Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I'm using an astrovan 2nd row bench as well. VERY comfortable on the 740 mile road trip last weekend. The flip down arm rests are a nice bonus too.

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

What year was the astro van u got the bench seat from Skymangs?

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I think they are all pretty much the same on the Astro van Seats Ramzbusa. The wrecking yards around here are full of them so a guy can pick and choose. Just take your tape measure and look until you find one you like the looks of. Depending on the level of factory trim in the van the seat might be different too.

I know on the 88 mid 90's Chevy full size seats you don't want the bottom base level seat but one grade up as there is a big difference in comfort level. A buddy gave me a base level 88 seat that was hard as a brick with no back support and later I found a 60/40 out of an extended cab that is super comfortable. I ended up giving the base level seat to another guy just to pass it on the way I got it.

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

Thanks for the info!

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I also run the 1990 Silverado 60/40 seat. In my case I use the 60 on the drivers side. I found that with the 40 on the drivers side it felt like I was off center to the drivers side. The seat measures 57 inches at the cushion and 53 inches at the top of the back installed. I have run this seat for over 35K miles now.
Rob
http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...E/DSCI0983.jpg

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I am for rebuilding the stock seat

remove the springs from the back and make a plywood/foam back and use the stock frame
There is plenty of room in these old trucks!

Use everything for the bottom stock seat, save time and money use what you have

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I used a 90 chevy bench also. fits great . I tried the astro van seat. it looked to narrow for me . you could see a lot of the back of the cab on both sides the 90
chevy truck seat fills in that gap nicely and you have about a 1/2 in on each side to the doors. 49 chevy

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I've been watching and researching the bench seat issue for some time now, as my '53 3100 needs a seat. I bought a mid-90s Chevy bench from the local pick yard, it fits well and will need recovered. The only problem with these seats is that the covers are glued onto the foam and removing the covers will tear up the foam sometimes drastically, though when you recover it, its not a big deal adding foam, which you would probably do anyhow. I found that most all of the van seats that are not the front seat can be quite thin and could be uncomfortable, and if you wanted to add foam for extra support, the leather will not stretch enough, and the front comfy seats are too wide. Quite the conundrum.

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

Not sure if you have em over the pond but I fitted an Alpha 147 rear seat in mine, fits straight in with just putting a little bend in 1 of the wires under the seat base, has an armrest too. Loads of room for me at 6ft

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I tried several mid-90's Chevy pickup seats, an Astro van seat, and finally a '72 Chevelle bench seat.

The Chevelle seat sits on the mid-90's pickup risers with modified sliders. Very comfortable seat, backs tip forward to allow access behind the seat, and it's adjustable.

You can see the width difference of the Chevelle seat vs the 90's truck seat by looking at the floor where the risers were bolted down.

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

lazypineapple are you still have the seat for sale
for your 1950 chevy truck?

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

Nope
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Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I chose to keep the original bench seat. The bottom required some spring replacement and frame repairs. The frame was broken in two places and i "sistered" steel channel along bottom to reinforce. I did consider buckets but removing the original seat base (that is attached to the floor of the cab) might weaken it. The original seat coupled with a tilt column may limit my beer consumption.


The original cab floor seems a weak point anyway especially on my frame swap with a k10. I added a full 2x4 steel channel under/across the front and square tubing at the rear between chassis and cab. The latter doubles as a seat belt anchor,

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

I've test sat some of those Wise Guy seats at their display at a Goodguys event before and they sit good but the bare seat frame stretches a lot of budgets before you spend a couple of times that on covering it.

The only thing that I can add is pick a seat that looks right for the rest of your build along with being priced right and being comfortable. Some of these modern really comfy big bolster seats really look out of place in old trucks along with some of them that have all the plastic pieces on them.

On the other end of the spectrum the real plain base level 88-90 or so Chevy truck seat isn't comfortable at all. A friend gave me one for my 71 after his wife bought him a Flexsteel seat for his 88 and that seat was like sitting on a plank of wood when you drove it very far. We replaced that with a swap meet find split bench out of an extended cab that is super comfortable but wouldn't look right in and AD. Ended up giving the other seat away to get rid of it to a guy who needed it.

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

Here's a photo from JJ's (ChuckDriver) build thread of what was done to his seat:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...psri26uveo.jpg

This has kind of frozen my progress on my seat because I stripped it of the old cracked 70's re-upholstery and was about to send the frame/springs for powder coating. BUT, if I don't need the springs and junk, then why do it all? Anyway, i thought you guys might like to see solidaxel's suggestion "in the flesh".

I too want to make sure I don't feel crowded but at only 5'-10" (on a good day, you shrink as you get older- ugh!) i don't THINK stock springs will be a problem. Also, I'd like to have the drop down center arm rest too but if i use the stock seat I'll order an on-seat center console:
http://www.cupholdersplus.com

Last, i have an early 50's Ford split back car seat that might work and allow easier access to behind seat storage if i can figure out how to adapt the TF sliders

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

got a safari van 2nd row bench seat for my 1950 will let you know how it fits

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

trying to send lazy pineapple a meassage and ask him where he bought that leather kit for his astro van seat. see how good it fit, I just picked one up same seat. please get back to me don't know where to buy the leather kit. thanks sandy

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

hello lazy pineapple picked a seat from a astro van like you did, yours looks good, can help me and tell me where you went and got your leather kit from I am having problems finding one . I could really use your help. thanks your truck looks good

Re: 1950 Chevy truck- types of Bench seats
 

try katskins - they have leather for many types of vehicles