Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post in this forum for topics relating to the interior.

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

Post Reply
User avatar
clipper47
Posts: 596
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:22 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by clipper47 »

How can you tell if the power sports seats in my '85 635CSi (6/85) are Recaro or BMW? Is there a label or id plate somewhere or is it obvious from the stitching, panel size etc.
Attachments
IMG_1241.JPG
IMG_1241.JPG (48.25 KiB) Viewed 12388 times
Dave
_____________
1985 635CSi US
Cosmos Blue/Pearl Beige
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

IIRC if the stitching is exactly the same pitch as the rear seats, they are most likely 'RHW' seats (made for BMW). If they have very slightly different pitch to the stitching then they are possibly Recaros.

The rear seats are all RHWs BTW, even when the fronts are Recaros

The trim panels at the base of the seat are also different. Come to think of it I've never seen a set of electric recaros, only manual ones. They dropped the manual Recaros sometime in '85 too.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ozbmw
Posts: 519
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:48 pm
Location: Australia

Post by ozbmw »

They are BMW Sports seats.
Matt @ Snowy Mountains of Australia
http://bigcoupe.com/members/ozbmw
User avatar
sharkfan
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2235
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:14 pm
Location: Guildford, U.K.

Post by sharkfan »

They are the early BMW seats with the controls on the centre console. The later BMW electric seats had the controls on the outermost seat base panel.

The electric Recaro seats of that period had the controls set into the top of the innermost thigh bolster of the seat - they were very, very expensive and hence rarely found and often only on Alpina's.

The manual recaro's had a horse-shoe shaped back support.

HTH - pic of a manual Recaro seat from 1982.
Attachments
DSC00154.JPG
DSC00154.JPG (150.14 KiB) Viewed 12354 times
User avatar
clipper47
Posts: 596
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:22 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Post by clipper47 »

Thanks for all your help. I will assume that the seats are not Recaros.
Dave
_____________
1985 635CSi US
Cosmos Blue/Pearl Beige
User avatar
Ed Lyerly
Posts: 722
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 1:10 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by Ed Lyerly »

Correct. How I tell is that the BMW Sports seats have a separate piece as a seat back .... the Recaros do not. See the marked up photos below.
Attachments
BMW Sport seat ..... separate back panel.
BMW Sport seat ..... separate back panel.
img_1241_193.jpg (82.54 KiB) Viewed 12341 times
Recaro seat .... no separate back panel.
Recaro seat .... no separate back panel.
dsc00154_142.jpg (128.21 KiB) Viewed 12341 times
---------------------
1985 M635 #1998 (gone but not forgotten)
1994 850CSi (also gone but not forgotten)
1985 M635 #589
User avatar
Roku35
Posts: 525
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:57 pm
Location: 96821
Contact:

Post by Roku35 »

Thanks Ed! I learn something new everyday! Having both Recaro and BME Sports seats myself, it is quite elementary my dear Lyerly :wink: Thanks for pointing this out. I just go by looks of the front seat stiching and headrest style.
1985 Euro 635CSi CR 5-Spd (Schwartz/Anthracite Buffalo)
1985 Euro 635CSi CR 5-Spd (Polaris/Schwartz)
1985 Euro 628CSi (Zobelbraun/Nutria Buffalo) ...Rehomed
2002 540iT Sport 5-Spd (Schwartz/Schwartz)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hawaiisharkfest/sets
Adam12
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:49 pm

Re: Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by Adam12 »

Hello everyone, can anybody tell me what I've got? Just bought an 87' highline. Seats have recaro label but I am not sure if these are originally from that car or have been added as upgrade - vin specifies sport seats only (maybe vin did not specified exact manufacturer?). At the center there is full panel for electric adjust meant, but some functions are not working. I am wondering whether recaros were partially manual or I have somenthing broken there. Any comment which will help me identify how it is, we're these were added how shall be adjusted will be very much appreciated.
Attachments
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (1013.6 KiB) Viewed 9693 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (926.27 KiB) Viewed 9693 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (42.67 KiB) Viewed 9693 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (56.54 KiB) Viewed 9693 times
User avatar
spartaans
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:50 pm
Location: Falkirk - Scotland

Re: Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by spartaans »

My seats are sport BMW if I am understanding good??
IMG_2232.jpg
IMG_2232.jpg (1.78 MiB) Viewed 9584 times
2004 Ford Mondeo Ghia 2.0 TDci {Silver Machine}
2002 Opel Astra G Coupe 2.2 16v {Carbon Schwarz}
1985 BMW E24 635Csi {Dolphin grey | Delphin | #184}
User avatar
spartaans
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:50 pm
Location: Falkirk - Scotland

Re: Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by spartaans »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8DjvrxH_YI

Go further until 1:16'' and there you will see Recaro seats which yes: they are different!
2004 Ford Mondeo Ghia 2.0 TDci {Silver Machine}
2002 Opel Astra G Coupe 2.2 16v {Carbon Schwarz}
1985 BMW E24 635Csi {Dolphin grey | Delphin | #184}
User avatar
slofut
Posts: 778
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 1:29 am
Location: SW Ga

Re: Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by slofut »

Adam12 wrote:Hello everyone, can anybody tell me what I've got? Just bought an 87' highline. Seats have recaro label but I am not sure if these are originally from that car or have been added as upgrade - vin specifies sport seats only (maybe vin did not specified exact manufacturer?). At the center there is full panel for electric adjust meant, but some functions are not working. I am wondering whether recaros were partially manual or I have somenthing broken there. Any comment which will help me identify how it is, we're these were added how shall be adjusted will be very much appreciated.
These could be early recaros with the centers recovered (obvious) to match later style panels.
'87 635csi, 5sp man, dk blu on pearl beige
'88 635csi, auto, black on grey
'63 BMW Isetta
'75 XJ6C, 2dr, warm 350
'86 XJ6, th700r4
'75TR6
'64 Olds 88 conv
"68 T120 Bonneville
Adam12
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:49 pm

Re: Power Sport Seats, BMW or Recaro?

Post by Adam12 »

Guys, i've got an issue with my recaro Seats. The foam holder under the seat is broken.
+ looking for black holder adjustment wheal - same as on fotos.
Does anybody have any idea if and where i could find replacment for it?
Attachments
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (1.3 MiB) Viewed 8767 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (1.26 MiB) Viewed 8767 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (1.22 MiB) Viewed 8767 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (1.02 MiB) Viewed 8767 times
Post Reply