What's the best way to re-upholster the seat?

[brian gilbert soares]

Hey Doc,

Newer Bench seats will fit (measure first of course), but you may have to swap the lower/ track part of the seat frame. I think buying a new bench seat would be the easiest/cheapest way to go. I had my original seat reupolstered a few years ago for $135.

Good luck, Brian

[62 UNI]

Hey Doc,

I'm at the same X-road with my original seat in my 62 Uni...... I'm even going a bit more.......with a gennie floor shifter........so I've already tried a late gm suburban buckets (they are IMO to tall & end up in the rear window) & a bucket out of a 07 toyo mini van (but they are really not wide enough) so my quest continues...

I've been told that early/mid 90's F150 bench combo fits well.......I've not gotton the measurement yet but will soon.

I will tell you that a 67-72 blazer console "fits" between two bucket seats & looks "period" & the gm sticker can be removed & replaced with a blue oval.

If I find something out I'll post up.

Paul

[fmartin_gila]

Doc,
The seat in mine was already done when I got it, so I don't know about this first hand, but from what I have read, I understand most any of the Ford seats up to about 95 will work.
When I saw the seat in your pickup, I even felt sorry for the dog.
Fred

[6Slick5]

I just replaced my seat with one from and 84 or so F-150. I had to modify the seat tracks some, but it fits good and is much more comfortable than the original.

Marty

[Macon ACE]

I got the same problem with my '64. I'm thinking old newspapers and duct tape. You can get duct tape in lots of different colors now. To paraphrase Homer Simpson: "Is there anything duct tape can't do?"

[Casey 65]

I found a place in Washington that had a seatcover for my slick. I searched the web and found a site that advertised seat covers for all vehicles. Turned out they had seat covers for most vehicles. LOL. But, the were the ones that put me in touch with the upholstery shop in Washington state. Got the seat covers for my truck and they fit much better than the stock ones. Pulled the seat out of the truck. Removed the stock ones. Added some extra padding and installed the new ones with hog rings. about a 3 hour job start to finish and they look great. try the web for seat covers and do it yourself.

[douglloyd]

Well I can attest to what DOESN'T work...

The seat on my F-350 has a depression in the driver's side that you could hide in - bent wires, collapsed springs, etc. All I need is a place to park my butt, so I slipped a piece of leftover plywood in from underneath, then wedged a big chunk of shipping foam between it and the floorboards. The seat has the original contour now, but hop up in the cab and your butt tells you something ain't right<g> I have a truckstop gel pillow to sit on - Preparation H anyone?

A while back I ordered the seat rebuild kit from LMC - all it contains is a scrap of carpet, several lengths of coathanger wires, some cardboard and hog rings. I sent it back for a refund.

still bouncing down the road,
Doug

[Slick Fan]

That's pretty lame that an upholstery guy would scoff at an old truck seat...regardless of whether or not the springs are visible. What do they work on...only pristine, new cars??


The seat in my son's '65 was absolutely terrible when he first got the truck. In fact, that was the very first thing to come out of the truck to be fixed after we drove it home!

I took it to a guy who does upholstery work at his home, from the recommendation of a guy at work. He charged $130 to fix it up & had absolutely NO problem with taking on the job.




Click the link to see the finished seat...it's a HUGE pic & I don't want to mess up everyone's post widths.

http://onfinite.com/libraries/662033/993.jpg

If I were you, I'd shop around some more. Ask a few restoration shops who does their seats...ask a motorcycle shop who does the seats on their used bikes. There has to be someone who isn't afraid of an old truck seat.