Understanding Scheel seats for Porsche 914, 914-6, There are a lot of threads, not a lot of answers… Options

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I just found a pair of Scheel seats for my 914 that I couldn't pass up. They are thought to have never been installed, and the underside and 914 seat rails suggest that might be true. The little damage that the seats do have topside looks like it could indeed be shop wear. Whatever the case, the price was right and the corduroy looked good, so I decided to buy them.

I've sat in Scheels here and there over the years, and some seemed really nice while others were pretty tight. Well, wouldn't you know it: The one wearing the driver's side 914 seat rails is very nice but a bit tight while the one wearing passenger seat rails is loooooovely. That's funny, as taking a tape measure to the width of the seat centers suggests it should be the other way around. And that's when I started to notice the differences between the heights of the pleats in both the back rests and the seat bottoms.

But both seats have 914 headrests that exactly match the material on the bolsters and backs (which looks super original and in generally great shape...in line with the underside of the seats) and both seats came on 914 seat rails that look like they could be NOS. I know all that may not prove much, but…

I've looked through a lot of threads on Scheel seats, and looked around the internet too. Not a lot of great information so far—though maybe you know a better source? Gerrit looks to have let his website go, and the Scheel Austria site seems to be focused on later Scheel seats for Ford Escorts, etc. Any go-to sites or experts now?

I will be installing these seats in my 1973 914 in the weeks to come, and will report back about fit with the factory back pad. And while the corduroy is nice now, I am thinking about buying some of the stuff used in the 991.2 GT3 Touring, as it looks very similar but is sure to be quite a bit more durable given modern wear requirements.

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Visited the upholstery shop yesterday, and the expert's take was that one of these seats—6623—was probably redone at some point.

His further take was that the reason 6623 is tighter—despite some of its measurements in the following pictures being wider than the same measurements on 6624—is that someone may have changed and/or lowered its seat cushion. However: it's 6624's seat bottom that looks very different in terms of pleating when compared to Scheel seats posted by others...in that it really doesn't have pleats and has multiple seams that don't seem to do much. We'll know more when they go back in for 6624 to be redone, but any input is welcome!

I will probably end up having 6624 redone to deal with the damage to one of its bolsters, but I am going to swap the rails and try it on the driver's side first.

In any event, I took some pics to document these seats in the event it might help someone else. If anyone can provide thoughts on whether these are both 114s or not, I'd be thankful for that input. But I think the real upshot is...any Scheel is an old seat now, and it stands to reason that, whatever they are, they might not have started out that way. Put another way...is an old redo the "new original"? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)