Hey folks, I found a bench seat for my 67 F250 at a flea market this weekend. Actually, the seat was well down on the list of projects, but I couldn't pass it up at the price.
Do you have any tips for rebuilding the seat? I'd like to get new padding. Anyone have any experience with the LMC vinyl seat kits - are they any good?
I haven't done a lot of research on this as it was a future project, but it just moved up the list.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

I'm going to be following this thread, as I have some interest in redoing my bench seat too.

I can find kits to reupholster the seat, but I have not found replacement padding yet.

 

I believe that I saw the foam for the bench seat bottom in the NPD (National Parts Depot) Catalog, along with multiple options for recovering. It is a repro foam cast of the original. Two things about this stick in my memory. I didn't see the foam for the seat back and I think the bottom foam was on the expensive side. I found a seat from a 1995 F150 with headrests that I will be installing in a few weeks in my F100. Found it in the local junk-yard for $75.00. Needs a good cleaning and a small tear repaired but overall in much better condition that the original seat and it can easily accept shoulder style seat belts that I also plan to add. Just another option, if you decide not to restore the original seat. If you use a seat from an early F150 (88 to 95) you will need to save the bottom attachment rails from your original F100 seat and swap them over to the F150 seat with a modification (drilling two holes in the rails) There are a few YouTube videos to guide you with the swap. Haven't done it yet but it looks like a fairly easy swap. Hope this helps.

 

I've looked at NPD, LMC, Dennis Carpenter, Mac's Auto Parts, C&G Ford Parts, Summit, Jegs, and Obsolete and Classic Auto Parts, but have not found seat foam for a bench seat. I found a link where Hot Rod is replacing the seat foam, but it does not give a source.

 

After your reply I found my NPD catalog (Ford Truck Edition 14) On page 5, I see a bottom bench seat cushion but it is for the dent-side years (73-79). This is what I was remembering. Apologies, I didn't remember the years listed. Part number F-SF-BN-73-C. $319.95. Description reads - "Exact Repro, cold process molded, spring guard reinforced by American Cushion. This is the link for the Ford Section at American Cushion - Ford Trucks ? American Cushion Industries, Inc but I didn't see anything for the earlier year trucks. This might be one of those parts made from unobtainium. The previous owner of my 1970 truck stuffed the seat with foam cut from a couch and then covered it with heavy burlap material. He did a decent job with the materials he had on hand and it isn't totally uncomfortable to drive, but getting in and out of the truck with all of the foam under the steering wheel is a challenge to say the least. Now I think I know why he did it. He probably couldn't find a direct replacement for the foam. What I have learned is that Ford didn't change the basic size of the seat for many years which is why a retro fit of an early F150 seat works. Might be worth a call to a local auto upholsterer to see if they have any suggestions.

 

I’d recommend having an upholstery shop redo the seat. A good one will know how to layer different densities of foam, to give you a comfortable seat.

Not sure on the 67. But the 69s had this nifty chrome badge, (aka branding iron) built into the seat back right where your back rested.

I found out about the branding iron function when we moved to Las Vegas, in the summer of 1974 and borrowed Dad’s truck to drive out in the desert for a morning run. Parked the truck facing east a little before dawn, rolled up the windows and locked it. Went for a run, got back about an hour and a half later, and jumped in the truck. Figured out that was a bad idea, when I heard the sizzle. Didn’t hurt for a few hours.

Next day, I took the pliers and pulled the badges off.

I think I still have the scar.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I kinda lucked out. The seat I got is from a 75. Looks like there are still some parts out there for that year.
LMC had a truck at the event I went to. They had the "blanket" looking seat cover over top of the bench seat. I wasn't impressed with that. It was really thin and looked cheap to me. Not sure if I can trust their vinyl covers or not. I talked to several upholsterers and the lowest price I got was $600. Seems a lot for a $2,000 truck. The cut up couch cushion may be the winner here.

 

Take a look @ 1967-1972 Ford Standard Cab Front Bench Seat Upholstery Kit U501. I believe they make seat upholstery for a 1975. _ Tony.

 

I got a price for doing the bench seat in my 1971 F250 from a local upholstery shop with real good foam & upgraded vinyl, remove & install, set foam level so it fit me, rebuild all under spring units, with custom made in shop cover for $500. I will be having it done this summer.

 

HioSilver did his seat work himself. Check out his build thread.

 

I bought some seat covers to redo my bench seats and as luck would have it, the sides on the seat are not lining up very well. It looks like they used the wrong side pieces where they made the seat at the company. Anyway, it fits fine everywhere but the sides. The sides are just loose and only go half way down the seat. It looks really tacky. I thought I would send it back but it would cost more to send it back and just wasn't worth it. Just added it to my lessons learned file. Anyway, I never really liked the bench seat in my truck. Its very soft and does not provide any support. I thought I would just have to live with it until I found TMI. The seats are a bit pricey but the reviews are good and they look nice. So that said, later this year I'll replace the bench seat with some from TMI.

 

I'm more or less in a similar boat as you guys. I have a 1967 Ford F100 and I got a seat out of a 1990 Ford F150 that I'm going to be putting in. It's more or less just the frame with the back cushion and center armrest. Everything for that seat seems to be pretty pricey. Maybe I haven't found the right spot to look yet though.

 

That's why I will have a local upholstery shop do the work, everything will be right & fit like it should, no china junk like most all of the aftermarket sells.