48 Seat Questions

[buildinga55]

I have about decided to find an original seat for my 48. I have not looked at any of them close to see how they are made, but I know some folks do away with the pipe that goes up the side and around the back. I am told that supports the back of the seat. Are people building something else to support the seat if that is removed?? Any pictures of how these are set up would be helpful too. Thanks

[BlueJeep]

I'm trying to figure out what I want to do for a seat too. The only "custom" thing's I've seen done with the original seats has been to remove all the springs, create sheet metal pans, and use foam for the padding. When consulting with an upholsterer, he recommended staying with the springs. I guess foam is crazy expensive. On my project, I sway back and forth between doing this and using an 88ish chevy seat, that way it would be thinner allowing more legroom and would fold forward to allow me to use the space previously occupied by the gas tank.

[buildinga55]

I would like to see some pictures of the 88ish seat installed. I don't want to put a seat in that looks like it should not be there because it is too long or short or tall etc. I would like to find a low back bench that would work well and I do like the idea of more leg room. I may need to research the 88ish seat. If anyone has any pictures, that would be great. Also, to know if the seat needed to be put on a base or mounted to the floor etc.

Thanks for the suggestion

[Indian113]

I have seen a few AD's with a early s-10 seat and they look pretty good!

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by Indian113

I have seen a few AD's with a early s-10 seat and they look pretty good!

Are you sure? They're way too narrow...

Here are some pics of 88ish fullsize seats found on another site:

[kulturekat]

i have a couple seats out of a 47 the frames are still in great shape if someone needs one. i am doing one for mine that i am taking the springs out and putting metal sheets in then cushions then covering the cushions. feels just as good ive done this to a few custom cars and works well. i think there was a thread on the 67-72 side that a guy did this as well for one of his trucks.

[Indian113]

I asked the drivers of the AD's with the seats what they came out of and they both said s-10 ,one of them put a 98 in but I didn't care for the built in headrest. I saw these trucks at GG's in Des Moines this summer. I would rather have it a little smaller than to big. If you put the 60/40 seat in you could space it.

[BlueJeep]

The more I look at the pics I posted, the more I'm leaning toward the 88 seat for mine. I like how they sit pretty much below the corner windows, and I'm looking for room for 3 across with easy seatbelts (myself and two boys). I'm also going to take mine another step and weld in hooks for children's car seats to suit my application better.

[Indian113]

I've never seen those seats in a truck until you posted them. They don't look to bad. I can see where you would want room for 3. Thanks for posting those seats.

[nickp51chevy]

I put a 60's F@#d truck seat in mine. I like it because it folds forward and it's about stock height.

[buildinga55]

The 88ish seat does look pretty good. The Ford seat is not bad either. I am thinking that might be a better route than the origianal. Wonder what years on the 88ish were about the same and if they might have made one with an armrest?

[BlueJeep]

88-94 had the same basic style. 91-94's had headrests (removeable), and the Silverado trim packaged ones often had a flip down armrest. They were also available in a 60/40 split.

[buildinga55]

Great information. I will have the seat recovered so I could take off the headrests. Don't care for the headrests on tall seats on these trucks. I put a listing on craigslist so the hunt has begun. Thanks

[mr48chev]

I can name off about every seat that doesn't fit right or isn't comfortable in one of these trucks.
Honestly the most comfortable seat I have had is the stock seat that Bobby Richards in Waco, TX redid in real roll and pleats . He added a bit of foam and did a job on the seat that would cost a fortune at today's prices for pocket change. It was comfortable to drive for several hundred miles at a wack and not feel beat up.
My truck has too many modifications to use the 88/94 seats with the brackets but I could possibly use them with some other brackets I have. I have an 88 seat in my 71 and it fits pretty good but you sit a bit high.

Most bucket seats don't work in an AD truck except maybe ones that came out of a pickup to begin with as the lean backs usually angle too far back.

[buildinga55]

A shorter guy is going to be more comfortable in one of these trucks than a 6' and up guy. I am about 5'11 and I know it is going to be pretty tight.

[buildinga55]

MMmmmm I looked at a seat tonight from an 88 Chevy and it is 5' wide. In measuring the truck, that seat is too wide unless you cut it down. The one in the picture posted seems to fit pretty well. I wonder if it was modified?? The seat I looked at looks like it would need to be shortened about 3 or 4 inches just to get inside the doors???

[buildinga55]

Has anyone ever cut one of these seats down in length? It does not seem like it would probably be that hard to do, however, I have not looked that closely at the seat. I am not seeing where a late 80s Chevy seat will fit in a 48, a little too long. If it is not a big deal to cut it down, I will probably go ahead and buy it.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

If this helps, I think the S-10 seats are too short. My 53 is about 52-53" wide (the padded part) and my 87 S-10 donor truck's seat is about 46" wide.
I'm gonna be starting a S-10 swap soon and I have a nice seat, correct color and all in my S-10 that I wish I could use, but it didn't look too promising to me.

[BlueJeep]

Did you measure it vs. the stock seat or vs. the truck? It is wider than the stock seat. I asked that guy who owns the truck in the pics I posted, and it's a stock seat. He said since the cab narrows to the front, the seat gets tighter and touches the doors when it's farther forward...but it does fit and clear the doors when it's slid back.

I'm dealing on a seat out of an 88 right now...if the foam is good I'm going to buy it and the seatbelts for my 49.

It shouldn't be that hard to narrow it if that's the route you choose. Classic industries does have upholstery kits for them at what appear to be very reasonable prices.

[IL boy]

I've read on here somewhere that the middle seat out of an Astro Van works perfectly. IDk if that helps any

[OrrieG]

Look at my build thread, I used third row seats out of a Yukon. The thread has a mini discussion about the width and good photos of the adjustible frame I made so I could adjust the tilt. In the 59 they fit with room on the sides so might be just right for the AD. Photo attacher is down so I can't post photos here.

[BlueJeep]

Just got a seat and belts from an 88 for mine (plain bench, no headrests, no armrest). Looks pretty much like the pics above but is light blue and is really in pretty good shape. I'll post pics when I pick it up. Maybe I'll get it re-covered to look more old school...

[buildinga55]

Found a seat today. It came out of a 95 and has the same frame as in the pictures above. The width and height are just about perfect. Thanks for everyones help.

[MrTucker]

pics? I'm wanting to put a bench seat in mine and would love to see what you have - preferably sitting in the truck...

[buildinga55]

Here are some pictures of the seat just sitting in the truck. It fits very well, width and height. This is suppose to be from a 95 Chevy truck. I am going to recover without the 3 coutours and go for 2 contours more like buckets.