73-87 bench designs - how many are there?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Thanks! Yes the cover is from Classic Industries, and I had to replace 2 of those springs on the driver side.

Where did you order your springs from? USA1 or LMC?

[rgunlock]

The springs came from USA1. Not too difficult to swap out.

[TKCR]

So what did you do with the old foam from the 79?

[rgunlock]

I ended up using it as-is. I still plan to find a full-foam seat with a folding back at some point.

[TKCR]

This is how the 74 I had turned out, it is a full foam also. I just found out, it is a seat that is specific to the GMC, because of the chrome pieces at the hinge. I did not know that.

[rgunlock]

That turned out very nice!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

I ended up using it as-is. I still plan to find a full-foam seat with a folding back at some point.

Now that you have a tilt seat with the full foam, post a pic, when you get it swapped out.

It was a pleasure to me you and your wife.

[rgunlock]

Thanks and will do. Just got home. It was great meeting you and your folks as well!

[rgunlock]

Finished building the bench seat using the frame I got from TKCR, which as I understand it was a "deluxe" seat for 77-79. I used replacement springs along the sides from usa1industries.com, new deluxe foam and cover from classicindustries.com.

As a reminder, I'm building this to use instead of the "cheap seat" with springs and a thin foam pad I'd gotten from a low-end 79 model. Is the new deluxe full foam seat more comfortable - well hell yeah! Of course I'd say that anyway after driving a couple thousand miles meeting TKCR to swap frames, cleaning up a second frame and painting, replacing broken springs, etc.

Seriously though, it just "feels" better not hearing the springs skreak whenever you climb in or out, or just moving around on the bench. This foam is much more firm than the other seat and just sitting in my garage it feels like a little better back support. Haven't taken a long drive with either seat so my judgement of this is hardly a basis to change your own bench Not sorry I went to the bother though!

[TKCR]

That turned out great Rick!!

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by TKCR

This is how the 74 I had turned out, it is a full foam also. I just found out, it is a seat that is specific to the GMC, because of the chrome pieces at the hinge. I did not know that.

I was going to mention that it was a GMC seat. Was reading through the whole post to make sure no one else covered it

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

I was going to mention that it was a GMC seat. Was reading through the whole post to make sure no one else covered it

I love the look of the GMC seat. I came across this black one in a salvage yard, it had already been recovered in black leather. So I still took it apart and restored the frame & tracks and cleaned up the cover. I have only found 1 more since then, it still needs restored.
There's a local guy that has about 4 trucks just sitting out by his barn. I stopped to see if he was willing to sell the seats out of them. They were all GMC seats too. He wouldn't, he was saving all those for parts for a truck build for his son. Unfortunately, they are going to waste in my opinion.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by TKCR

That turned out great Rick!!

Thanks TKCR! I haven't decided yet what to do about the plastic covers that go on the sides, and now you've got me thinking I'm going to have to find the chrome garnishes as well

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Thanks TKCR! I haven't decided yet what to do about the plastic covers that go on the sides, and now you've got me thinking I'm going to have to find the chrome garnishes as well

This was definitely an upgrade or a deluxe.

Your covers look just a little different than these covers, correct? Is it because of the seatbelt, that you didn't put them on?

[rgunlock]

Well the plastic is a little rough in spots, and I'd have to get more SEM to paint them to match. So, worry about that detail later... But yes, they do look different than those you've pictured above.

[Zook75]

along with seats, what seat belts work with what? I have a 75 with original bench seat, does not fold forward. The truck has lap belts only but what would it take to convert to shoulder belts? When did shoulder belts become the norm?

[rgunlock]

Sorry, not an expert on the seat belts, but you'd probably have better luck getting answers by starting a new thread with an appropriate title to get the right folks looking.

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Here's the 74, it tilts and it take the 73-76 "shorter" tracks. This is the seat bottom and frame.

Opening this thread back up to keep this awesome info in the same place.

I realized that I had an old seat buried out in the barn that I really hadn't paid attention to since I stacked it there along with a bunch of 64'-'66 parts. I dug it out and low and behold...the bottom has the "stepped" foam on the ends like the '74 you have in the pics. It's a fixed back, so I'm figuring it came out of a crew or suburban, no seat belt holes, but it also has the longer 17" mounts.

So my questions are...

1. Who has the correct "stepped" seat foam? I want to replace both the back and bottom.

2. Does the seat have the same dimensions as an '81-'87?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

Opening this thread back up to keep this awesome info in the same place.

I realized that I had an old seat buried out in the barn that I really hadn't paid attention to since I stacked it there along with a bunch of 64'-'66 parts. I dug it out and low and behold...the bottom has the "stepped" foam on the ends like the '74 you have in the pics. It's a fixed back, so I'm figuring it came out of a crew or suburban, no seat belt holes, but it also has the longer 17" mounts.

So my questions are...

1. Who has the correct "stepped" seat foam? I want to replace both the back and bottom.

2. Does the seat have the same dimensions as an '81-'87?

What year is the seat? But you can get foam from LMC. But you got to know what year seat this is.
http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cb/CBAD9.htm

They also have foam for the 73-80 and then 81-87
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=80

No, the dimensions are different.

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by TKCR

What year is the seat? But you can get foam from LMC. But you got to know what year seat this is.
http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cb/CBAD9.htm

They also have foam for the 73-80 and then 81-87
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=80

No, the dimensions are different.

The seat was in the back of my 64 when I brought it home, so I have no idea what year it came out of. I'd sure like to know though. Rough dimensions are - back height and bottom depth 20-21" and the bottom is 59" in width. It's a stationary back, stepped bottom side foam with 17" sliders.

[TKCR]

Can you post a pic of the bottom of the seat, the tracks?

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Can you post a pic of the bottom of the seat, the tracks?

I will pull it back out of the barn tomorrow for a pic. The PO used landscape spikes to attach 4x4 blocks to the tracks so he could mount the seat in the '64. Ingenious fabrication.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

I will pull it back out of the barn tomorrow for a pic. The PO used landscape spikes to attach 4x4 blocks to the tracks so he could mount the seat in the '64. Ingenious fabrication.

Have you gotten any pics yet?

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Have you gotten any pics yet?

I will give it a shot again tomorrow.

[Dukagora]

I don't know where this seat originally came from, but I got it in a 77 crew cab I bought and moved to the 79 I have now.

I have to assume it isn't original to that 77 I had. Pretty surprised it ended up matching pretty well with this truck.