The Official 356Talk Forum

Can anyone advise how rare a front bench seat option is on the 356? Was anything changed with shift arm on a 59A to have the bench seat?
Any pro's or cons' to this option?

Would all USA bumper option on the 59A cars include the over riders front and rear?
Thanks,
John

Bench seats were a regularly offered factory accessory for the early 356-A's, and appeared in the late 356-A, 356-B T-5 and T-6 factory accessory catalogs. For whatever reasons, they did not appear in the 356-C factory accessory catalog. They are relatively rare but.........who wants a bench seat in a sports car (personal opinion)! But there's probably no way of knowing how many are out there. See the following website for pictures and descriptions of 356 Porsche factory accessories.

http://derwhites356literature.com/356Po ... nPage.html

CW

I remember checking out a 57 for sale in AU several years ago - it had a front bench seat, which actually turned me off of the car! The price was a little optimistic as well, but if I'd been interested, I'd have tried to negotiate.

I agree with Charlie: ". . . . . . who wants a bench seat in a sports car (personal opinion)!" Not me, no matter how "rare" it is.

My 59 A coupe -107399 - has both front & rear USA bumpers fitted.

john schwamm wrote:Can anyone advise how rare a front bench seat option is on the 356? Was anything changed with shift arm on a 59A to have the bench seat?
Any pro's or cons' to this option?

Would all USA bumper option on the 59A cars include the over riders front and rear?
Thanks,
John

I was told in the early 70s that there were 275 bench seats made for 356s. I don't remember who told me that or how credible they were, though. They are made in much the same fashion as T1 fat seats with wooden seat frames. Charlie White mentioned that they were in accessory catalogs through 62. I can say with much confidence that there are no T6 cars with a bench seat and even if Porsche said they were an option, they were never fitted into a T6 chassis. My belief is that they were made in a single batch and offered until the supply ran out. My first 356 was a 61 Super 90 Roadster (bought for $1300.00) with a bench seat. T6 cars use very different seat tracks and there is no practical way to install a bench seat in one of them. The picture was taken the day I got the car.

Personally, I think bench seats are cool. They are one of those weird, rare, options that you only see once in a long while. Apparently, I'm not alone in my opinion as bench seats sell for thousands of dollars these days.

Jim's right, bench seats sell for big bucks! They are rare and I would guess that the demand and high prices are due more to the fact that they are rare and hard to find, then to a preference for v. a preference for regular bucket seats. Originality and COA conformity are strong demand and price factors!

CW

John
very rare indeed ,in my 45 years of Porschedom I've only see a hand full. I once owned an original owner 60 cabriolet with one in black leather, it was date stamped 1959. Purchased new from Berkelee Porsche in Albany. I liked it , actually quite comfortable & nice to drive with.

I have only put my hands on one, it was in a 58 Coupe. I too didn't get it but wish I had bought it. The widow kept going on and on about the seat, but it just seemed weird, this was many years ago.
Like a lot of the accessories, these were not ordered in great number, like luggage, outside temp gauges, and a few other strange and high priced do-dads that guys go crazy about now.

Did they ever offer the Bench seat on Pre A Cars 53-55?

I do recall seeing a Bench seat on a 53 Coupe.

Jason

54 Cab with factory bench seat.
Not bad to sit on.

Gmund cars had bench seats; I am not sure if you could even get buckets on them.

Does anyone know or have a picture for an example?

Did any of the "Last Eleven" have them?

I have the original bench seat for my '52, notated on the COA. I have no backs to the bench seat, but have been told that the backs of the coupe seats will work. Is that true?
I need the tracks and rails, and ball bearings if anybody has them available.

Mike DeJonge wrote:I have the original bench seat for my '52, notated on the COA. I have no backs to the bench seat, but have been told that the backs of the coupe seats will work. Is that true?
I need the tracks and rails, and ball bearings if anybody has them available.

Hi Mike

I'm about 99% positive that "fat seat" seat backs will work. They will need to be modified to pivot in the pins on the inner side of the seat backs.

Regards

Jim

Sebastian Gaeta wrote:Gmund cars had bench seats; I am not sure if you could even get buckets on them.

Does anyone know or have a picture for an example?

Did any of the "Last Eleven" have them?

Last December, on the way to Jack Staggs' I got to see Jeff Zwart's Gmünd Coupé at Cars & Coffee in Irvine. I didn’t make a point of photographing the seats, but I caught enough to show that—at least in this particular car—they’re bucket seats.
The gearshift linkage might not work too well with a bench seat.

Jim,

Good eye, and yes, bench seats would be tough on that one

I wonder if there are any period photos out there showing buckets in a Gmund era car.

Regards,

Mike,
Did you have any luck with the tracks for your bench seat? I have one too and i need the lower tracks. I may have found someone who can fabricate them if i can provide dimensions. Would be great of we could find a member willing to take dimensions & pics or maybe even lending us a set for some time to get them copied, wouldn't it?

Regards
Norfried