Dershum Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 I'm planning to re-cover my seats using MSA's upholstery kit (along with re-foam, etc), but because I have no history of the car prior to the PO, I'm hoping that someone can confirm that these are 70/71 style seats in my 240...that way I'm sure I'm getting the right kit. Thanks much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I can't tell the year from your pics but the early seats do not recline. The reclining function started in '72 or '73. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dershum Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 I can't tell the year from your pics but the early seats do not recline. The reclining function started in '72 or '73. For lack of a better word, there is a little "wheel" on the side of each seat that adjusts the seat back. I'm not sure if that constitutes "reclining", but that's the only adjustment on the side. The seats also slide back and forth via the usual adjustment bar underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neotech84 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 (edited) They have been recovered so all we can go from is the hardware. If it has an electrical harness it's a 260 with seat belt switch. Sorry to not be able to help much. Edited September 6, 2011 by neotech84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dershum Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 They have been recovered so all we can go from is the hardware. If it has an electrical harness it's a 260 with seat belt switch. Sorry to not be able to help much. I don't believe there are any electrical connections to the seat belt or of any kind, but I'll take a look later. I've peeked under them as best I can without pulling them all the way out, but I haven't seen anything that looks like a wire or connection going to them. I know there aren't any lights or buzzers that go off if you drive it without the belt on though...at least none that are connected. Just so I know, what are the differences between the 70-71 seats and 72-73 seats, particular in relation to the re-upholstering kits sold by MSA? Are they simply the style of the materials (grain, pleats, etc), or are the seat frames completely different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 For lack of a better word, there is a little "wheel" on the side of each seat that adjusts the seat back. I'm not sure if that constitutes "reclining", but that's the only adjustment on the side. The seats also slide back and forth via the usual adjustment bar underneath. By reclining I mean the seats will fold back flat, or nearly so. My '73 seats had a lever at the hinge point to release the seat back for reclining or folding them forward to access the rear storage area. They also had the interlock switches for the seat belt warning buzzer. If you are still not sure, call MSA and speak to them. They are very knowledgeable and can help you determine which seats you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Sure look like early seats to me. Can you verify what I'm seeing in picture 1 on the far seat is the wheel you describe as controlling the recline? If so, early seat. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dershum Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Sure look like early seats to me. Can you verify what I'm seeing in picture 1 on the far seat is the wheel you describe as controlling the recline? If so, early seat. Joe Yep, that's correct. It's an adjustment for the angle of the seat back. I guess from your statement that I'm probably safe going with the 70-71 kit? I'll probably order, but include pics or a link to this thread when I do so that MSA can take a peek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 First and Second photos show the reclining knob on the seat back of an Early Seat Mechanism. They appear to be overstuffed poorly recovered early seats. The later reclining seats will have a lever on the outside edge (facing the door) which lifts to unlock the seat for complete reclining, instead of the 20-30 degrees of the early seatback. More important than 'early or late' mechanism is the question 'what seat bottom do you have'? Many times people put the mechanism's from one year onto another because the later seats used springs in the seatbottom, while the early seats used strap webbing. That will make a difference. I'd say take a feel underneath to see if you can feel springs under the seatbottom, or the presence of the strap webbing to make sure the components haven't been switched sometime down the line. Seatbacks as far as I can tell are all the same, and recover identically. But the bottoms are different animals early/late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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