WTB:Recaro Idealsitz S passenger seat

[Skicoach]

Hello again,

  I have (2) excellent driver's side seats and before they're reupholstered I thought I'd take a shot.  Anyone have a correct set of hinges or entire seat that they would sell or even swap a passenger seat for one of my driver seats?  

Cheers,

Chris

[Conserv]

Hi, Chris,

 

I've converted a left-hand Idealsitz S to a right-hand Idealsitz S. Assuming your Idealsitz seats have the original recliners, you will only need a pair of right-seat recliners from a 1972-73 Porsche stock seat (it appears that either Recaro built the stock Porsche seats or Recaro and Porsche used the same supplier for their recliners).  These Porsche recliners are (a.) generally splatter-painted black -- I’m guessing your Idealsitz seats have splatter-painted black recliners, although a few Idealsitz S seats came with chrome recliners -- (b.) have a trigger-style seatback release at the top of the outside recliner’s upper component, and (c.) have only two screw holes for the upper component (earlier recliners have three screw holes).

 

Here’s a pair of the correct right-seat recliners currently on eBay:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-early-Sport-Seat-Recliners-Right-passenger-Side/162426597930?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

You're going to use solely the lower components (halves) of the two Porsche recliners: they will replace the lower components of the two Idealsitz recliners.  You're done.  OK.  It might be a bit more complicated if you're also restoring the recliners' finish.  I sent the Idealsitz recliners, along with the Porsche recliners, to Tony at Autobahn Interiors.  I explained that I wanted to swap over the lower recliner components from the Porsche to the Idealsitz recliners.  I also asked Tony to splatter paint the re-done recliners.  They came out beautifully.

 

The first photo below shows a 1972-73 Porsche stock seat recliner.  The second photo shows an Idealsitz S recliner (black painted version), left-hand version, in need of restoration.

 

I forgot above another small detail.  When you convert the lower component of the Porsche recliner into an Idealsitz recliner, you also need to add the Idealsitz-style seatback release arm and knob.  The third photo shows a pair of Idealsitz S release arms (left and center), next to the original Porsche release (right, originally operated by the trigger mechanism on the upper component).  Both original and repro Recaro plastic knobs are readily available.  I had a welding shop bend and weld a new metal arm onto the original Porsche release.

 

The fourth and fifth photos show the “new” Idealsitz S right-seat recliners, ready for installation.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Conserv

[Conserv]

Better condition. More complete. Less money:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-Early-Seat-Recliners-Right-Pass-side-3-11/162605073475?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Skicoach]

A very huge thank you Steve!!

Chris

[Conserv]

12 hours ago, Skicoach said:

A very huge thank you Steve!!

Chris

 

You're very welcome, Chris.  I was in precisely your position in 2014 when I bought a very nice pair of...left-hand Idealsitz S seats.  I spent a year asking Recaro authorities, "Can it be done?"  Everyone said, "Probably." But no one could point to the nuts and bolts.

 

I started comparing photos of ‘60’s-‘70’s BMW, Porsche, and Recaro recliners, because they are all fairly similar, and I noticed the apparent similarity to the 1972-73 stock Porsche recliners.  I bought a down and dirty set of right-hand Porsche recliners for $150 to see if the recliners were as similar as they appeared in photos.  Bingo.  It makes some sense that the 1972-73 Porsche recliners share parts with the Idealsitz S recliners, the Idealsitz S seats only being offered in...1972-73.

 

You can shop the Porsche recliners.  They're not all $500 a pair: some are less, some are more!

 

Good luck,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Conserv

[Skicoach]

Steve, a little follow up.  I just purchased the nicer, more complete, R recliner you recommended on EBay for $400.  My seat recliners do in fact have the black crinkled finish so only the locking mechanism needs to be changed out.  This is a huge, timely, bit of information.

Cheers,

Chris

[Conserv]

The Idealsitz S parts I'm still searching for, Chris, are the rubber stops that buffer the recliners when the seatbacks are pushed into their rear, locked position.  If you come across any of these in your travels, I'm interested!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Conserv