rear seat upholstery question

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roy mawbey
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rear seat upholstery question

#1 Post by roy mawbey »

My 1959 "A" has original factory rear seat upholstery. On many of the restorations I see on T1 and T2 cars there is a difference in that the transition from the rear seat scwab to the upright has a small area of carpet and not vinyl ( or leather ) like mine.

Did the factory only make this transition in vinyl in 1959? Why do nearly all of the cars have carpet? I know of one other factory original 59 A and that is the same as mine. A friend is about to re-upholster his 57 what is correct?

I attach a photo of my original rear seating.
backseats.jpg
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Freddy Rabbat
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#2 Post by Freddy Rabbat »

Roy,

Page 62 on Neil's book confirms what you have and says the following:

"There was vinyl material between the seat bottom and backrest"

The book talks about an unrestored 1958 T2 Coupe VIN# 103526 delivered on 4.24.58.

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Barry Brisco
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#3 Post by Barry Brisco »

Hi Roy,

Interesting question that I had never thought about. My A coupe (built 11/20/58) has what I believe is the original rear upholstery (seat bottoms, seat back, side panels are all old and match the front door panels which are definitely original based on the pocket lining and appearance of the back side;the rear firewall panel has been replaced) and a previous owner re-carpeted the car. The area you refer to is carpeted. Given the reasonably good condition of the rear upholstery I assumed the area you refer to was always carpeted. If it was vinyl I do not understand why it would be replaced. But maybe it was.
rear_seat_and_garnish_rails.jpg
Neil's book is certainly useful in this regard, but that is just one 58 model year coupe and does not mean all T2 cars were done that way.

I look forward to hearing from some T2 coupe original owners.

By the way, what does "scwab" mean?

Best regards,
Barry Brisco
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2009 987 Cayman, Carrera White / Beige (daily driver)

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roy mawbey
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#4 Post by roy mawbey »

Thanks guys that is just what I wanted to know. I took a few photos today one of which I attach as Joe said he would like to see a 59 car. Mine was competed around March 59.
rearseat2.jpg
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#5 Post by roy mawbey »

Sorry Barry forgot to say "scwab" is the part of the seat you sit on. However, my spelling might be completely wrong!!!!!

sorry for confusion if it is.

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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#6 Post by Bruce Baker »

I have heard and seen the rear seats being called "squab" seats, but that's just colloquial as far as I've known, not formal...and for me, not worth pursuing if we understand what it means. They have always been called "jump seats," too. It's like a "bumper guard" vs a "bumperette," I guess.

FWIW, I have seen both versions but have no idea when the change occured or if it was interspersed. Another Porsche production enigma? My '58 had the vinyl curtain and I have loose pieces of rear seats with that attached.
 

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Vic Skirmants
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#7 Post by Vic Skirmants »

The T-2 seat backs had carpeting on the rear of the seat back that extended to the firewall. The T-1s did not. Could this be the answer to which cars had carpeting and which had vinyl on the area in question?

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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#8 Post by Barry Brisco »

Vic, I was thinking that might be the explanation, but note that Roy's 59 has the vinyl piece and he believes it is original.

One of the photos that "joeguest" (what is your name?) posted is obviously a T1 car, but he says one is a T2 and it has the vinyl piece.

It seems possible that the vinyl piece was inconsistently used during T2 production. But at this point we don't have enough data.

Need to hear from original owners of T2 cars. Unless you are the original owner you can't be certain that at some point in the past your car may have been recarpeted or reupholstered. I am pretty confident that my rear seat upholstery is original but if that vinyl piece was in my car originally, it is entirely possible that when the new carpet was installed about 10 years ago the vinyl piece was discared and carpeting was put there instead.

Best regards,
Barry Brisco
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roy mawbey
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#9 Post by roy mawbey »

I have taken a number of photos of the rear seating that is as Barry says original 59 as is the carpet also. As my friend with his 57 was confused as me, I lifted for the first time in 42 years the 3 press studs holding the back carpet of the luggage area to expose the hinged fibre board to show him how that is tacked in place. My carpet looked as new when the press studs were released and I pulled the carpet back!

I attach a photo of the luggage area and one of the hinged fibre board when exposed.
2009_0711variousporsche0001.JPG
rearseetingpic.jpg
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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#10 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Here's the view of the documented 1 owner original '58 #103526 in Neil's Book
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#11 Post by Chuck House »

Guys,

My apologies for the "joeguest" post earlier. It was a test login I use when troubleshooting web issues and forgot I was logged in under it. I deleted that post and will duplicate it here so you know who posted it.

Here are some photos of original unrestored interiors. The first is an early '56 T1, the second a late '57 T1 and the third a late '58 T2 (minus the seat back). All have the vinyl between the upper and lower back cushions. I'm pretty sure that's how is was for T1s and most T2s. They could have changed it for late T2s so an original photo of a late '59 would be helpful.
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#12 Post by C J Murray »

The vinyl would also allow the cardboard to slide more smoothly?
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roy mawbey
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#13 Post by roy mawbey »

Cliff,
Once that fibre board flap goes down and rests on the vinyl flap it does not slide or move. The only movement is on the long "piano type hinge" ?? that runs across the bottom of the seat upright to raise and lower it. Because the carpet is tacked each side of tbe car near the hinge I did not identify the hing type. Its under the small "U" shape at the back of the fibre board. Actually I presume its fibre board it feels stronger than cardboard.

I do seem to think it might be easier to put carpet in the place of vinyl or leather if the interior is re-done. I have not lifted the vinyl flap infill but I presume it is just stuck down with some foam under the front face between the seats. I think the vinyl flap is probably stapled to the bottom of actual seat bottom before its glued in place as the gaps are so close.

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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#14 Post by C J Murray »

Hi Roy- I think the lifting of the seat back slides the fiberboard rearward until it cocks upward to push the carpet up so that it does not droop down to be visible at the base of the erect seat back.
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Re: rear seat upholstery question

#15 Post by Reinhold Plank »

Hi Roy

this an original rear from a 59, vin is 108641

reinhold
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