I bought a couple of Scheel seats and have questions…

[AustinOski]

I’m hoping some experts can chime in here. I bought a couple of seats.

1. From posts I’ve read it seems like these are 401’s. Maybe 401 Rallye’s? They seem to have the larger upper side bolsters. One has a tag that denotes Type: 4 and KBA 900 12. If there were other numbers after the 4, they are gone. Are they 401’s?

2. Seller claimed they are a pair. They are very similar, but not exactly the same. The one on the right seems to have very slightly deeper uppder side bolsters. I think! I have been staring at them and they are slightly different. Most dimensions are the same, but a few are not. One seat might be 1/3-1/2 wider in a spot. Maybe they are different, maybe they were re-upholstered and they each were changed ever so slightly (stuffed a bit more or less). Same seats or different? Same model, different year? Or, were there production differences within the same model?

3. They both have the recline lever on the left and the fold forward lever (for rear seat access) on the right (when sitting in the seat). Does that mean they are both driver’s seats, since you’d want the fold forward on the outboard side? I’ve read (and seen pictures) that show pairs being exactly the same. Some have said they are both passenger or driver side, others have said on some models there is not distinction and they were made the same.

4. Are there any sources for the side covers? Seems I read a while ago that some folks here had some 3D printed.

Oh, and, not 100% sure what I’m doing with them. Probably going in one of two 2002’s. They are much more comfortable, to me, than the E21 Recaros I have in one. Not going in my E3, too perfectly stock and nice (seats would be wrong in that, anyway, with no performance mods).

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmccusername]

Can you post a picture of the tag with the model number on it? Did either one come with a hinge cover, even a cracked one? That would help identify the seats and I might be able to point you to someone who can 3D print the covers.

 

[AustinOski]

Can you post a picture of the tag with the model number on it? Did either one come with a hinge cover, even a cracked one? That would help identify the seats and I might be able to point you to someone who can 3D print the covers.

I covers at all. Just what’s in the photos. Thanks.

 

[AustinOski]

Oh, and the rails.

 

[rsporsche]

yes they look like mine which are 401's ... the headrests look different though. these both look like they are the same side.

yours are older than mine, i have tilt roller knobs on both sides of each seat along with tilt releases on both sides. you might should try reaching out to @Gerrit in Germany, he might be able to help you regarding the covers ... or point you in the right direction.

in regard to the sliders (rails), those are worth selling to some vintage Porsche owner ... they generally can fetch a pretty good price. what i did was to source a set of adapter plates from Aardvark - http://www.2002parts.com/bmw/recaro-seat-parts/rec-bracket-e9.html then mount your factory sliders to these seats.

if you put them into a 2002, here is their brackets for that application - http://www.2002parts.com/bmw/recaro-seat-parts/rec-bracket-02.html

 

[AustinOski]

@rsporsche - Thanks. Yes, I’m set that these are the 401 Rallye model. They are both driver’s seats. I mis-wrote. The fold-forward is on the left so they’d be outboard on the driver’s side. Why there are so slightly different, I don’t know yet. Maybe two different model years. Pretty sure these are late 60’s, early 70’s vantage based on the recline and fold-forward hardware (and the 100’s of photos and forum posts I’ve browsed through).

Yeah, I’ll probably sell the rails/sliders. And, yes, thanks, I’m aware of the 2002 adapters. Have a pair in one of my 2002’s. I don’t have sliders in the 2002 I am likely putting these into, the PO put some other adapters and sliders for the seats in that car (yet to be identified by me or anyone on 2002faq).