1965 Recaro Bucket Seat (?)

[hansbahnhof]

Hi from Germany,

I am Ansgar (hansbahnhof) and the proud new owner of Jerry Weiland´s (Cars´n Golf) ivory white 1965 911 since 2013 which is still going strong without restoration.

Someone has offered me a rare (?) Recaro (?) bucket seat which is supposed to be from the very early Recaro production in 1965. It might look great in the ´65 - but is it really an early Recaro from the time? I have added two photos. The leatherette is supposed to be be original. The corduroy was replaced some time in the past. Note: the leatherette on the back of the seat.

Buy or not buy is the question. It is not a bargain - maybe the Recaro experts here are able to help?

Thanks a lot for any additional thought on this one!

[Frank Barrett]

OK, I'll take a stab. When we restored my '65 912 in 1987, I found two factory sport seats similar to this one. My driver's seat has smooth vinyl on the outer panels, a corduroy insert (oriented 90 degrees from yours), and two vertical vent slots in the back. According to Brett Johnson, it was called a "Ferrari" seat. My passenger seat is a little larger, more padded, and has a headrest; the vinyl is smooth on the bolsters and patterned on the cushions; this seat also has a headrest. Brett called this a "Recaro" sport seat. Both are pictured on page 66 of his 1988 book, The 911 & 912 Porsche, A Restorer's Guide to Authenticity. Of course, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, so someone else here may now know more...

[John Straub]

I don't think it's for a '65 or '66. The only one that I know of for a '65 is the "Ferrari" seat that you could get for a '65, '66, or '67. They were steel.

John

[hansbahnhof]

OK, I'll take a stab. When we restored my '65 912 in 1987, I found two factory sport seats similar to this one. My driver's seat has smooth vinyl on the outer panels, a corduroy insert (oriented 90 degrees from yours), and two vertical vent slots in the back. According to Brett Johnson, it was called a "Ferrari" seat. My passenger seat is a little larger, more padded, and has a headrest; the vinyl is smooth on the bolsters and patterned on the cushions; this seat also has a headrest. Brett called this a "Recaro" sport seat. Both are pictured on page 66 of his 1988 book, The 911 & 912 Porsche, A Restorer's Guide to Authenticity. Of course, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, so someone else here may now know more...

Thank you Frank - I am sure it isn´t the Ferrari because of the missing vent slots and the much thicker seat part. The Recaro in Johnson´s book (yours!?) shurely isn´t ´65 (someone told me) because there weren´t headrests back then. Both seats are great but I think they are different from mine - especially the back covered completely in leatherette should be different to your Recaro. Thank you again for your quick answer - I will keep you posted in case I buy the seat!

[hansbahnhof]

I don't think it's for a '65 or '66. The only one that I know of for a '65 is the "Ferrari" seat that you could get for a '65, '66, or '67. They were steel.

John

Thanks - but I still wonder why this one looks different from the other bucket seats I have seen - especially the back part. Could be an improvised restoration of course but doesn´t look like it...

[Frank Barrett]

Yes, I agree, my passenger seat is probably later.

I bought both of these seats (out of Panorama, I recall) because it was cheaper to do so than to restore my stock seats! I recall paying maybe $300 each for them--in 1987.

My copy of Excressence (full of stupid editorial errors) arrived today, and the article about the two old Trans-Am cars included a photo showing a seat very similar to my driver's seat, with "carpeting" on the back, two vents, etc.

[hansbahnhof]

Yes, I agree, my passenger seat is probably later.

I recall paying maybe $300 each for them--in 1987.

Good Old days! Thanks again. I will have to decide today and still Wonder if the Seat is worth the small fortune its owner wants for it.

[hansbahnhof]

I just got an E-Mail from Rainer (thank you) with a link to an exact twin of the seat - http://www.pbase.com/9146gt/factory_...rts_race_seats
If the gentleman is right, the seat could be an early Scheel.... - the year 65/66 would be right for the 65 911.

- edit - oops - its is not a twin - it is exactly the seat I am about to purchase ... small world

[uai]

the sliders look like scheel. those early Scheel and recaros are quite similar. The first recaro rally bucket had a grey textured vinyl like the mats in a VW Bug covering the back and sides.

Hi the sliders are neither Scheel nor Recaro.
I haven't joined in in this discussion as I haven't seen the seat in person at Uwe and I could only compare to the pictures here.
Cheers

Uli

[hansbahnhof]

Thanks everybody - I´ll try to post some information on the seat when I have found out what it is ...