Technical Abarth Seats in a Panda?

[ryanthespider]

These are the parts that are needed?

Did the bracket which the ISOfix anchors come with the seat or with the seats? I am looking at getting a 100hp and this is a change I want to do.

 

[Cook1e]

Hi Ryan,
Yes, that's the fella. Child seat fixings (is that what Isofix means?) are built into the bottom seat rails, but they have plastic cover clips, which may be prone to escaping...

 

[ryanthespider]

Thanks Cook1e,

Did you retain the isofix anchor points?

 

[Cook1e]

Thanks Cook1e,

Did you retain the isofix anchor points?

No choice, short of grinding them off. There are spaces in the cushion base for them, into which the covers fit, otherwise there would be unsightly gaps with steel loops visible. I'll get a photo later, if I remember.

 

[Cook1e]

Best I can do without dismantling

 

[ryanthespider]

Thank you, this has answered my questions.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I prefer the 100HP seats to the "standard" 169 Panda seats but comfort on long runs is much the same either way. Abarth seats are a sporty style so more likely to suit your needs. To avoid the car looking miss-matchedget the rears to go with the fronts. You will also get rear head restraints which are a serious omission on the more basic 169 Panda models.

Totally agree. I found the 100HP seat suited my back very well even on long runs. Im 6 feet and a bit so should suit most people and the seats have a seat height as standard. It tilts the seat cushion and is just great on long runs.

 

[Wazzzer]

The Abarth seats don't have the plastic covers, just gaps

 

[ryanthespider]

The Abarth seats don't have the plastic covers, just gaps

Yeah gaps are fine, just seen someone selling a 100hp which Abarth seats which didn't have any gaps for the isofix bars, which left me confused. Spoke to a seat trimmer and they can easily fix that.

 

[fotme]

Hi @Cook1e, I am planning to make the conversion with 500c seats. I do have a 169 4x4with fold/split back seat, I do have the bracket pictured above.
However when noticing the eper schematics I see that backbench of 500 has to less bolts (the back ones) than the one of panda,where the crossrail of 500 has them.

Does this make any problem with the secure fixing of the back bench?

Awaiting your experience, thank you very much.

 

[Cook1e]

Hi @Cook1e, I am planning to make the conversion with 500c seats. I do have a 169 4x4with fold/split back seat, I do have the bracket pictured above.
However when noticing the eper schematics I see that backbench of 500 has to less bolts (the back ones) than the one of panda,where the crossrail of 500 has them.

Does this make any problem with the secure fixing of the back bench?

View attachment 473994

Awaiting your experience, thank you very much.

Hi Fotme, sorry I don't know anything about the 500, but I think it wouldn't be safe in a crash to miss out seat securing bolts.

Can anyone else comment?

 

[koalar]

The parts in red are the isofix loops which on the panda, are on a separate bar, if fitted

And on the 500c are built into the seat base as standard

It's always best when purchasing the seats to get all the match bracketry and locking mechanisms from the donor vehicle, part 16 in the first picture for example looks different, I would get part 9 and the central fixing as well,

 

[fotme]

Thank you both.

@Cook1e But you have done the conversion with seats from Abath 500, no? As far as I understand your post and @Wazzzer 's, you bought part number 14 of the panda schematic (2nd pic) to fit the rear top end of 500 seats, no?

@koalar,, I think that the circled reds are not for the isofix at least for the panda as my car does not have isofix seats. I presume that these are the normal fixing points of the backbench, 2 in front and 2 back, where on the 500s the back fixation relys on the crossrail which is both bolted with the bench and the top rear to provide also the isofix.

Tbh as far as i understood from this post and this https://www.fiatforum.com/threads/500-seats.424742/post-4238603, i should't need all these parts. However you insist (as you know better), that i need the crossrail from 500 (12) plus 2x9 and 2x16? Is there a difference in holes?

thank you again!

 

[Cook1e]

I think Koalar is correct and you are looking at the Isofix loops, which are welded to the seat base. Check my photos earlier in the thread.

 

[fotme]

Don't disagree, but i am sure (as i have uninstall and install them many times) that the bench has four fixing holes with no isofix. This does not mean that holes are not intended for isofix as well, since i had not ordered isofix option when bought the car back in 2005. So the bench is fixed with only two bolts?

Regarding your conversion, were they from a 500 abarth and which parts did you use to install them?

 

[Cook1e]

It was 3 years ago and I have the beginnings of dementia I really can't remember.
The job is documented in some detail if you read the whole thread.

 

[fotme]

yeah according to this thread and your reply to Ryan's post https://www.fiatforum.com/threads/abarth-seats-in-a-panda.494357/post-4657914 you used the bracket (number 14) which i have it as standard. This info also aligns with @PandaOwner 's post (https://www.fiatforum.com/threads/500-seats.424742/post-4238603).

But if so, is it just me that i do want to use all the fixing bolts for the 500 bench? And if i use all the fixings, i will need the crossrail and probably the side fixings, if holes are different..

 

[koalar]

Isofix was an option on the panda

And not fitted to all models

500 is different

I'd take everything if I could

Pretty sure without all the fixings and cross rail that between the backrest and base there will be a gap

Pretty sure without the side brackets it will not lock into position properly

You will still have to swap the front seat rails as one of the holes does not line up

What I don't know is, some people have fitted the bar without any problem, yet it does not fit for others

Might depend on year

There's two listed for 500 but no explanation


Just to confuse things some arbarth don't have the bar at all

Like this one

And isofix built into the seat

There's a lot of variables, the best chance of an easy swap is to take everything

 

[fotme]

Yes, with the above pic, with the sole bracket, you stirred it even more!
That means that some 500s don't use the crossrail solution but rather the one that is implemented in Pandas and Ka (according to Wazzzer). But even if so, is the bench like the Panda with 4 fixing points or like the schematic with just 2?

I'll go to the breaker and try to fit a rear seat with my standard equipment. I will take my decisions by there on. For sure though i wont make a discount to reliability.
Lets hope i will find all the parts needed for this, no clue about the timeframe, but for sure i will keep you posted.

If anything else arise, throw it! Thank you.

 

[Cook1e]

That's the part I used.