I am looking to get my seat redone in my 51 and looking for some ideas that you guys have done or have seen on the web. Thanks for any help.

 

I'm lurking here, I've been looking and undecided. Just wondering what aftermarket or newer seats would fit. L8R ZFLASH

 

Hey Phil & Derrick,
I'll post a pic as a starter for your seat thread. The '48-'52 cabs are
narrower than later years so we have to be a bit more selective about what we use. I wanted a bench seat just to keep the "old" look so
no buckets here. I found a nice Chevy S-10 seat in Houston on Craigslist that met our width limitations (no greater than 51 inches) - it's actually 48 inches.

You will probably find that you need to sit your seat on something to get the height right. Our's is just a welded metal "box".

Good luck over there.

Ben in Austin

 

Thanks Ben as always, I was wondering where you've been. Mine's a '55 and was looking at a set of F150's,just don't know though. Ordered new engine last Thursday, I'll post pics when it comes in. Thanks, L8R ZFLASH

 

Try the seats out of a 99+ Chevy full size truck. They seem to be the proper width and height. Plus, they have built in seat belts.

 

Thanks!

 

Just don't use the center console.

Also, bucket seats out of a Caravan (or Grand Caravan) will work. Their base is actually tall enough that you won't need to fabricate a new base. You will have to put a 3/4" tube, however, behind the extruded channel in the floor where the front of the seat base would make to make the seat level. The seats have high backs and built in arm rests (usually on both sides). Some of the seats are even power. Having two separate seats will also allow you room for a center console. Lastly, the stock front passenger Caravan seat also has a built-in storage compartment at the bottom in the base.

 

Just for your easy bedtime reading - from the starter link up at the top of the forum... Everything you ever wanted to know about seats...

Ben in Austin

Here are some measurements that you might want to consider when looking for a new seat.
· Inside cab width from door panel to door panel (where the seat bottom is the widest)
o 1948-1952 F-1 = 53.5 inches
o 1953-1956 F-100 = 58 inches
· Distance between the door handle tips
o 1949 F-1 = 51.5 inches
· Distance between the fat part of the door handles
o 1949 F-1 = 45-5/8 inches
· Distance across the cab at the rear door post
o 1949 F-1 = 57 inches
· Distance from door panel to door panel
o 1957-1960 F-100 = 62 inches
· Distance from door handle to door handle
o 1957-1960 F-100 = 56 inches
· Stock bench seat width
o 1960 F-100 = 59 inches
There seems to be an issue (particularly found by older members of the forum) with the space between the steering wheel and the seat shrinking over time, resulting in limited intestinal accommodation. Fortunately the newer seats use a different type of spring so they tend to be thinner in the back. This provides more room in that area. This is something to think about before you buy a big, fat seat out of a Cadillac or Lincoln or some other land yacht. With a newer seat, you will usually pick up storage space under the seat bottom as well.
The following suggestions are based upon input from this forum. There is also an article in the August 2004 issue of Classic Truck that deals with this subject and contains many pictures of the suggested alternative seats. Note that we are not spending time discussing bucket seats. Once you ditch the console, you can pretty much fit any bucket into any truck, although generally you’ll end up with a built in headrest sticking up in your back window.
1948-1952 Trucks – Seat Width No More Than 52 Inches
· 2000 Ford Escort buckets
· Mid/late 1980s to 1996 Ford Ranger or Broncos
o 60/40 bench or buckets
o Perfect fit
o Used by many
o Bench is 51” wide at it’s widest point
o Back folds forward
o No headrests to poke up in the back window
o 2-door donors fold, 4-door donors don’t
o Very popular with members of the forum
· 1989 through mid 1990s Ford Explorer
o Buckets or 60/40 bench
· Middle or rear seats out of a 1996 Dodge Caravan
· 1996 and newer Chevy Astro Van
· 1996 and newer full sized GM van middle or rear seats
· 1995 and newer Toyota Tacoma
· 1994 and newer Chevy S-10/Sonoma
1953-1960 Trucks – Seat Width No More Than 58 Inches
· 2001 F-150
NOTE: There are several different styles of bench seats used in the late 1980s through late 1990s GM trucks – quasi-buckets, 60/40s and full benches. They all tend to have thin backs which helps to increase leg space where needed. Some have built in arms rests and a level of seat bottom sculpturing to them, some don’t. These seats are also well liked by a number of the members of this forum.
· 1988-1998 GM truck seats
o Excellent looking brackets
o Easy to adapt
o Headrests tend to be removable
· 1988-1994 Chevy Silverado bench
o No headrest
o Fold down arm rest
o Very stylish
· 1997 and newer F-150 bench
o Has a built in headrest
o Brackets are a bit of a challenge
· Late 1990s Chevy Suburban
· 1987 Chevy pickup bench
· The 2000 and newer Suburban
o 60/40 bench
o Removable headrests
o Not the most stylish thing
o Brackets are clunky looking
The 1999 and newer GM Silverado 40/20/40 “bench” is an interesting possibility. It’s 60 inches wide, but it’s really more like two buckets with a “jump seat” between. You could easily omit the middle section and put in a narrower console or nothing. They do have built shoulder belts, saving you the issue of mounting the shoulder restraint to the wall between the rear window and the doors. You might fit this whole set up into a 1953-1960 F-100. The 1994 through 2001 Dodge truck also has a similar set up, though less stylish than the GM version. It will have the same pluses and minuses.
Another issue to consider is that you need to build some sort of bracket to mount your new seat(s) to your truck. If you’re using the 1988-1998 GM seats, it’s pretty straightforward. Just look at the stock GM mounting brackets and it’s a no brainer. However, if you’re using Ford seats or buckets, this can get a little tricky. For a few good pictures of the brackets one member made to install a later model seat check out this thread. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=114729 The work was done by KAI - our German buddy. He was putting a 1980 F-350 seat in a 1954 F-100. His brackets deal quite nicely with the weird bend/angle in the front of the stock Ford brackets. They are wonderful in their simplicity and could easily be modified to compensate for a shorter driver.
For an excellent example of brackets fabricated to hold the 1996-2000 Ranger 60/40 bench/bucket, check out those made by Scott123 (Scott Jones). He has provided pictures and plans, so you could make a copy of the “Scott123 Super-Duper seat frame 2000” if you wish.
Check out their galleries for the pictures/plans referred. <!-- / message -->
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Fomoko1..Morris

 

I pulled the seat out of a Honda Passport. It measures fine, but am not sure if the sculpting will work (may have to break out the electric knife).

Also, as PanelMan51 stated, I pulled the brackets off of a Caravan and bolted them up under the bench seat - almost perfect fit.

 

This is my 90 Ranger seat in my 48 F-3...

 

I'm lurking as well. Ready to get the seat redone in my 52. It's in decent shape (except for what the mice ate) - what does it generally run to get one redone? Not a show truck, just stock looking seat is all I need.

 

Hie

Checkout my erlier threads in the subject, there are som sketches and the final result

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...pholstary.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...urned-out.html

 

Mine are from a Nisson 300zx with drivers seat power and inflatable lumbar and side support. Had to fab the frame it sit on though. Comfy

 

Thanks for all ya'lls input. L8R ZFLASH

 

Will a 1991 Ford F150 seat fit inside of a 1963 ford F250