I have a 78" F-350, 4-spd with a worn out bench seat. Can anyone give me some ideas for a newer seat(s) either split bench or buckets, preferabily a near direct bolt in, but not a necessity.
I've got the exterior looking pretty good and would like the interior to look as good.
Also, any sources on sound proofing materials would be helpful too.
Thanks for your help, HoBo

 

The bench seats from trucks all the way through '96 (F150) and '98 (250 & 350) will fit, although slight modifications may be neccesary. LMC carries a lot of sound proofing materials. High quality carpet padding works well. Look for industrial grade padding that will wear better.

 

My son went to the boneyard and got me a couple of nice buckets. It was quite a few years ago and I don’t remember what they were out of. The existing brackets on the buckets were unusable for my 77 F250 so I completely removed them and pulled the bench seat out of my truck leaving the existing Ford brackets in the truck.

I cut a couple of 52 inch long 2 inch aluminum C Channels and used a couple of pipe fittings to raise the aluminum channels high enough to clear the floor pan center hump. I spaced the aluminum channels so that the original mounting bolt holes in the buckets centered over the channels. I drilled holes in the aluminum channel to match the buckets mounting bolts and bolted the buckets to them. I now have a set of buckets in my truck with the original Ford bracket and the buckets adjust back and forward just like the bench seat did.

As far as the soundproofing goes, I used carpet padding on the entire floor. Pull the seat and run the padding clear up on the bench behind the seat and then clear up the back wall. Leave the original felt/rubber floor mat in and put the carpet padding over the top of it. Then cover the whole floor with a good quality automotive carpet designed for your truck. Run carpeting up the back wall as well to cover the padding. Screw carpet to the kick panels as well. It will surprise you as to how quiet the truck will be. Mine sounds like a Cad in town. The wind noise is terrible at higher speeds, but that is another problem.

I could post pictures if you are interested in my method of mounting buckets. Good luck -Gary

 

in my 78 Bronco i took out the buckets, and put in a bench from a 86' 150, bolted right in on the front mounts, but the rear were different, but I am assuming only because I didn't have a bench seat before. either way I only had to drill 2 more holes and put a bolt in.....sounds more like a direct bolt in now that I say that!...lol, BTW that seat is nice and stiff like it's brand new, just gonna put a solid seat cover over it, cuz it's faded due to years of junkyard life

 

I've put bucket seats out a ford probe in a 79. Used 3" body lift blocks to mount them in the truck.

 

You can use a late model bench, just have to either modify the front of the brackets slightly.. VERY little actually, OR just swap the seat brackets from ur original bench, to the new bench.

 

The seats up until 96 will work.

The only thing you have to do is mount them to the 70's seat track brackets to make them work.
remove the seat from the 80-90's chassis and replace with the 70's chassis.