Well, seems like I'm starting a lot of new threads lately, but I guess I've got a lot of quesitons. The little woman doesn't want bucket seats in the '52, but I really would like at least a split bench...60/40 preferred. Would be nice to have one that would pivot forward to get to "stuff" behind the seat, and, depending on how much room we end up with, maybe even electric to at least go up and down when you get impatient to move at a stop light. Seems like a 52"-53" is about as wide as we could fit, which is about what a Nisson pickup bench is. But...after schloggin' around a couple of salvage yards in the rain today and not finding much, I got to thinkin' perhaps there's a better way to identify what might prove to be a good donor. Anyone have any successes with this?
It has been my experience that most modern seats take up all the space available so behind the seat storage is pretty much gone. Have gotten a wedge design speaker box in a 48 but that's about it. The seat riser will have to be cut out in most cases and most of the seat backs stick up past the bottom of the rear window. I don't know what tools or skills you have but, though it's hard to believe, the best fitting seat I've put in an AD truck was from a 74 Sedan DeVille Cadillac 4dr. 60/40 seat with 6 way power adjust. Now for the tools and skill; it is too wide and has an aluminum frame so it's easy to narrow but needs a TIG welder to join back together. Once done it looks like a factory item and has a super comfortable ride. Front view shows seat doesn't stick up above the rear window and side view shows the overall fit.
Thanks, Evan! I wouldn't have thought to even try those. The TIG welding aluminum is not a problem...that's our specialty. Am I correct that you took the entire seat down to bare frame, narrowed it up, and put it back together again? If so, wouldn't you have had to cut down springs, etc. as well? I've got nice electric's out of a '79 Olds 98, but I hadn't even considered them as I assumed to narrow them up would be a pretty big job...
IIRC, and I think I do, the fold down arm rest provided the space need to trim to size without chopping springs. I think the area the arm rest laid against on the lower cushion also provided space to trim to size. This may be unique to a mid-seventies Cadillac but if you have a relationship with a salvage yard i'd bet they would let you cut away the fabric and foam on some waiting to go in the crusher. I just don't recall it being much of a hassle and if it was I'd probably remember because one forgets the easy ones and never forgets the ones that were pure h*ll. Also in this era they went to the wavy wire springs instead of coils so one could just cut through the space between the holes the wire ends fit in and weld back together minus a few springs.
Some late model Lincoln seats work in the trucks and are spit bench seats. Here is a shoto of the one in mine. Btw here also is another photo of a spare tire holder on one nice looking truck.
You know, looking at those, I'm not so sure but what my Olds seats just might work. I'm gonna have to do some measuring...if it will quit raining long enough to dry up a bit so I can get to it- Yes, that is a nice truck. Tell me about those chrome fender trims...don't recall seeing those before...
Those are fancy trim pieces off the Carryall/Suburban’s, and very $pendy!! Here is a shot of the on line pages at truckcar shop, http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdVi...key-17s7ityn21ee0nwga701&page=1&viewMode=list , With also the fender spears o n page 12 I think.
Cool, Charels! What's up, Charels? Drinking some of Nate's cold medicine? Your computer keys were slurring.
What year might that Lincoln seat be? I have been looking at 05-10 ranger split bench It measures around 51 inches.
I have seen a 60/40 seat out of a early 90"s full size GM pickup used. You have to remove the stock seat riser and use the riser with the 60/40 seat.You will have about 1/2" between the seat and door .Hope this helps.
These seats are very comfortable, just wish I knew what madel they were out of, the guy I bought the truck from is not answering any emails anymore. I do not see on the notes he gave me where he got them from, I just remember him saying what brand of car they came from.
In looking in a salvage yard a couple days ago, a Nisson pickup had the ideal 52" width on a bench seat...
Thanks- I think i found the lincoln seat. 53 inches wide, 6 way power 50/50 split. not sure what year it is laying in a dodge pickup.
Well, I think I'm going off in a different direction. I'm going to use the factory stock base, but part the stock back and frame into two halves, and weld hinges onto the sides. Trick is going to be to get the pivot located a ways forward so when the seat back leans forward to allow behind-seat access, it lifts and clears the bottom. Will probably have to actually split the base at least slightly to get that hinge point where it needs to be. May prove to be best to divide both base and back, but mount the base more or less touching together in the center again. Parting the back will allow a nice narrow armrest to be included that will fold up between the back halves when a 3rd person is riding. I'll keep you posted on how this all works out, if it does...
Seems like if the back and seat bottom went forward towrd the steering wheel as one piece, then you could have "under seat" storage also. (?) Have the hinged part being along the front bottom part of the seat. (You could even use a latching system at the bottom back corner similar to SUV back seats.) The way the padding works out on these, the back may not go to far forward before binding even if it went upward while coming forward. I look forward to seeing what you come up with!
I know you fabricate your own sheet metal but have you see page 24 at, http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdVi...key-17s7ityn21ee0nwga701&page=1&viewMode=list , they have split frame items, spendy .
