Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Does that tan seat above have the holes for the seat belts to go through.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

No it does not. That is a 73-80 Benchseat, those did not have the seatbelt holes. The belts came up between the seat.
The 81-87 bench seats have the belt cutout holes.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Ok thanks that's exactly what I was wondering. Someone local has one listed as 81-87 but it has no cutouts. What is the difference in the track to tell the 81-87 tracks from the rest?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

This is the only pic I have of all 3 together. From left to right:
73-76. 77-80. 81-87. The seat release knob is off to the side on the 73-76 & 77-80 tracks. It is the front for the 81-87 tracks.
They all will bolt up to the cab floor, any 73-87. They have to match the seat frame though. Another words the 73-76 tracks will not bolt up to a 81-87 seat frame.
It could be, that the seat was redone at one time, and they didn't cut the holes into the cover. That can be done. I have a new cover now, the holes have to be cut in, if you want them.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Thank you very much for the picture and info very informative. You definitely are the seat master.:metal:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I'm learning, I have gotten a lot of help from a few members on here, when I first started on this venture a few years ago.:metal:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I have a 72 bench seat needing new upholstery. B4 this can happen I need to find the side spring on the driver edge to replace. Is something you can supply? Any help will be appreciated. Roland...………..

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Can you be a bit more specific, I'm not sure exactly what you are needing. Is it the big adjust spring on the drivers side track?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Black seems to be the most popular. Just adding more pics of seats that have been built.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Do you do your own sandblasting?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Yes, but if I get too many frames at one time and they are more than I can handle. I have a friend that has a BIG sandblaster. I take the seat bottom frames to him. He can get them done a lot faster, so it's easier just to pay him. I do the seat backs, some of the seat bottoms, the tracks and all the hardware.
Like the buckets, I had to let Jimmy do the frames, but I did the tracks.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

What media do you use... sand, walnut shells, something else?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I have used the glass beads in the past, then I tried this, and it is pretty fast cutting. A bit more dusty than I like

https://www.tptools.com/Speed-Bead-A....html?b=d*8019

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Built a Charcoal Velour/Vinyl Deluxe benchseat for a customers in Texas. This one was with a New Foam seat bottom.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I've gotta say it again.... I really like the Jute used between the foam and the springs.
It's the little touches like this that are the difference between an OK job and quality workmanship.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

That looks great! That is the same seat that I need for my 85 gmc, do you mind sharing where you got that particular upholstery?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I have a guy that makes them for me. When I first started doing the seats several years ago, I used a local guy, but he was getting up there in years. Then I used a few from Classic Industries, they were pretty good. Then I found this guy at a Swap Meet here in Ohio, but he's from NC. His covers are hands down the best, probably better than the originals. He uses thicker foam backing for one. The fit, well they are perfect.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Thanks hatzie!!:metal:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Ok, thanks! I'll have to clean up the upholstery section in the basement, and get to sewing. You do a nice job putting your seats together, I was guessing by the fit and finish that you weren't getting them from a catalog.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

In the beginning, I was. If you go back to post #96, the Mohgany Tweed. That is the one that got me using Pete. The Mahogany is an original, but rarely seen color. I had a customer that needed that color done for a seat. When I was finished with the seat, I almost hated to let it go. The Mahogany and the Green are my favorites!! Once I get retired from my full time job in March. I MIGHT actually have the time to start making them myself.

The Mandrin Orange is a rarely seen color also, I'm hoping someone will want want one that color sometime. Here is the samples he was showing me of the Orange.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

The Charcoal seat that went to Texas, the customer has it in his truck already!! I just shipped it Monday.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

First of let me say that's some beautiful work on the Upholstery TKCR. My question is how do you ship these bench seats, and what kind of cost does it add to the job?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I use Fedex to ship my seats. I have checked with Fastenal and it is just little cheaper, but he time frame can be ridiculous. And to me a lot can happen during that time. Shipping with Fedex, most of the seats will be delivered within the week, 2-5 days. And I fully insure them!!. The cost is based on size, weight and distance. The average is $200-$250. I shipped one, right here in Ohio, it was still $200. Shipping would hit the $250 mark, say going to California.
One was shipped to Canada, that was about double the cost of shipping.
2 went to Dubai, I only shipped the seats to Cleveland & Pittsburg and then they put the package in a shipping container, which was then put on a ship. The one that went to Pittsburg, met up with the truck that was being shipped over there too. But the customers in Dubai had this part setup, so I have no idea what the cost was at this point. But here is how the seat looks packed up. The small box is the hinge garnishes. I prefer to ship the separate. because of the weight of the seat, if someone would ever set the seat down hard on a corner, it would break those garnishes.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Thanks, I really love working on restoring these seats. When I see the before and after of a seat and how it transforms the interior of the our trucks, I just want to keep doing more. Of course, with my truck, I did a complete interior color change. And I didn't have an original seat, the PO had a 90's style bench seat in the truck. Because of the adventure I had to go on, just to find a seat and find someone to reupholster my seat, this is how all this began about 5 yrs ago.
The #1 thing that bothered me the most was, spending that money and only to find out that an upholstery shop ONLY does the upholstery. They don't touch the frame, tracks and all the hardware. They will just put a brand new cover over top of a rusty old frame, that 9 times out of 10, needs some type of repair. And most everytime, the tracks are so rusty, the don't slide very well, if at all.
Here's the before and after, of my truck.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Here's some work I did on some tracks. These were from the 1970 GTO Bucket seats I did for a friend. These tracks were so seized up but the rust, I could even get them to budge, beating them with a mallet. So after sandblasting and some tedious sandblasting down inside the track, I was finally able to get the sliding again. I did a video to show how easy they slide now. VIDEO:https://youtu.be/o_IUEndYxuE

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

I should have mentioned in one of the above post, about the shipping. I will be retiring on March 1st. Honda offers early retirement at 55, and I will have 30 yrs in. My plan is, since I will have the time, is to offer to meet people part way. At the least, meet people in some of the surrounding states of Ohio. I really don't like to ship my seats, I like it better when they are picked up. But after retiring, I should be able to help people with the traveling of long distance by meeting part of the way.
:blz2:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Wow, those bucket seats look new! You are certainly filling a need in the market,

Congratulations on your pending retirement!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Finally did a blue for a customer in Tennessee

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Thanks!! Pretty excited about having more time for the seats. I just took a frame and tracks out to the shed. I have a lot of sandblasting to get done, to get caught back up. But it will have to wait until then.:waah:

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Congratulations on the pending retirement! Thirty years for one employer is almost unheard of these days. It's a great idea to see some of the surrounding countryside and fund it by working on your hobby.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Thanks!! I also hope to bring home more seats that need restored, while we are on these trips also. What I really need to do, is find me an enclosed trailer. The newly restored seat can travel in the back of the Colorado, it has a cap. My trailer is just an open trailer, but it would nice to be able to keep the seats out of the rain and away from thieves.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

How far would you be willing to travel to deliver one?

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Just the surrounding or bordering states of Ohio. As I said in the above post, I would be willing to meet part way, not necessarily deliver. And there would still be a fee involved, but it won't be as much as Fedex charges.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Have you every thought about using greyhound shipping is very cheap with them do it all the time for my aircooled vw stuff.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

No I haven't even considered them. Greyhound is over an hour from me, one way. That would be quite an inconvenience, but maybe after I'm retired.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1540804636


Ha! That beige/tan seat looks just like the one I'm currently sitting on.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Well we can do something about that!!

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

does anyone make the correct light blue vinyl seat covers for a 78 with the buttons i'm wanting to redo my seats in my 78 scottsdale burb but it seems that lmc and others only have the colors for the 80's squarebodys maybe you can point me in the right direction i'm not scared of hogrings been doing vw seats for a long time. i just want the correctly looking seats in my burb.

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Sending a PM

Re: Bench Seats, Having them Reupholstered
 

Did my own Black Friday shopping. Went to Kentucky and got 2 seats for restoration, and a few other parts. I also found a super nice set Charcoal seatbelts for my truck, too bad everything else on the interior was gone, including the seat!! They just got this truck in a few days ago!! The outside of the truck looked rough, but the interior was obviously clean!!
It was so nice, sunny and 55!!