Seat Reupholstery

[Steeveedee]

I want to replace the upholstery on the seat in our truck. It's old/broken/missing (part of the) foam. My wife wants the seat in the truck to be as close to stock as possible, because memories. It's the black vinyl brocade one finds in a CST. I'll have better luck selling "reproduction" than a replacement product like a seat from a newer truck. I already asked that question of her. What has anyone else done with "stock replacement" sellers? As a side note, I think that headrests would be a good addition, so comments about that would be welcome, as well.

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I'd like to know more about adding headrests to a factory bench seat.
I'm also about to refinish my original seat

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I want to replace the upholstery on the seat in our truck. It's old/broken/missing (part of the) foam. My wife wants the seat in the truck to be as close to stock as possible, because memories. It's the black vinyl brocade one finds in a CST. I'll have better luck selling "reproduction" than a replacement product like a seat from a newer truck. I already asked that question of her. What has anyone else done with "stock replacement" sellers? As a side note, I think that headrests would be a good addition, so comments about that would be welcome, as well.

Find the aftermarket seat cover you like and buy it . Once you have the cover find a local interior shop take your truck and drop it off and have them repair the foam and install the cover . That's the lowest cost fastest way to have a new cover installed correctly . Adding headrests can be done but requires correct placement and welding the headrest brackets from a donor seat into your bench seat or you can have them welded in and have a custom cover made using your design and material choice .

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Did you have to weld in a cross member to hold the headrest in? Or did you drill through the top of the existing seat frame?

[Grumpy old man]

The stock bench seats have an amout of lean built into them adding head rests would require additional bracing also you have to account for the seat lean back to install head rests so the fit against the rear of the cab/ glass . Notice the angle required to have these head rests line up with the cab and still allow the seat to slide all the way back .

[External]

Yes sir! My back glass is cracked right now due to another seat being used someone leaning it back too far. Love them PO's.

[Steeveedee]

Thanks for all the replies, folks! I may find a core seat to play with so that I can get head rests in it and still drive it while working on that. I'm not worried about hitting the back window, it's been out of the truck since '73 when the original shell was put on, so that there is a pass-through to the bed.

[SC1969c10]

From personal experience: my upholstery shop told me it would be cheaper to buy the new foam kit, then it would be for them to add/glue/shave foam. Then a heads up: the lmc foam raised the bottom of my seat so much my legs just about touch the stock steering wheel.
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I'm thinking of going with cars.inc for the foam and seat cover. They stock the Highlander plaid. They offer 2 kinds of foam , regular and premium.
Kinda pricey though.

[Steeveedee]

I've been to a "local" Pick-Your-Part looking for a decent seat. They're less than $100 but I think you'd have to get there the day the truck came in, because anything I've seen in the few visits I've made were completely trashed, if the seat was there at all. They would also have headrests built in, which would be nice. I don't want to make tons of trips to that yard, because at some point it'll be more in time and fuel than it is worth. I could buy all the materials from LMC for about $900, and do it myself. Good to know about the foam. I'd probably have to shave it.