DIY: mk4 seats in a mk2

[Clay.0]

I picked up a set of mk4 GLI recaros for a really good deal and I was going to flip them but I decided to put them in my mk2. When looking for info on how to do this there wasn't much so I took a few pics along the way.

Ideally I would have liked to get some 337 or 20th recaros so the front seats would fold forward and then it would say "GTI" on the seats, but the price was right and nobody sits in the back anyway. They still slide forward and the backs are adjustable so it is possible to get to the back seats, just not as easy. I plan on recovering the top and having it restitched with something else as well.

I started by dissembling the seats down to the metal bases so I wouldn't damage the rest of the seat and so it would be easier when test fitting.

On to the pics.

To start off the base of the stock seats is just a little under 19"

The mk4 seats is just over 21" so it needs to be narrowed up a bit.

I started by cutting the weld on the inside side of the seat. I figured I wanted the seats to move inward rather than outward if they were to be off center.

The leg off

I left the old welds on the base so I could use them as a reference when lining up and re-welding the leg back on.

I then measure so the outside of the wheel was at 19" and re-welded the leg on.

Hopefully when others do this they have a better welder than what I have and as a result end up with better welds.

Next you need to grind down the wheels. Overall the height of the wheels is fine, but they are too wide.

It took a few test fits, but here is a comparison of the two wheels

You also need to take off these little wheel as the get in the way of the track. When you take them off one side, I forget which, needs a 10mm washer to be added so the wheel doesn't wander too much.

As far as mounting the seats in the car, I did as others have and cut down the stock mounting point so about 1" was remaining and drilled holes for the front bracket.

The seat bolted up.

Here is one of the base of the seat after it has been modified

The seat belt has an extra bracket and bolt that sticks out too far so I took it off. I didn't get a before pic, but this is how it is now.

Installed. The front seats sit higher in the front than the stock seats, but it is in a very comfortable position for me. I am about 6' tall and I still have plenty of headroom. I have 337 recaros in my mk4 and this position is much more comfortable.

Onto the rears. Ideally one would have access to a mk4 parts car and be able to cut out all the mounting brackets and then just weld them into the mk2. None of the local junkyards would let me so I had to come up with something else.

I previously had corrado seats in the car. I found a DIY on here in the past when I installed the corrado seats, but now I can't seem to find it. In that DIY you cut up your stock rear bench and welded part of the seat frame to the floor to act as a bracket for the seat back. I'll look for the DIY on that more later, but this is where i started. Again, ignore my ugly welds.

I drilled out the hole to 1/2" to fit the side mk4 seat bolt.

When bolted up to the seat it will look something like this.

For the center mounting point I made this. The bracket is originally from a B5 passat that my friend was parting out and the threaded rod is 5/8" with two nuts. Again, if you had access to a mk4 you could just cutout the mk4 bracket.

After test fitting it and making a few marks I mounted the bracket here. I also had to trim the seat belt bracket, but it didn't matter as I had already cut the belt off when I had the corrado seats.

With the seats installed it should look something like this.

My side panels need to be trimmed down a bit now

The seats sit tightly between the two stock upper seat back locks. I just unscrewed the locking bolt. I didn't do anything for the mk4 seat back locks but I don't think it is needed as they are pretty snug as is and I don't think they will fall forward.

The rear bottoms are just sitting there for now. They don't really move, especially if someone is sitting there, but I am going to try to find some brackets to mount them to.

And here are a few more of the final product.

And the car that they went into



Modified by c_hundley86 at 9:31 PM 7-8-2009

[ShotgunFacelift]

wow! looks killer

[cyclops594]

nice write up & good work.

[Ron@RMAMotorsport]

wow nice diy!! i wish we had more stuff like this in the forum. Thank you for taking the time to document everything.

[tomdooley]

nice work, install looks great

i kinda like your old seats better though.

[Roketdriver]

Thank you so much for posting this! I'm putting MK4 Seats in my MK2 Jetta, but I had no idea as to how I should.

How did you mount up the seat belts? I was thinking of doing a harness bar and harnesses, are you using the OEM seat belts?

[GTi2OV]

Good work, but why not find 337 or 20th ones? After all it is a GTI.

[daniresch]

wow! looks great

[2.0t mk2]

mine look nothing like that but they are all fed up nice job

[c-had]

looks surprisingly good

[MkII_A11_D4Y]

you did a great job. looks awesome

[quadcammer32]

VERY nice DIY

[kdeboer]

Looks good! I did this in my MK2, but I didn't have to cut down the stock mounting point on my floor. I used the original mounting point, and just modified the base of the seat to work with it. They way you can install stock MK2 seats again with no troubles.

[Op-Ivy]

Nice DIY! Super thorough! Thanks for taking the time!

P.S. I have a fluxcore too. Welds look just like mine.

[CrazyClutchVR6]

the look good. the farmhand is baller

[silver-16v]

nice man
I have a set that I was thinking of installing.
Will the seat belts on the later A2s fit between the e-brake and the seat?

[JOHNS92JETTA]

Great seats.

[perickomx]

wow nice....thanks man!!

[Clay.0]

Thanks for the compliments guys

Quote, originally posted by Roketdriver »

Thank you so much for posting this! I'm putting MK4 Seats in my MK2 Jetta, but I had no idea as to how I should. How did you mount up the seat belts? I was thinking of doing a harness bar and harnesses, are you using the OEM seat belts?

The car is a 91 and had the lap belt with the shoulder belt attached to the door (i forget what they call this) When I put the corrado seats in I install the early style belts that attach to the b-pillar. The early style seat belt latches plug right into the mk4 receiver.

Quote, originally posted by GTi2OV »

Good work, but why not find 337 or 20th ones? After all it is a GTI.

Quote, originally posted by c_hundley86 »

Ideally I would have liked to get some 337 or 20th recaros so the front seats would fold forward and then it would say "GTI" on the seats, but the price was right

Quote, originally posted by OldSkoolRabbit »

Looks good! I did this in my MK2, but I didn't have to cut down the stock mounting point on my floor. I used the original mounting point, and just modified the base of the seat to work with it. They way you can install stock MK2 seats again with no troubles.

Any pictures? I'm not too worried about ever having to put other seats in this car so it wasn't too important to me, but to others it may be

Quote, originally posted by silver-16v »

nice man I have a set that I was thinking of installing. Will the seat belts on the later A2s fit between the e-brake and the seat?

I think there should be enough room.

[water_wetter]

i did mine a week ago. i looked at doing this for a long time but i finally saved up enough cash to get these turbo s beetle seats.

clean cuts are a must my driver seat sits slightly crooked, and doesn't slide right. im going to get some new bases and go by what you did.

i also have to make custom rear inserts for the sides of the rears.

your seats are ballin'

here is minzez

[90dub]

looks good ..does the shifter hit the seats at all?

[Clay.0]

The beetle seats look pretty good

I haven't had any problem with the shifter hitting the seats


Modified by c_hundley86 at 7:33 AM 7-13-2009

[Tucked]

Quote, originally posted by OldSkoolRabbit »

Looks good! I did this in my MK2, but I didn't have to cut down the stock mounting point on my floor. I used the original mounting point, and just modified the base of the seat to work with it. They way you can install stock MK2 seats again with no troubles.

x2.

Actually. There is a simple way to do this, using the Mk4 rail. The Mk2 rail has one bar with holes...and the Mk4 rail has 2 slider rails. So, cut down one side (the inside if I remember correctly) and you can still secure the rail with the original Mk2 front seat mount. I'll need to get pics....hard to explain...

[J.Knipl]

great write , thanks for taking the time .

[dorbritz]

Awesome work! I always liked your car, it's very clean.

[tr.:R]

awesome job clay...........i still havent ridden in it

[LittleMissSunShine]

awesome they look beautiful, give yourself a pat on your back, very nice

[lostsurferinbc]

very cool

[Clay.0]

Quote, originally posted by tr.:R »

awesome job clay...........i still havent ridden in it

I still haven't ridden in the R yet either

One of these days

[90dub]

Quote, originally posted by 90dub »

looks good ..does the shifter hit the seats at all?

Quote, originally posted by 90dub »

looks good ..does the shifter hit the seats at all?

Quote, originally posted by 90dub »

looks good ..does the shifter hit the seats at all?

[burtondk12]

nevermind. looked at it again and figured it out. thanks for the write up


Modified by burtondk12 at 1:53 AM 7-13-2009

[Clay.0]

Quote, originally posted by c_hundley86 »

I haven't had any problem with the shifter hitting the seats

[morimori]

Nice work!!!

[91JettaMACG]

Quote, originally posted by morimori »

Nice work!!!

X2!

[ENRGZR]