73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Projects Posts (NOT VEHICLES) => Topic started by: outlaw70nova on July 07, 2012, 11:12:51 am
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I am currently building an '82 GMC. I wanted bucket seats but couldn't find anything that I liked. I didn't want anything, even a headrest, sticking up into the back window. Blazer seats were an option but the whole forward tilt mechanism seemed more trouble than they were worth. Wanting to stay with a factory look I came up with the great idea of making my own. Since I had a pair of bench seats out of an '87 and my '82, I cut them down and made buckets. As soon as I figure out how to reduce the photo sizes I'll post some pics.
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Do you have Microsoft Photo Editor? That's the easiest way I know of to reduce pic sizes. Or get a photobucket account, you can link the images to the forum.
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Figured it out I think. Here is the bucket seat from the '82.
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Here they are stripped and ready to cut down.
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I cut 36 1/4'' out of the centers. I used a metal chop saw to cut them and maintain a nice smooth edge for refitting.
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Ready to weld back together...
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Presto! Bucket Seats!
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Had them powder coated.
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Do you have Microsoft Photo Editor? That's the easiest way I know of to reduce pic sizes. Or get a photobucket account, you can link the images to the forum.
Thank you! That's what I used.
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Interesting project, very inspiring. What are you going to use for foam?
BTW, if you use 1967-1977 buckets, with the 73-81 (hard to find) or the 84-91 Suburban brackets, you can make them work.
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Thanks. I used the original foam out of the '82 and just cut it down to fit. It was in perfect shape. I addded 1'' of foam under the seat cushions to give it a little extra firmness. I had them covered in black cloth / vinyl just like a factory bench seat. I used the original seat tracks from the bench seats to mount them. I just drilled a hole in the floor for the rear inside track mounting bolt. I had to fabricate a small spacer / bracket for the front of the inside seat rail.
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Here are pictures of the brackets / spacers that I had to make for the front of the inside seat track
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I didn't get pictures after they were upholstered but here they are installed in the truck.
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Those look nice!
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vary nice, looks factory :>
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Looks great! How did you go about the spacer?
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I made them out of 1 1/4'' x 1/8'' flat bar. I thought I had a picture of them right after I made them but I can't find it.
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Those look amazing. I would love to see how the center console was made.
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my hat is off to you, very nice job indeed.
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Again, very nice job on fabricating those seats.
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Very nice and very professional.
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Very nice.
How do they "sit" versus a factory bucket seat?
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Those came out PERFECT! Awesome work, man! They look good as or better than factory!
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Very nice. Slick idea too!
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Beautiful job and it looks stock. I agree with you that seats with headrests look out of place on these trucks.
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Very nice.
How do they "sit" versus a factory bucket seat?
They "sit" just like a factory bench seat. I think they are very comfortable.
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Those look amazing. I would love to see how the center console was made.
Thanks Orlando. I had my local sheet metal shop bend a piece of 14 gauge to my measurements. I made a cardboard template of the floor before I put the carpet in. I then transferred the floor profile to the sides and cut them. Here are some pictures of the test fit in the truck.
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After I got a good fit in the truck I then cut the holes for the shifter and the console. The shifter is a B&M Quicksilver for a 78-81 Camaro. I used that one because the stick is shorter than B&M's universal Quicksilver. The console is a factory unit for a Suburban. I cut the top off of it and made little tabs to mount it to my base.
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I also made a little bracket to hold the switches for my fans, fuel pump and nitrous.
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Here is the final fit in the truck before disassembly and upholstery. I had it covered in vinyl with an 1/8'' foam pad.
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AWESOME!
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outlaw70nova,
You have inspired me with this project. I have two bench seats one out of a 76 and one out of a 78. This will give me the kick in pants I need to get back working on my truck.
One question, what was the width of your console? I'm thinking about making my seats 22" wide (bench seat frame was 57.5" - [22" x 2] = 13.5") but I need some clearance between the seats and console. My seats have bottom springs that I want to preserve the spacing so I will have to go with 22" or 19.5" for the springs to come out correct.
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Awesome job!! I don't suppose you got any pics of the foam before you covered it? And how did you glue the foam halves together?
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Those look great!
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sphinx,
The console is 15'' wide. The seats touch the console towards the front but it's not an issue in any way. Looks like it was made that way at the factory.
BADAZ chevy guy,
I didn't get any pic's of the foam work. There were no foam halves. I took the better of the foam out of both seats and cut them in half. One side was already shaped like it needed to be and I just cut (carved) the other side to match. An electric knife works great.
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Thanks outlaw. I made my rough cuts in both seat frames. Right now I'm at 22" wide before cleaning up the cuts and making the welds. I think I want a wider console so I may trim the size a bit. My springs are the problem as I don't want to have a half spring gap down the middle of the seat. I'll post some pics in a new thread when I get my final cuts made. Thanks again for posting your work.
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sphinx,
You could drill extra holes in the back of the seat frame and add springs, or move springs, exactly where you want them. Just an idea.
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Thanks for the suggestion. These springs hook into an ear stamped in the frame tubing. I'm planning on looking at again tomorrow and I look at the spring attachment again. With the width I have now the center console will only be 12"wide finished size and I would like a little wider.