I think that I'd like to have a stock seat cover for my '53 F100. But, I do not know exactly what a "stock" seat cover was. Doing a Google search on the subject doesn't help much; the word "stock" doesn't seem to have much affect on the search results. I currently have a "stock" cover from Mid Fifty, but even when I purchased it about ten years ago, they said that the original type of material that was used 50 years ago was either way to expensive to consider or unavailable. The Mid Fifty cover is a medium/light grained solid vinyl two-tone maroon and grey. My understanding is that the original seat was a combo of some kind of woven fabric and a heavy grained vinyl. I have read that the vinyl "weaves" offered today are not really weaves at all, but just a different pattern and texture to otherwise solid vinyl. I'd like to come as close to stock as I can. I'd also like to have a seat fabric that could breath a little bit. Is this something that I should discuss with upholstery folks like LeBarron-Bonney or Cartouche? Is there any affordable option for a real stock seat cover?

 

Ford introduced a woven vinyl fabric seat cover in 1954 with a red vinyl along the sides and top like this:



In 1953 the seat was all the same material. I am not sure if it was a vinyl or leather. Here are some pics from the 1953 Dealers catalog.


Deluxe cab


Standard cab, one color seat.



Deluxe cab, two tone seat upholstery.

 

I got the original woven fabric for my '56 from these guys: Seat Materials - SMS Auto Fabrics I'd show a pic but the seat is stored in Colville and, as luck would have it, I just got back from. I can take a picture next week and post if you like.

 

That is who I bought my 54 NOS fabric from.

 

Oh and by the way, that is not a boring question!

 

I've noticed that a lot of posted questions regarding stock setups make their way down to the bottom of the posting list pretty quickly. As far as my seat cover goes, it looks like the all vinyl seat cover was the only 1953 option for fabric. And, it looks like the 8" wide horizontal maroon piece across the top of the back was a pattern option available in the Custom Cabs. Since the subject here is "stock" setups (or the options that were available from the dealer when the truck was new), I have a few more questions. I would like to have the door mirrors that mounted on telescoping rods (like you have on your truck, Abe), rather than the chrome ones that mount close to the door. Most of the catalogs have telescoping mirrors, but they say that they are for earlier models of F-1s, etc. Can the mounts on these mirrors be adapted to fit on F-100s?

 

You are right about the all vinyl or naugahyde seat cover for 53. This is a good thing however since that type is reproduced and is less expensive than the NOS material I bought for my truck seat. I know Cartouche has that stuff.

And just an FYI, there was no Custom Cab nomenclature used until 1955. In 53 and 54 Ford used the words Deluxe Cab for the trucks with all the extras and Standard Cab for the plain Jane's.

 

I don't know if those telescoping arms could be adapted for a 53.

To keep them from vibrating and shaking the mirror when you drive you really ought to have the big stainless washer and bolt with the acorn nut and the two brackets that clamp the arm in place on the mirror holder that just out from the door. After my truck was painted in 99 I used a pair of generic telescoping arms I got at a JY. My mirrors shook. So I bought a pair from a member here that was putting on the round chrome mirrors.


These are the arms that were on my truck when I bought it from Grandpa. Too rusted to use but you can see the clamp and washer I am talking about.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm going to look into what it would take to fabricate the lower section of the telescoping arm. In fact, I'm thinking that I do decide to have these longer "farm truck" type mirrors, I may not even make them telescoping. That should make the whole task a lot simpler.

 

instead of making them why not find some in a junk yard.

Also, Bob Jones has a tutorial on his webpage on how he made some for his 48. Perhaps you can adapt it to your 53.