59A bench seat option-- rarity?

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Victor Ingram
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Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#16 Post by Victor Ingram »

Norfried,
Maybe these pictures will help.
The top picture shows the rails, the rail to the left is secured to the floor stand. The screws line up in the same place as a bucket seat rail would. I also have the wrong screw in it the screw would recede into he rail. The rail on the right screws into the bottom of the seat. The 2 are pictured in the last photo. The last picture is the rail on the outside of the passenger side of the seat. If you look hard you can see the bottom of a ball bearing, there are several in the tunnel that allow the seat to be moved with less force. Also the bottom rail has a groove shaped in it so the ball bearing can run through it. You can also see the release cable and how it is secured to the bottom of the seat.
The 2 center pictures show the release cable running from one side of the bench to the other.
Installation of the seat is tricky, the only way to install is to attach the rails to the bottom of the seat and then install it to the floor rails. It is a 2 man job.
There are only 2 rails for the bench, both are on the outside of the seat, there are none in the center of the seat. Hence the reason for the ball bearings I guess, the seat can be moved with only one person operating it.
I had a set fabricated with the help of Dirk Heindrick.
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Sal Gallucci
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Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#17 Post by Sal Gallucci »

I have bench seat in my 60' S90 as COA states. It has a little notched out area where the shifter is. The seat is actually comfortable. What is the value of this bench seat?
Thanks.
Sal

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Norfried Bittner
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Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#18 Post by Norfried Bittner »

Victor,
Thanks a lot for the picures! I have not been able to start with the restoration of the bench seat and I am still trying to find someone who can fabricate the rails. Can you put me in touch with Dirk?

Mike,
Have you had any luck in your search?

Regards
Norfried
 

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Michael Branning
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Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#19 Post by Michael Branning »

If the Kardex on a 1959A coupe showed only optional sealed beam headlights and the (well restored) car currently has a bench seat, what’s the likelihood the seat is original to the car?
Michael Branning
356 Registry Vice President/Trustee
'64 SR Coupe
61 S90 Roadster

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Steve Newland
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Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#20 Post by Steve Newland »

My T5 coupe has a bench seat that is not listed on the kardex.
Magazine photos of the car from June 1961 show the bench seat was fitted then and the test drive report says it was the dealer’s personal transport at that time.
Of course, it may have come from the factory with buckets that were changed out by the dealer to accommodate the requirements of a buyer of another car that originally came with the bench.
Steve Newland
Brisbane, Australia

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Victor Ingram
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Re: 59A bench seat option-- rarity?

#21 Post by Victor Ingram »

Michael unfortunately not everything made its way to the Kardex. It could be as you suggested!
Either way it is a rare option.

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