Lets see your classic Ford or Mercury truck bench seats!

I recently received my completed bench seat for my 1956 Mercury. I did a modern take, but still classic looking.

I had a bad and lenghty experience with the place who upholstered it, and was curious if this is common throughout the industry. I was going to order a cover from Raybuck or other suppliers. Living in northern ON, Canada the duties and shipping are typically a killer. This being said, I gave the local boat top guy and upholsterer a chance. I was quoted a fair price to repair some springs, new foam and recover the seat with some common materials. This quote ended up more than double, with no communication, time it was finished. He had the seat 8 months and had to be persuaded to order the material etc. I left the previous cover and foam so he could build a pattern easier. I was then called to pick up the frame and paint it, yet no repairs were done. I repaired the frame and springs etc. I seemed to be the easiest customer to deal with (didn't argue price, no tight time frame, did most the work myself).

Now that I am done venting, I am curious if others have had the same issue. Also the standard costing to recover a bench seat with minimal spring repairs and new foam etc.

Lets see your bench seat!

I have attached a photo of mine, which trend out good, as frustrating as the whole process was

 

Here in the US, a quote is a quote. You pay what was quoted before. I’m sorry to hear that happened to you, but at least the finished product looks great.

 

I agree, and if materials or labor cost more, you make a call. Being a service manager at a dealership, I deal with changing situations all day. Just a bummer. What does this type of repair typically cost?

 

Sorry, I don’t have any idea on the cost. My seat is ok for now. I was thinking about a seat cover and found this site...

https://www.seatcoverman.com

I emailed them a few questions and got no reply, so I’m wondering if they’re still in business. I may eventually use a raybuck kit but for now, I’m riding in this old seat.

 

Holy smokes Fast - that truck looks awesome.
Tom

 

Here's mine for a 49 F1. I did it myself, with help from my sons so I could teach them. I am not an upholsterer but work in a field that I have access to all the supplies and tools needed. My springs were rusty, broken, bent and full of mouse nests. I bought the pre-sewn cover from LMC.

 

My seats were rough with broken frames and coil springs. I wanted an original correct restoration with materials as close as possible to what was used originally. The only compromise we made was using some foam in place of cotton in the seat bottoms. Originally, only springs, burlap, and cotton batting were used. The seat backs are correct and don't have any foam. I was given a quote and a time for pick-up, and the shop stuck to our agreement even though the springs turned out to be worse than we thought.

Because I'm a customer now (and apparently a friend) I have an open invasion to come to the guy's shop Saturday mornings for breakfast. I've only taken advantage of this invitation once. There were about a dozen guys there, apparently regulars, enjoying coffee and breakfast. The shop owner was doing the cooking on a wood burning stove.

My memory is a little vague (one likes to forget these painful subtractions from ones bank account) but the seat repairs I think cost about $400 each--$800 total. A bench seat probably would have been somewhat less--maybe in the $600 range. The guy was expensive, but apparently a friendship and free breakfasts on Saturdays is included in his price.

This was the starting point:




Finished product:




I did a thread available from my profile with pictures and details of my seat upholstering project--and the Saturday breakfasts.

Your truck looks great--seat too!!

Jim

 

52 Coast Guard the finish product looks very good. I was going to buy some bench seats for TMC or TMI hell I get all confused but anyway found a local that all the builders here in town use and he will do the same thing but about 500 less. But we use my frame so I guess about the same money but the deal is I have more options to chose from.

 

Looks good! I had many nets as well haha, original burlap sac underneath and had been sitting in a barn. I cleaned and painted the frame and repaired all the springs etc. Best clips I found for the springs and all the zip zags was clothesline clips, worked perfect!

 

I bought zig zag aprons, straight pieces and clips at a furniture repair store.

 

Here's mine. I'm not crazy about how the cover meets the seat frame under the driver's left leg - I'll continue to work it until I'm a bit happier with it.

 

looks great! Let's see the truck also, where are you located?