Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Awesome grill. Mine isn't the original, I had it stored somewhere in 2011, went to use it and the grill was missing.

Are you selling that grill?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I believe it is sold already. Got several people wanting it. I do have bits and pieces, because I rebuild grilles also. Let me see what I can put together and I will Message you.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Picked up 3 more seats last night. Started tearing them down today. Well this is one of The Worst, I have ever seen!! Words cannot describe, what someone did to this poor seat or what they were thinking, when they did this:lol: The frame was completely broke in half!!
The only thing salvageable on this particular seat, were the tracks. Good thing I only paid $60, for all 3 seats.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Wow someone spent a lot of time and effort to cobble that together. :dohh:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

What a mess! What were those straps? Something for lawn furniture?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I thought the same thing!!

They are leather straps, actually dry rotted leather straps. LOL!!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Picked up a decent seat for restoration. Starting to strip it down. The seat had a fairly new Saddle Blanket on it.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Hate those damn Saddle Blankets! Everytime I see a vehicle with those I think "that seat is a goner"!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Nope, not a total goner. The original cover is worn, but everything else is fine. It always pays to look under the blanket.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

i like the blanket cover over vinyl. It gives the dog good traction.

I was looking at my seat to see if the back would recline back further and noticed that there is a saw blade, gear ratchet looking affair on the drivers side but no levers. I can stick my finger down in the hinge area and move it. Is it broken? Am I missing parts? Is it a seat back lock? 81 GMC. Do not know if is original to the truck. My parts trucks are the same. 82+87.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

The seats will not recline back any further than the stop bolt, that the seat back rests on. The 81-87 seats, also do not lock back. The seats prior to those did, the 73-80. I attached a couple of pics, to show what it all looks like underneath the hinge cover.
The 1st pic shows how the seat back rests on the stop bolt (the silver bolt). What your feeling that is moving freely, is the hinge bracket.
In the 2nd pic, it is the part that is off the seat now, laying there.
To be quite honest, that part is useless, it does nothing but hang there.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

What is the two forked thing at the bottom of the second pic? It just lays at the bottom of its sweep on the shaft on my seat. You stick your finger in there and it will swing on that shaft or bolt.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I answered this question, Re-read the last post, the last 3 sentences is post #287. That is the hinge bracket part, that is said just hangs there freely.
I marked them in these pics. 1st pic, it is on the seat. 2nd pic, it is the same part off the seat, laying on the floor.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Could it be used to hold the seat forward??

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

It doesn't, at least not when the seat is in the truck. Whenever I take the seats out, I fold and tilt the seat, to take it through the door. That is the only time the bracket will hold the seatback forward. The gravity of having the entire seat tilting forward, is when the bracket will swing. Otherwise, it just hangs freely in the downward position.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

In the parts book the dangler is called the catch.

The saw tooth piece is called the latch. (part of the seat back frame)

The bolt through the catch is called the striker.

It looks like in a collision, the catch will swing forward and meet with one of the two latch teeth keeping the seat back from folding forward.

Mine would need to be cleaned up to move freely.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Good info right there!!:metal: Thank You farmall.
I'm putting together a seat today. I will have to test that out, to see if the catch does stop the seat from folding forward. Maybe even do a little video.
Pic #1 is the Latch
Pic #2 is the Catch, left & right sides. And the bolts that are circled, are the "striker" bolts.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Just finished up a couple of Charcoal Velour Bench Seats. Both got NEW FOAM and fully restored frames. Both are SOLD. One is staying here locally, here in Ohio. The other one will go to it’s new home in Michigan.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Looks great! I can't wait to pick it up.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Can't wait for you to see it in person and to meet you in person. :chevy:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

It was great meeting you today. The seat looks like brand new! More importantly to me it feels like brand new when I sit on it. No more leaning towards the door.

Thank again!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

It was nice meeting you also. And I’m happy to hear you really like your "new" restored seat. And this is why you were leaning towards the door, broken springs.
Pics are:
#1 Broken Springs
#2 Your original core seat
#3 Restored Seat
#4 & #5 Restored frame, tracks, hardware and springs. With New foam!!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

TKCR. You should develop a seat cover for our trucks made out of Carhart type black or tan, heavy cotton canvas. It would need to be pre shrunk so we can remove and wash with a non generic, specific fit, easy installation , and hardware that outlast the fabric.
I would give $200+ for something like that.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Sounds like an excellent idea. Something like the Saddle Blanket, only made out of a heavy cotton canvas. I would almost bet there is something out there like that already.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Carhartt makes them but no one makes one tailored to our trucks with no head rest.