Late model seat ideas ?

[teamharvey]

Hey, I am building this truck for my son and he asked me about different seats/center consoles. I am old school and would really like to keep the original bench. What have you seen work and what is nice ?

Thanks

[KAILUAZ]

These are out of a 2000 Chevy 1 ton, they basically bolted right in without having to do anything with the seat brackets.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by KAILUAZ

These are out of a 2000 Chevy 1 ton, they basically bolted right in without having to do anything with the seat brackets.

Did you reuse an old set of truck bucket seat brackets or did the one ton seats bolt right up to the existing mounts?

What kind of bracing did you come up with under the front mounts to accomodate the built in shoulder harness set up?

[dan42]

These are out of a '96 extended cab - needed to drill new holes. I took them out and put in a bench - too high for me.

[Palf70Step]

I have ergo buckets from a 97 C1500. I'll be using a console from a mid 80s Blazer/Suburban (can't find the picture of it though.)

[drman929]

Hey Palf, how do those sit and what is your stature? TIA

[Palf70Step]

I am 6'1", about 175-180. They sit a bit higher than stock, but super comfortable. I don't get to use the up/down adjustment on the drivers side much as they are always on the lowest height setting, that is they will be if ever I get the truck back together.

[AKChevyman]

I have the same 2001 seats and I had to drill new holes and I reinforced the bottom of the cab with 16 gauge steel in the back and went a little over kill with 1/4 plate on the front.

[spdrcr29]

Originally Posted by teamharvey

I am old school and would really like to keep the original bench. What have you seen work and what is nice ?

Thanks

I was thinking about ditching the bench for all of about 1 minute, just because I wasn't seeing any reasonably priced seat skins that I liked (My apologies to the purists, but that tooled/engraved vinyl ain't me, and I don't like the houndstooth).
I found a place that made me this set of skins for about $200 out of vinyl, obviously, because of the price difference to get leather.

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

I've really never come across late model seats that I felt looked like they belonged and I'm a guy that does not mind changing things. My truck had the tooled look & it was just a little to cow boy for me. But I like the look of a stock interior so I went the plain jane standard interior. I changed the door panels to the stock metal ones ($10.00 for the pr.) @ the wreckers. Tossed the worn out head liner and left it metal and took the bench and upholstered it in the same pattern as the roof. It looks like it belongs even though it never came this way.

esll.

[Already Gone]

I have these 2002 Chev Ext cab seats with the matching console sitting in my garage waiting to be installed. Driver and passenger seats are both power and will be replacing the bench in the attached pics. I really wanted the integrated shoulder belt seats for my truck.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

I really wanted the integrated shoulder belt seats for my truck.

I did as well, right up until I actually installed 'em and drove around for a couple weeks.

IMHO, the back is to thick which makes you sit to close to the steering wheel.

Mods can be done, remove the tank so the seat can slide back or move the steering column closer to the dash to accommodate the new seats or even both but as far as being comfy without mods, it just didn't work for me.

*I hope everyone installing these integrated shoulder belt seats understands that the floors in these old trucks are not designed for these kind of safety restraints!!
The forces put on the front mounts are huge if you have a frontal impact and without modification the floor will give way and cantilever you right into the dash.

Sorry to be so grim but that's the facts.

I've had these style seats in both a '70 truck and a '72 burb and when I heard about this safety issue, I went back to using the stock lap belts instead of the integrated should belts.

[BigSky71]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

IMHO, the back is to thick which makes you sit to close to the steering wheel.

I agree with that. These old cabs are not that roomy compared to the modern stuff and a bigger seat just takes up too much space for my tastes.

Besides how can you drive all laid back gangsta style [for us lowrider guys] when you are sitting up on top of the steering wheel?

Added; I am going to run the stock seat with a new red/black houndstooth cover, its at the uph. right now.

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

I did as well, right up until I actually installed 'em and drove around for a couple weeks.

IMHO, the back is to thick which makes you sit to close to the steering wheel.

Mods can be done, remove the tank so the seat can slide back or move the steering column closer to the dash to accommodate the new seats or even both but as far as being comfy without mods, it just didn't work for me.

*I hope everyone installing these integrated shoulder belt seats understands that the floors in these old trucks are not designed for these kind of safety restraints!!
The forces put on the front mounts are huge if you have a frontal impact and without modification the floor will give way and cantilever you right into the dash.

Sorry to be so grim but that's the facts.

I've had these style seats in both a '70 truck and a '72 burb and when I heard about this safety issue, I went back to using the stock lap belts instead of the integrated should belts.

Thanks for the tips. I do have an ECE frame mount tank ready to go on my truck and plan to remove the in-cab tank before installing the seats. I am aware of the floor strength problem and plan to reinforce the floor as well. I recently saw a thread on here that showed how to push the steering column closer to the dash ,so that is an option for me too if I feel the steering wheel is to close after the seat install. I'm a big guy at 6'3", weigh 260 and of course have the middle age ponch and have sat in these seats in the newer trucks and I've found them quite comfy for me. I also like the seats in Bill72BB's truck on this thread and would consider those if the ones I have wont work for me.

[bigo181979]

Originally Posted by spdrcr29

I was thinking about ditching the bench for all of about 1 minute, just because I wasn't seeing any reasonably priced seat skins that I liked (My apologies to the purists, but that tooled/engraved vinyl ain't me, and I don't like the houndstooth).
I found a place that made me this set of skins for about $200 out of vinyl, obviously, because of the price difference to get leather.

spdrcr29 where did you get that cover at I want one like that but a bit different.

[Spray-Bomb]

I put the seat out of my dads 98 GMC 4-door in mine (came out of the rear, so it doesn't slide)

I haven't done the mounts for the rear yet, but it will be pretty easy

I'm 6' 3" & I think it sits a little high (but its only a inch taller than the stock one, & I thought the same thing about the stocker) I will get around to cutting it down in the future

[dan42]

Originally Posted by Spray-Bomb

I put the seat out of my dads 98 GMC 4-door in mine (came out of the rear, so it doesn't slide)

I haven't done the mounts for the rear yet, but it will be pretty easy

I'm 6' 3" & I think it sits a little high (but its only a inch taller than the stock one, & I thought the same thing about the stocker) I will get around to cutting it down in the future

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j223/903262/Bad%2067/2007_02170009.jpg[/IMG]

I cut 1 1/2 inches out of mine and its just right - I'm 6 foot -

[Spray-Bomb]

Originally Posted by dan42

I cut 1 1/2 inches out of mine and its just right - I'm 6 foot -

I plan to cut as much out as I can (prolly like 3-4 inches)

That way I'll be sitting a little closer to the middle of the window

But thats just me, maybe it's that extra 3" I have on ya

[spdrcr29]

Originally Posted by bigo181979

spdrcr29 where did you get that cover at I want one like that but a bit different.

http://www.ricksupholstery.com/

But call them by phone.... I tried for about 3 days to get the "contact us" part to work before I just gave up and dialed.... I'm a slow learner, what can I say

[bowtieboy93]

i found nothing nicer than buckets from a 95-98 chevy take out the headrests they come just below the rear window they are 23 inches wide giving you a 16 inch wide centre console 23 inches front to back which is about the door handle and 12 inches high which is beautiful.its what is going in my truck im actualy gonna build a centre console outta sheet metal.

[special-K]

My late model seat idea is stay with original seats designed to fit in these cabs.Upholstery shops can do anything you want with them.

[Spray-Bomb]

What kind of seat-belt option are there

Not trying to hijack

[shifty]

Just a safety issue that someone always brings up in the hundreds of threads about "what late model seats will fit" that come up every year:

If you are using a seat that has integrated seat belts, you need to reinforce the floor if you plan on using the belt that comes with it. If you do not, if you get in an accident, you're going to rip the seat out of the floor and you will be travelling through the windshield with it.

[1lowdiesel]

i'm doin the back seat out of my diesel and putting buckets in the back.

[Bill72BB]

Silverado 60/40