Why is seat foam so expensive

[FleetsidePaul]

This is what I'm talking about....it's just foam so why the big bucks

http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodin...number=SF06772

[project 67 sub]

i was wondering the same thing

[americanmusc1e]

go by an auto uppolstery shop, they can usually make you something that is close to that for less

[Sub-versive]

It's a petroleum based product, and suffering from the same stupid price fixing our gas is.
I used to build furniture as a side business, the price of foam fluctuates if an oil exec breaks wind.

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by americanmusc1e

go by an auto uppolstery shop, they can usually make you something that is close to that for less

x2

[67ChevyRedneck]

It was expensive when I looked at it a few years ago before oil went crazy too!

I'm going to find a local place to hook me up as well when I rebuild my seat.

[Tim Christian]

I have always wanted to know why? The same company makes Camaro and Mustang and you can buy it a lot cheaper?????????

[PICKMUP]

Supply & Demand. The demand is very low: 67-8 buckets, 69-70 buckets, 71-2 buckets are all different. So, they had to build a specific mold for each one. The design work was extensive to make foams that would fit the frames. Remember, the originals had the springs molded inside the foam. You wouldn't want to pay for all new springs & foam too.
If you ever sit on new foam cushions, you will really feel the difference. The foam (USA) is firm & sits you higher in the seat. Old foam, even padded, sinks down & stretches the covers under your butt.
I don't know what price you saw, but I sell them for about $225 per bucket seat or $225-$325 for bench (bottom-plus back).
Hope that helps.
Frank

[Shane]

No reflection on you PICKMUP, but $450 for foam only to redo a bucket seat is out of line regardless of the reasons.

Foam doesn't require any more extensive mold than fiberglass parts and those molds are not expensive at all to build.

[Tim Christian]

I can understand supply and demand but every time I tell the customer the price it kills the deal. I could sale four times as many sets if they would lower the price. Sometimes I think Volume is better make a little sell a lot! JIMO Tim

[67ChevyRedneck]

Yeah, and again, no offense to the vendors at all, I know that y'all don't set the prices (aside from vendors varying by a few bucks to outdo each other) but by the time you add in the cost of a new cover you're talking $500+ for a bench seat to be redone. IMO that's pretty damn expensive!

[Number98]

Originally Posted by Tim Christian

I have always wanted to know why? The same company makes Camaro and Mustang and you can buy it a lot cheaper?????????

I was thinking this same thing..... I have a 67 mustang and those foams are way cheaper.

[vectorit]

Tell me about it... I have 3 benches to do in my burb! I was going to order all the fixin's from one of the resto shops, but after pricing it all out it was just not doable these days. So I am having a shop just do everything for less than half what the resto shops charge just for the darn materials!
Oh, and not only are the stores stickin it to you on the price you also have to pay for the oversize shipping costs. On top of the already expensive investment for the materials.

[PICKMUP]

Originally Posted by Shane

No reflection on you PICKMUP, but $450 for foam only to redo a bucket seat is out of line regardless of the reasons.

Foam doesn't require any more extensive mold than fiberglass parts and those molds are not expensive at all to build.

$450 does TWO/BOTH bucket seats...and I know I am not making much on these. That is why my prices are usually better than others...and I sell a lot of them.
$225 for the bottom bench seat foam will cure 90% of your seat needs. The backs are usually OK, because they don't take the pounding that the bottoms get.
I must correct you on the molds. They are very expensive to design & build. You don't just spray a little foam in there like fiberglass. The mold is a completely enclosed 3-D fixture that is plumbed for an injection process.
We feel we were lucky to talk them into doing our seats, as the demand is very limited. If they had known the cost vs return...they would NOT have made them.
They are made in the USA...by Americans, at a fair wage.

[Shane]

I realize $450 does both seats ... I used your numbers from your last post to come up with that figure ($225 x 2 = $450) ... and I don't give a rip where the heck it's made, $450 ridiculous for 2 pcs. of flippin' molded polyurethane foam.

It may not be you, but someone is making a killing.

[OARNGESI]

The price of foam is why i decided to not just get a new cover

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by Shane

I realize $450 does both seats ... I used your numbers from your last post to come up with that figure ($225 x 2 = $450) ... and I don't give a rip where the heck it's made, $450 ridiculous for 2 pcs. of flippin' molded polyurethane foam.

It may not be you, but someone is making a killing.

I actually have to agree. I work in a shop that makes injection molds, and I can appreciate what it costs, but if the seat foams cost about half of what they do, they could sell 3 times as many IMO. If the company you are getting them from makes them all (I don't know if there are more than one making them) charged less initially I think return would be greater. They would have had to wait longer for the return on the investment, but that's just the nature of the beast in that industry.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

If you ever sit on new foam cushions, you will really feel the difference. The foam (USA) is firm & sits you higher in the seat. Old foam, even padded, sinks down & stretches the covers under your butt.

I had no idea that the foam was not identical to the original and wish I had known this before spending the $$$$$$$$$. The new foam had to be cut/shaved in order for my seat back to fold forward-WTF?!? I spent close to $1000 for materials and labor in a seat that sits me too high and isn't as comfortable as the original. I'm not pickin' on Frank- he's just the messenger. I just wish I had known what I was getting into before spending the $$$$$$$$ on something I'm not happy with.
Fortunately, I kept my old foam and may reuse it in the future with a new seat build.
Eventually, I hope to recoup some of the $$$$$$$ I spent on the seat build.

[Downtown]

Question for Frank on the buckets. So the new foam doesn't use any Springs? Or do you use the old springs and they are mounted outside the foam instead of molded in the foam. What do you do if the original springs are no good? Just curious.

Mark

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

Supply & Demand. The demand is very low: 67-8 buckets, 69-70 buckets, 71-2 buckets are all different. So, they had to build a specific mold for each one. The design work was extensive to make foams that would fit the frames. Remember, the originals had the springs molded inside the foam. You wouldn't want to pay for all new springs & foam too.
If you ever sit on new foam cushions, you will really feel the difference. The foam (USA) is firm & sits you higher in the seat. Old foam, even padded, sinks down & stretches the covers under your butt.
I don't know what price you saw, but I sell them for about $225 per bucket seat or $225-$325 for bench (bottom-plus back).
Hope that helps.
Frank

Nice lookin stuff. Im currenty doin this on my truck and need some new foams...Good to know.

Originally Posted by Downtown

Question for Frank on the buckets. So the new foam doesn't use any Springs? Or do you use the old springs and they are mounted outside the foam instead of molded in the foam. What do you do if the original springs are no good? Just curious.

Mark

Im interested in this response also.

[PICKMUP]

Originally Posted by Downtown

Question for Frank on the buckets. So the new foam doesn't use any Springs? Or do you use the old springs and they are mounted outside the foam instead of molded in the foam. What do you do if the original springs are no good? Just curious.

Mark

The old original foam was molded around the springs and frames. The springs are actually inside the foam. The new foams are designed to sit on top of the original springs & frames. They have areas that are "relieved" to fit over those areas, so the heights remain the same. They do sit higher than the old worn out seats, but the same height as they were originally, when they were new. The foam shape is molded idenical to original, on the front, but of course has modifications on the bottoms & backs to allow for the above mentioned installation.
I recommend you never try to make/use your seats as "tip forward". It pulls the upholstery out, wads it up and looks bad. Look at that area on any original seat, looks really bad.
If your springs are bad, you have to replace them.
Upholsters are like painters...good ones do good work! We have seen many examples of nicely done seats on here, but we have also seen those that aren't up to the level of quality and tend to blame the materials: covers or foam.
Brad: I am sorry you didn't like working with the new foams, but they are a great solution for worn out seats. A lot of design time & work went into making a replaceable foam for a seat that was never made to be replaced.

[killer71]

Well said pickmup, well said!!!
Everything can get pricey when it comes to re-doing these old trucks, that's what the used part section is for.

[Brad]

Sorry to hi-jack....
Can anyone tell me if the seat foam will eventually settle a bit? I'm peering out the top 1" of the window...

[bigdon-70blazer]

Another question...I see the replacements for the smaller bucket seat for the Blazer in LMC and I see in the pic a slightly larger looking seat example also. Is that the foam for the utility bucket seat? I am going to have to redo mine so I am interested in this answer! Thanks!

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by bigdon-70blazer

Another question...I see the replacements for the smaller bucket seat for the Blazer in LMC and I see in the pic a slightly larger looking seat example also. Is that the foam for the utility bucket seat? I am going to have to redo mine so I am interested in this answer! Thanks!

Me too!