more narrow, that I doubt, but because Your is not foldable, it might be even impossible to pass seat belt attaching points.

Made adapters as low as possible- same height without rails as with them. And still was too high. Cut H in he bottom and sanded off a lot of bottom bolster.
Now it is ~1cm higher than stock X19 seat

 

[Dr.Jeff]

The passenger seat can remain unmodified, you won't be sitting in it.

 

[Janis]

The passenger seat can remain unmodified, you won't be sitting in it.

Yeah and my girlfriend is 20cm shorter, but that doesn’t matter because she doesn’t want get in X19, all last times when she was in some brakedown happened, on both X and her

 

[Bjorn Nilson]

That wouldn't work for me. I need the seat further back. During the winter I will remove the (stock) rails to be able to lower and straighten up the seat to allow it to be moved a couple of extra centimeters further back. My wife is not driving the car anyway so no need for an adjustable seat. In fact, she hates the car and won't even ride in the passenger seat .

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I really don't need any seat adjustment either. I'm the only one that will ever drive it. And I always drive cars like these purely for the pleasure of driving it. So I'd rather do it alone, therefore no need for adjustment on the passenger side. But when I was working on mounting the aftermarket seats, the entire interior was removed (part of the restoration). Therefore I had no idea where I wanted to locate the seat. Rather than wait until everything was all back together I decided to just use the adjuster. And since I was doing it for the driver's side, I figured I'd also do it for the passenger side. But looking back it wasn't worth it; mounting the new style adjusters in a old style floor pan was a major pain in the a$$.

 

[Janis]

I’m not sure about angle adjustment, but seats that cannot be moved closer or further from pedals are not street legal here.

First what inspector does here when gets in the car to start inspection is sliding all the way back

 

[Janis]

First drive today with the Recaro seat in X.
It’s still too high
May knee can hit ignition key more easily now and height is like on normal cars, I don’t like normal cars.
Will try to find some thinner and harder bolster to put under asss

 

[carl]

At what point does it make more sense to just modify the stock seat by getting a good upholsterer to refoam and recover the seat to your specifications?

 

[Janis]

At what point does it make more sense to just modify the stock seat by getting a good upholsterer to refoam and recover the seat to your specifications?

At point where person thinks rationally, not wants also that badge and make new problems to solve

Unfortunately that is not me, and stock seats are already cut into pieces, because I didn’t want to drill spot welds to get rails of. Wanted rails undamaged.

And good upholsterer for that kind if job I guess will ask here at least 400€ for a finished seat.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Take another look at the metal pan under the seat cushion. See if it can be modified further to lower the whole cushion more.

 

[Vagone]

@Vagone have You tried to attach rails and slide that Recaro seat in?

I put adjusting handle on right side and still it was very hard to slide seat, to get side bolster pass center console it took a lot if time. Be careful to not damage cloth on Your.

Maybe Your is more narrow, that I doubt, but because Your is not foldable, it might be even impossible to pass seat belt attaching points.

Made adapters as low as possible- same height without rails as with them. And still was too high. Cut H in he bottom and sanded off a lot of bottom bolster.
Now it is ~1cm higher than stock X19 seat

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Mine folds just fine. The release is on the upper back on both sides like yours.
I have not tried rails, but will not put on any. Just flat aluminum bar stock as I had before. I know the seatbelt mounting will require modification or reloaction.

 

[Janis]

Honestly I am done with snow.

In which non-snow EU country Dallara bodykit would be street legal?

 

[kmead]

Honestly I am done with snow.

In which non-snow EU country Dallara bodykit would be street legal?

Anywhere in the southern US, you are welcome anytime.

 

[carl]

Yea, in the US, something like a body kit per se would have no effect on state by state safely inspection.