seat options for '54 3100

[gale]

I have the cab on a rotisserie I fabricated so I can thoroughly clean the floor pan on both sides. The plan was to keep the original bench seat but now I'm having second thoughts.

That old seat will take a lot of work and I'd really like to see some pictures of what others have done. Buckets are OK but I think I'd prefer the bench with a fold up console and cup holder.

If the old seat is going to go now is the time.

Thanks in advance.

[alaska gasser]

I have a '48 and wanted a newer bench seat in it. I looked at a lot and most were too narrow or too wide. I think it was a Ford expedition that measured up well, but the wreckers around here wanted way too much $. I ended up using the buckets out of a '94 Chev suburban as they were comfortable, cheap and had armrests on each side of the seats.

I haven't finished mounting them in yet, but I cut about 2 inches out of the back of the seat frame and about 3/4 out of the front to help lower them due to my serious chop.

[Bubba54]

gale, This is the seat I purchased for my 54 GMC. It came from a local salvage yard. Here they go for $32.00. This one is from a 1994 chevy standard cab pickup. They fit the AD cabs very well. I think the year range starts from 1988 and goes to the mid 90's. They sit flat on the floor, and are very easy to install. You would have to take out the front seat riser section, but leave the one that goes across the cab in the back, it will not interfere with the seat.



Here is the seat after a recover.



Any Questions let me know. I can get you a better pic of the seat riser.

Good luck Shawn

[gale]

Thanks, that looks good. I just figured the newer seat would be too wide for the AD trucks. Now I need to browse a few junkyards. Make that salvage yards, I don't want junk.

[gale]

I have the seat out of my '67 hanging in the rafters. I can try it to see if I like it in the '54.

[brikar]

98 buick century 60/40 split power both

[gale]

That looks good too. I have a lot of options to look at.

[brikar]

Gale this is the 98 buick seat in my truck finished and its also very comfortable

[gale]

That really looks good. I like that better than the mini-van seats.

Did you remove the gas tank? I got about half of the old seat sub structure out today. I had planned to keep the old seat as well as the inside gas tank. But now that I'm seat shopping it makes sense to use that space behind the seat.

There's no room in the AD trucks to carry anything.

[brikar]

yes i removed the tank and put in one from a 69 chevelle with filler out the back that left me room behind the seat for a small suitcase for over night trips,but it looks like you could still leave the tank in the cab

[gale]

That looks great. I see you left the vertical rib across the cab floor. I cut about half of mine out today. I'm working from one side so tomorrow the rest of it goes. I thought I'd get a clean space to play in.

I've owned a lot of stepside trucks and most of them were new. In the early '70s I fabricated a slick toolbox for the bed and painted it to match the truck. When I bought a new truck I changed the color and kept the toolbox. Someone bought it years ago so now I need to fabricate another. The box was 48x24x8 and that covered a gas tank with the same dimensions. I raised the lid on the toolbox to fill the tank. The toolbox could carry a suitcase and the tank carried 40 gallons. The top of the box was flush with the top of the bed.

[gale]

Where did you get the panels at the back and sides? Did you just cut and glue the carpet in place? It all looks good.

[brikar]

back in the 80's and early 90's when it was my summer time daily driver a built a storage box out of a oak whisky barrel and clam shelled it to open might build one again some day, the rug is glued in and the high shelves in the back are cut out for 5x7 speakers ,the rug just isn't cut out yet. The panels i made myself using what they call sign board its used for outside applications.You can get it in different thicknesses and colors,the nice thing about the stuff is that its easy to cut and you can heat it up with a heat gun and shape it like the back corner panels,i also made my roof liner out of it and all the other panels.It's called Komacel,This is a picture of the head liner and and peaces of it on the floor

[gale]

Very well done. I'll look up Komacel. I thought of a sheet metal headliner and also fiberglass. Fiberglass would be easier to shape or mold but my life's work has been with metal.

[brikar]

Good luck with what ever type of material you decide on Gale, the roof liner was a bear to build,but i wanted one that was in one piece that i could cover and not have to worry about it falling apart like the two piece originals,keep us posted on your progress and don't forget the pictures

[gale]

I'm close to ready to start posting pictures. The cab is mounted on a rotisserie I fabricated. I guessed at the center of gravity and missed by a LOT. Suspended the cab from the roof trusses while I remodeled the cradle. It's easier to turn now.

The seat choice determined whether to keep the old riser or not. It's gone now so I'll start shopping for a Buick Century.

[brikar]

I had to fabricate the seat supports also ,being that i left the back horizontal support in, i had to lift the seat higher so when it was all the way back it wouldn't hit it, sort of wished i would of removed it so i could of mounted it right to the floor because the power lifts it up quite high itself.The other reason i left the back support in was for mounting my seat belts,but then again the way it is now i put my jack and tire iron under the passenger seat and a slide drawer in the mddle for storage,and fire extinguisher under the drivers side.

[gale]

You installed a new floor pan. I looked for the seam near the original cross channel but don't see it.

The seat height was on my mind. An adjustable seat takes care of that.

When I fabricate a new box/gas tank for the bed that will hold a jack.