'70 C10 Bench Seat Foam-Liking When the GF Skooches All the Way Over

[Gromit]

Okay, here are a few photos of how I did my own seat foam from Home Depot.

Its a work truck so don't get all fussy on me

I wanted to keep my original bench seat and the main goal of the whole project was so the girlfriend could skooch all the way over and clip into her own little seatbelt right there in the middle next to me

The suppliers wanted way too much for seat foam and I got this idea from Jeff Lilley Customs in Texas to DIY my own

1. Remove and cut a uniformly thick 3" slice out of the profile of the original seat foam - both the bottom and back to obtain the seat foam profile
2. Use these slices as patterns to make a 1/4" thick plywood or tempered hardboard profile for each (one for the seat, one for the back).
3.Obtain 3 sheets of 3" thick by 6' long by 2' wide polyurethane foam
3. Lay the tempered hardboard pattern on the new foam and draw or trace the outline of the pattern using a sharpie
4. Cut the foam into the shape of the pattern using a very sharp butcher knife or electric carving knife (or bosche foam jigsaw if you are rich)
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have enough slices of profiled foam to reach across the entire seat and back.
6. Glue the slices together to form the bench bottom and the bench back using 3M super 77 spray glue
7. Let dry and then use a 40 grit surform or sander to smooth the foam into the shape of the original
8. Voila! New Seat Foam - the glued joints will be stronger than the original foam and won't affect the flexibility (much)
9. Cost $6 for tempered hardboard; $75 for foam; $6 for Super 77 3M spray glue - Total $87 compared to almost $500 from parts houses for replacement foam

[Gromit]

Now I see what people mean about the photos - you have to upload them before you click "send" - Doh!

[bean]

That's an awesome idea gonna try myself

[FlameOut]

Very nice, and much better than paying the outrageous prices these companies want for a frikin hunk of foam!

[fartblossom]

what am I looking at in the third picture, exactly? I was expecting it to all be one color. Is that the old foam cushion?

[Gromit]

I'll add a couple more tips and photos - It is actually better to make two of each of the hardboard patterns, so you can sandwich a piece of foam between them and use the wood to guide the blade along the profile. Even doing this (as you will notice in the attached photo) the foam wants to squirm around and the more it does the more sanding you'll have.
I tried putting short screws in the pattern to hold the foam better and that helped.
Out of the razor knife, electric dual blade carving knife, and regular butcher knife, the butcher knife worked best; but I had to tune up the edge after each cut or it would start grabbing the foam. I used the type of sharpener next to the knife in the photo.
My original factory foam had burlap glued (actually formed into) the back; so I glued burlap on with the Super 77.
I used a Surform with a 40 grit metal blade - I didn't try an electric sander -
Finally you'll need to vacuum all the sanding dust out of the foam afterwards; and I'd advise wearing a mask when sanding.

[Gromit]

Yes, that is the original foam (the yellowed part on the left - At first I cut off the destroyed (driver's) part of the seat and saved as much as possible. The passenger side seemed salvageable. I didn't know how to make shaped foam yet and wasn't even sure it was all going to work; so I was proceeding cautiously. I then did a test using a piece of white foam that I had lying around. Then when that seemed to work I went to Home Depot to buy more foam and they only had the grey colored stuff - so that is why you see three colors.

[BenC/10]

Man this is awesome! Thanks for sharing!....Im going to try this when Im ready for this step lol.

[berch 69GMC]

Originally Posted by benc/10

man this is awesome! Thanks for sharing!....im going to try this when im ready for this step lol.

x2

[bean]

So the foam was purchased at HD ?

[Gromit]

Bean,

Yup, "Future Foam" Model # 10030BULK3 in the carpet section; stacked on an upper shelf - maybe someone savvy on the board can tell us the density of this stuff but here is the Store SKU:794736 - Home Depot Internet #203837114 $24.97 per sheet

There was one sheet on the shelf that had some small splits or torn chunks on the corners and I asked for and got a 50% discount for that one at the register.

My local upholstery supply sells some more dense foam that I originally would have rather had but it was $40 for the same size sheet - actually as it turned out I was glad I didn't get the firmer stuff because when I finished the seat and sat in it for the first time I realized that if the foam was too hard it would have put the top of my head against the ceiling of the cab. So in other words there is a balance between having a firm seat foam and the head room in the cab (I'm 6'3). This Home Depot stuff is just right as far as seating height; though probably in making my patterns I erred on the side of making the foam thicker - here are a few more photos of the original seat foam - also I remembered I made a paperboard pattern first; then transferred that to hardboard...

[1968aj]

great idea and looks good too. all for any ideas to keep from buying overpriced reproduction parts. should be a section for ideas like this. maybe there is and I just don't know?

[ElKotze]

I used high density foam from hobby lobby, they actually have everything to reupholster furniture, works for truck seats, too.

[LPoole]

is it bad that I clicked on this thread expecting to see gf pix... haha ! im j/k. that is a great idea. and yes those pieces of seat foam are WAY too overpriced. it's crazy ! nice work.

[88Stanger]

This is a freaking awesome idea!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I have been looking for a good how to and a cheap how to and boom, I found this!! Again, thanks, really helpful.
Off to Home depot and or hobby lobby.

[72bowtiestepper]

Great Idea & You did a nice job....seat looks real good !

[1970 charlie]

Wow, that's a nice job. The truck looks nice also, looks like a factory color how about some pixs of it also. Mine is a 70 also, someone painted it black would like to go back to the original color 4540AA white/med gold.

[Gromit]

Quote:

This is a freaking awesome idea!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I have been looking for a good how to and a cheap how to and boom, I found this!! Again, thanks, really helpful.
Off to Home depot and or hobby lobby.

*************************

Thanks but make sure you look at Bollybibs post on this topic too; if I had seen his post I never would have posted mine - his work is much more meticulous and creative; here is the link:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=456911&page=9

I can add a couple more photos and point out it is much easier if you cut your pieces by aligning the pattern to the edge of the foam (as shown in image #1907 below); this is so that you will have one perfectly flat side of the glued-together sections. That way you will only have one side to shape instead of two.

Also I bought a roll of rubber matting (made for tool box lining) from Harbor Fright that I put over the seat springs to make a better support for the foam and keep things cleaner under the seat.

[88Stanger]

Gromit,
I have read and printed of both of the write ups. I have the original seat foam and it appears to be in ok shape. My plan is to do what you did, make one from complete scratch and see how it looks and holds up. If I do not like it, ill use the original, add a 1' top pad to it and install the cover. But I really like what you did, all from scratch. Again, thanks so much for posting. I really feel that you both have great ideas that a lot of are happy you shared.
Thanks again.

[El Dorado Jim]

looks great!

[toolboxchev]

Nice job Gromit! Way to go on the ingenuity and craftsmanship.

That is what most of this about, your own ability to source components for everyday use.

[OregonNed]

Good looking work right there!