In my ebay searches, I have found a really nice pair of 240 leather seats.
Has anyone ever converted their 122's to a pair of 240 seats, or 740 seats for that matter?

It seems the price of buying these seats would be cheaper than refinishing my current seats. Im a sucker for leather anyway.

Andy

I prefer Recaros out of a 16v VW Jetta or GTI. Search this forum using Username = Danny and keyword = recaro. We had a pretty detailed discussion in May on the subject of seat installation and I posted some cad models of various approaches. Adapter thoughts may be usable for the 240 seats as well.

I have the Recaros and (no offense intended) they are more comfortable and fit better than the the 240 seats ever will. Some 3 series Bimmers have the Recaros too, in leather!

Mike

Not that I'm about to swap again but its food for thought. I have sheepskins for the 240's so I feel committed.

But if they did allow for a little more room and support better I would think about it.

Any photo's? Interested in the seat to seat spacing, I would like to build a console but as someone else mentioned there is only room for about one drink holder width with the 240's.

-Mario E.

Mike,
I put Recaros out of a BMW into my PV, and I love them. In fact, they are so good, that when my back starts giving me trouble, I take the PV for a drive to cure it. I'm looking for another set to put into the 142E -- getting hard to find here in the North-East, though. I know they sell reconditioned ones, but who can afford them? :-( My one caveat about them: they may not be the right thing for people who are really broad in the butt.
Bob S.

Mike,
I just read the thread of May 2005 you referred to. I don't know how I missed it at the time, but I did. Now I have it filed -- good info. As I said, I'm hunting for another set of Recaros, and when I get a chance, I'm going to start scouring junkyards farther from home. Jettas & GLIs, 16 valve variety. Can you, or anyone else, be more specific about the years? I got mine out of, what I think was, a BMW 325i 2-door -- no idea of the year; not even sure of the designation. Don't know a thing about Beemers. Can someone shed some more light on this -- model, years? The yard I got mine out of had another BMW with a set of Recaros in it. When I figured out how to install the ones I got into the PV, I went back to pull the ones I left behind. Gone! They'd sent the car to the crusher. The value of scrap is so high at the moment that all the junkyards are crushing them as fast as they come in, and they are buying bigger and faster crushers with the money they are making. Not a bad thing really, but I wish they would be more discriminating when it comes stuff that is more than 25 years old.
Cheers,
Bob S.

Strange as it may seem, when our 544 was wrecked this spring we ended up replacing it with a nice 1984 BMW 635 with a five speed manual. They are currently available for the same price as a nice 544. We have been learning a little about BMWs, mostly that there is about 98% less space in the engine compartment than a PV to turn a wrench.

The BMW 635 (e24) and 325 (e30) built in the 1980's were available with folding recaro seats. I would guess that the late 70's models (e21) can be found with Recaro's as well. BMW also offered a sport seat that looked similar to Recaro.

Although not commonly found in junkyards, Avantis built in the late '70s and early '80s had folding Recaro seats. We have been restoring a 1982. This seat is a bit wider than the BMW Recaro. They must have already known about americans proclivity to larger seats back in the 80's. The Avanti seat is one of the most comfortable seats I ever sat in, car type or not.

Link to parting out BMW classifieds

Best regards,

Joe Menacker

On the VWs the 16Vs ran from 87 to 200 or 2001 when the the A3 body was introduced. I don't know if the Recaros came in A3s. Pretty much a dead give away is the electric seat tilt adjustment. All the Recaros I have seen were grey fabric centers and black vinyl bolsters.

Bimmers, I haven't really targeted much cause I hate leather and they usually are twice as expensive because of the the Bimmer association!!!

More later!!

Mike

Ole Reliable has had a set of 240 seats in her ever since I bought her in 1997 .... as was said in an earlier post don't even think of a console, however the space is just wide enough to hold a pop bottle nicely upright or other assorted containers... does come in handy that way ..... since I got the car I have had to change the seats so I could access the back seat ... so be sure that you get foldable ones ..... ;-)

Brett
--
Brett Sutherland & the 1.5 million mile 122 CANADIAN WINDSOR, Nova Scotia the birthplace of HOCKEY www.ecvintagevolvo.com

I have 240 seats in my 122. I think its a pretty common swap.

The 240 seat frames will weld right up to the 122 mounting assembly. You do need to be careful about making sure all the adjustment mechanisms remain free.

I wasn't and my passenger side doesn't adjust front to back. I'll be pulling the seats soon so I can send a pic if you want.

240 seats are very comfortable and fit OK. But I wouldn't think much about a console between the seats, but I don't remember the stock seats being super narrow either.

I'll measure the 240 seats at the hip if you want to compare.

-Mario E.
Lawrence, KS

You'll at least have to make seat rail adapters and I think you will find that
they are pretty WIDE for your 122. If they'll fit at all they will be crowded!
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

I would really appreciate it! I need to go ahead and bid on these seats I saw, or be content to wait. In all honesty, I'll probably hold off, as Ive already changed my carburetor setup, added an exhaust header, and switched to a MSD ignition system THIS WEEK. I think my girlfriend will kill me if I spend any more money on my car anytime soon. But yeah, It would be nice to know those measurements! I figure I can go to the volvo graveyard in Grants Pass and find a pair of seats whenever.

My apologies, Andy, for jumping your thread, but this was an opportunity for me to get info I had been looking for for a while. My thanks to the guys who supplied it.
Bob S.