47-55.1 The Old Bench Seat

[jweb]

Brian (MARTINSR), if your seat ends up really thin, the springs may be a good idea. The stock seats are too thick for an unchopped truck, at 5'10" I'm looking out the top of the windshield in mine.

Unfortunately you will have multiple issues when dealing with a chopped truck.

A really low seat puts your knees up in the air and possibly your steering wheel in an awkward location.

On a truck like yours I would wait until it's drivable to do some testing of the seat on actual drives before upholstering it.

[MARTINSR]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, the seat and the steering column mounting need to come later when I am closer to driving it.

I have decided I will be splitting the column and changing the angle at the dash dropping it down some. The seat has my had spinning every time I think about it. I need to put it aside and get other things done. I may be removing the stock mounting from the floor. Right now, sitting in there with just a very thin foam on a piece of plywood I am looking at the top of the windshield and I'm only 5'8''.

We will see.

Brian

[Chopped53]

Yes, fitting a seat into a chopped truck is tough. I removed the original mounting frame and also removed the gas tank. Then mounted a seat with a very thin back right on the floor (no sliding mechanism). Had to mount the steering column lower than normal too (it's a tilt/telo from a 68 Olds). Finally, I tilted the seat bottom up at the front, similar to the way they do it in the old 30's hot rods, to get some leg support. It might look a little funny, but it's super comfortable even on long road trips. Headroom and visibility is great and I'm 6'1".

[MARTINSR]

Right on, thanks for the info. Your chop is way more than mine, but with my section, we are probably pretty close.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I just measured mine, 38 inches from the floor to the bottom of the roof rail over the door.

Just for fun, measure yours, I wonder how close we are.

My poor photos makes it look like I am at an angle. It was straight up to the middle of the roof that is even front and rear, not raked down at the front like this photo looks like.

Brian

[Chopped53]

Wow! That is a ton of work. Looks very well done. I will measure tonight when I get home. I bet it's close to the same.

[JDarby]

These chopped AD truck look so cool,
I take my hat off to you guys!

I would think with the gas tank removed that it
would give you a little more room to work
into a comfortable seat configuration.

Hell if a airplane pilot just uses velcro and foam
for a seat I would think you have better odds
of making it comfortable than them.

[MARTINSR]

Yeah, the gas tank was removed, using a stock 48 under the bed.

Brian

[Chopped53]

@martinSr - Went out to shop today to visit my hibernating truck. I measured the door opening and it came in at 38.75 inches. So, very close to yours although you achieved it through a combination of chop and section.

I'm curious what that door opening measurement is on a stock truck. Can anybody share that? See MartinSr's earlier post for picture reference.

[MARTINSR]

Pretty cool, yep you have an awesome chop.

Brian

[jweb]

Just measured and stock door opening is 44”.

[Chopped53]

Thanks jweb and Brian. Apologies to the OP and moderator for taking the thread slightly off topic. I'll be good now....

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by Chopped53

Thanks jweb and Brian. Apologies to the OP and moderator for taking the thread slightly off topic. I'll be good now....

No worries...

[vintovka]

Went the cheap way on mine and its great. I took the springs/parts from 2 original seats made a good one as best i could. Laid commercial carpet over the springs and added 3" foam over the seat and 2" over the back. . With many cuss words and zipties got a cheapy premade seat cover on it. It came out nice and comfy. I even caught the shop guys sleeping on it during lunchbreaks.

[_Ogre]

removing the gas tank in cab doesn't give any extra room for the seat or legroom. the stock seats go back to the window either way. my sub enclosure is bigger than the gas tank and my seat goes back to the window frame.

being 6'4" legroom was a concern, i actually raised the drivers seat a couple inches above stock height. electric controls allow me to tilt the bottom to support my thighs.

[dsraven]

I always try to remove the fuel and venting from the cab. Less off gassing next to you of known carcinogens. To each their own.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by JDarby

Dan, that seat looks great!!!
That is a very doable option!
Did you do your own upholstery?

I think between you and dsraven I can pull this off!
Thanks guys!!

Sorry for the very late reply but no. I do not do upholstery. A local shop that does SEMA quality stuff did it. High priced but not terrible. $600 in 2015 I think it was.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by 72Mountaineer

Hey Dan got a pic of the back/under?

Hmmm, sorry but I don't. All that work was done at the upholsterer and that was when I was still a working person so I only saw it once it was done.

[JDarby]

What I meant Dan was if I can get a comfortable seat be it foam, spring what have you.

I will cover it in Indian blanket if it means cutting cost down without
sacrificing comfort!