Front and rear buckets in a crew cab? Thoughts?

[JScott23]

Yeah sorry i didn't get to this right away. Like Draggin95 said the rear floor has a wierd contour too it. I found also that the floor also doesn't allow the seats to sit level inside the cab, they lean in towards each other. With that said i'm not giving up... (YET)

I'm going to try to come up with my own custom subframe for the seat..or modify the seat if needed. The big key is i have to do this without jeopardizing safety, so i'll have to fab up something special without ruining the seat to the point where it can't be re-used. These are rare to find in good shape so i'll have to see what i can do..

Another thought... what do i put between the seats? lol the console definitely won't fit the contour of the floor.

 

[1500z71]

I think that interior is gorgeous the way it is personally, but go for it. Just don't tear anything up lol

 

[JScott23]

The interior is gorgeous except one part.... the carpet is brand new, the front buckets are mint condition... the only problem is the back seat. I bought it from a junk yard for $20, and while there are no tears, the seat bottom stitching is coming apart, so the bumps in the seat are just flat and the cloth isn't even attached at some parts... Its far from perfect. These buckets (pictured earlier) are really mint quality, I can't seem to find a red bench of the quality I'm after.

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Here is the buckets just sitting in the cab. I love the way they look, I'm just going to have to modify the seat so they bolt in properly.

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Also, i'll have to do something with the space between the rear buckets. The OEM center console definitely won't work with the floor countour, plus it would look goofy having 2 of the same console. I'd like to have something there, but am not a subwoofer guy. I'd like some storage since I usually store quite a bit behind the bench. (Jumper cables, straps, etc, etc.)

 

[BowtieBrody]

Maybe convert a little toolbox to a center console?

 

[JScott23]

Maybe convert a little toolbox to a center console?

Yeah I'm thinking of something like that.

I would like to keep it looking somewhat original since I've really worked to re-do the interior using all original parts. I thought about using a center console out of a 73-87 truck, they have a flat base which would work well, and provide me cupholders but I think they sit pretty low. I like your idea of a toolbox if I could find a plastic one I could have it painted to match the rest of the burgundy interior.

Also thought about a NBS center console, think they are plastic, just don't know if you could paint them to match..

 

[sewlow]

Wouldn't take much to fix up that stitching on the rear seat cover.
In my shop, if you were to just bring in the covers, it'd be about an hour (or less!) to re-stitch those pleats.
I'd inspect & go over the rest of the cover while it's on the bench, too. Just because! Nothing worse than getting the pleats fixed up & the stitching letting go somewhere else a week later.
Bring a couple of $20's or beer!

 

[JScott23]

You know what I'm talking about as far as the stitching? Like how the stitching holds the fabric down so the seats have a little bumps in them? I didn't know that could be repaired, I'm in IL but man that would be awesome. I wonder if any upholstery shops could do it around here.

 

[JScott23]

I'd love to make the buckets work, but if I could salvage that bench and keep it as a spare that would be awesome!

 

[sewlow]

I would think any 'automotive' upholstery shop would do that for you. There's no fabrication involved & no materials required either. Other than a bit of thread.
But, the key word is 'automotive' upholstery! Most furniture shops don't understand auto. Auto stuff requires more of a tailored fit than what the furniture guys are used to doing.
It's a pretty easy job to re-&-re the covers.
Can't remember & I'd have to go look at my seats, but I believe that originally those pleats are formed by the fabric being glued down to the 1/2" foam, (which is part of the cover, not the base foam) that has the indentations for the pleats formed into it.
It's probably the glue that holds the fabric to the pleated foam that has died.
To re-glue that fabric to the foam would be more trouble than what it's worth. Now that's getting into a bunch of work. And it probably wouldn't work out that well or look as good as it did originally. May run into probs of the glue seeping through the fabric or foam, or both. And getting everything to line up as original could be a headache. Well, not so much a headache, but certainly more $$$!
If that cover was to be restitched on the pleats, the only people to know would be you, the upholstery guy & someone else that really knows their GMT400's!
Other than being for a concours resto, stitching those pleats down wouldn't raise any eyebrows. And the seat probably just had it's serviceable life doubled too!

 

[88GMCtruck]

Well considering the rear set is just a front, the outside bucket brackets should bolt right up. Which means the inner portion should need spaced up, and where the fuel tank portion is trimmed to fit over it. Seems pretty simple to me. For the center I would just make a false center hump where the console goes and mount the OEM console there. Or find a second console and make a tall version.

I think when I swap my rear seat out I'm going to put a SUV 40/60 rear seat in the truck, I like the idea being able to fold it flat.