American Classic Low Back Seats?

[76LongBox]

Has anyone used these in their truck?  They really look nice to me, but before I drop that kind of coin on new seats, I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with them.

http://shop4seats.com/truck-seats/40-20-40-truck-seats/low-back-40-20-40/american-low-back.html

I'm no light-weight, so I would probably opt for the 7-spring frame, and with the mounting bracket and everything (before shipping) I'd be looking at $1332 for the leather.

[rich weyand]

That's a good price for those.  I got my 500 Series seats at discountvantruck.com, which also has these same seats:
http://www.discountvantruck.com/truck40-20-40lowbackseats/truckseatsAmericanLowback.htm

I'm not sure who makes them.  I thought discountvantruck.com did.  I custom-ordered mine in black leather with red inserts for that 60s-70s Chevy look; they sent me samples and all to check color.  They fit in the truck, and I (6'3", 270#) fit in them.  Quality is excellent.  Oh, and if you get leather, get the heaters.

Here's my write-up on the install:
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=27233.msg226558#msg226558

Installed 3-1/2 years ago now.  No issues whatsoever, and they still look new.

[76LongBox]

And here comes Rich to the rescue for me again!!!  Thanks Rich!  That's exactly what I wanted to hear.  I found them at the discountvantruck.com first and then did search for them, where I found a link to shop4seats.com.  My truck originally had blue interior with gray paint, so I'm thinking of blue with gray/neutral inserts.  I submitted a request online for some samples of the fabric and leather in various blues/grays/neutrals to see what might match up best.

I wasn't planning on doing the interior right away, but my carpet got a large hole in it on the hump at the driver's seat and it was bothering me....I started pulling and realized just how rotten it was.  Then I pulled the rest of it out and found more rust than I was hoping for on the passenger's side.  When I got the truck about 10 years ago, the heater core was shot and had been leaking for no telling how long.  Of course, I fixed that right away, but the damage was done by then....I've just been putting off seeing how bad it was.  I need a new passenger side floor pan and inner/outer rocker panels for sure.  Fortunately I have an uncle in the body shop business - actually a brother to the uncle who bought this truck new back in 1976 - so getting it repaired correctly shouldn't be too much of a struggle.

Now that the truck is running right (thanks to your previous help), it'll be fun to start dressing it up a bit.

[rich weyand]

Always glad to help.  It's really a gas when you come up with something that helps somebody else enjoy their truck more.

Here's another pointer on the seats.  Get a 3/8"-16 tap, and clean out the hard-point holes in the floor.  Use new 3/8"-16x1-1/4" Grade 8 (or at least Grade 5) bolts to bolt the frame brackets down, and make sure you get them in clean without carpet fibers being pushed down into the hole with the bolts.  They can trash the hard point threads.  So can the old bolts if you re-use them.

Oh, and be careful with that tap!  The gas tank is under there!!!

[76LongBox]

Yeah....I actually broke off the seat belt bolt on the passenger's side yesterday.   I finally got it out, but messed up the threads in the welded nut a little, but not beyond re-use.  I was cautious when drilling out what was left of the bolt as I knew the tank was right there. 

I had no trouble at all with the other bolts, so that was good.  I will definitely chase the threads with a tap and make sure they are good and clean.

You may have posted it somewhere else, but what carpet did you use in yours?  I'm also thinking about going with some sound deadener/heat shield stuff under it, but not sure how that affects the pre-cut, molded carpet panel fit.  I think I also want to carpet up the back under the window and maybe enclose the cab corners.

[rich weyand]

No idea what carpet.  Some PO put that in there and it was OK.  Matched factory red interior, if that's a clue.  Also has the vinyl wear pad under the pedals.

[bake74]

     Not exactly the same brand as yours, but here is a thread with pics to give you an idea.
     
     http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=24412.0

[76LongBox]

Thanks bake74.  I have looked at that one in great detail, and was looking at going that route.  However, I really want blue interior, and they don't offer that seat in blue.  That would mean having to recover brand new seats at additional cost - plus having to find a good deal on a console, and having it painted to match the rest of the interior.

That is one GREAT looking truck though! He has more pics of it in another thread somewhere.  The outside and under the hood is super clean and slick. 

[bake74]

Thanks bake74.  I have looked at that one in great detail, and was looking at going that route.  However, I really want blue interior, and they don't offer that seat in blue.  That would mean having to recover brand new seats at additional cost - plus having to find a good deal on a console, and having it painted to match the rest of the interior.

That is one GREAT looking truck though! He has more pics of it in another thread somewhere.  The outside and under the hood is super clean and slick.

     At least you are doing your homework first, that is always a good sign.

[76LongBox]

Well, I bit the bullet, so to speak, and ordered the seats today in leather - Adriatic Blue with Moondust inserts.  Also ordered new seat belts that they told me matched the Adriatic Blue very well (hope that's true).  Ordered some extra vinyl in both colors to have some other interior work done behind the seats and maybe on the door panels. 

Leather seats, with the 7 spring upgrade on both passenger and driver sides, extra vinyl, passenger and driver side 3 point seat belts, and a lap belt for the middle, shipped for $1684....lot of money - hope it's as nice as I think it will be when it gets done!

[rich weyand]

Re-read carefully the mod I did (to get the seat to go back further) and how I installed them.  Trying to put the whole thing in assembled is a major PITA, and you can scratch up the truck interior.  Putting them in piecemeal worked out well, but there's an order you need to do things in for that to work.

[76LongBox]

Thanks Rich....I will definitely be looking to your post when the seats come in!

[76LongBox]

Update:

Seats arrived yesterday.  There was a shipping problem - apparently my invoice # was plugged in somewhere as a zip code, so my seats came from California to Arkansas via Ohio. 

I am somewhat disappointed in one thing, but hopefully it won't be a problem.  Where the seats that Rich bought from discountvantruck.com were ALL leather, mine are not.  I was not told this when I ordered them, but I noticed last night while I was inspecting them that only the seating surfaces are leather.

There was also a problem with the hinge/bolt cover on the passenger's side of the middle seat/console - it was broken in shipment. I contacted them this morning, and they are supposed to be sending me a replacement cover.  (Update 10/1 - Replacement cover arrived via FedEx today.)

I also ordered replacement shoulder belts and a lap belt for the center seat.  They look pretty good, but the color of the fabric is a little different between the shoulder and lap belts.  The lap belt actually matches a little better than the other, but I think they will be fine - especially since the lap belt will be used very rarely, and when not in use, it'll be hidden.

Those "minor" issues aside, the seats do appear to be well-made.  The brackets are extremely heavy duty, and I look forward to getting them installed in my truck as soon as I get it back from the shop (getting the rusty floor pan and rocker panel on the passenger's side replaced).

I'll post pictures once I get everything done.

[76LongBox]

Update:

Well, I got the seats installed....it wasn't "easy" and certainly wasn't in the 30 minutes suggested on the manufacturer's website.

Like Rich posted in his own install of similar seats from discountvantruck.com, I felt that the manufacturer's instructions of assembling everything and then putting it in the truck as a single unit was a BAD idea, so I did like Rich and did it inside the truck piece by piece.

I also had the added work of making some L brackets for the new seat belts to attach using the existing bolt holes, but I sort of expected this since I wasn't using factory belts.

I did find, as Rich said, that these seats sit about 2 inches higher than the factory bench.  The seat backs are thicker than I expected, plus the thicker new seat bottom, and the taller bolt in bracket attribute to this.  I was able to shave about 1/2" off of them by removing an extra "spacer" nut that they used when bolting the tracks to the seats.  I'm not exactly sure why they put that extra nut between the track and the seat frame, but it wasn't necessary, so I removed it.  There is still plenty of clearance to adjust the seats.  I did consider cutting the seat frame down about another inch, and haven't completely given up on the idea yet, but I think due to the amount of work that would be, I will try it as is for a little while first.

I don't have pics yet, as I still need to get the carpet and other trim done, but once it's all together I'll get some pics.

[rich weyand]

Excellent.  Glad you got them in OK.  Yeah, it took two of us several hours to install them, but that's because 1) we test fitted everything first and 2) we made some minor mods.

I didn't mind that the seat was just a bit taller.  I'm 6'3", and wear a cowboy hat when driving (I like to be able to use the brim as a sun visor, because I can "adjust" it just by tilting my head a bit), and I still fit vertically with inches to spare. 

So I like the additional height.  I felt like I was sitting on the floor with the stock seat.  Pictures of me in the truck with the stock seat made me look like a little kid driving daddy's truck.  Of course, the seat was 35 years old (though refoamed and recovered), and I weigh 270#, so that may have something to do with it.