I am restoring a 1955 Ford Delivery Panel and I need seats! Anyone know where I can find any that will fit? I plan to have four people riding with me so I think a split bench in front so I can fold the seat forward to allow folks to get into the back and plain bench in back. Any suggestions? I'd really appreciate it!!!!

 

Welcome to FTE, I think a mid 80,s to mid 90,s chevy truck seat should work for you. I have one in my 56 f100. It is a very easy install and you should be able to use a split or solid back. I am sure you will hear about a lot of others as well.

 

I would think that captain chair style buckets (that pivot) in the front and additional narrow bench seats (like in many mini vans) would be the ideal setup for a panel when you need seating for the whole team. You could easily seat 7 adults.

I would look for a mini van and gut the whole interior. Check some out. It is amazing how comfy they are.

Welcome to FTE!!!

 

RJ is right, I work in an upholstery shop, and we routinely use late model minivan seats for these panel trucks. Some of them even have really trick stuff like the way the seats are removed from the vans. I know, you'd have to cut the mounts out of the minivan, and weld them into your panel, but it would really be worth it! My advice is to go to your local junkyard with a tape measure and a set of measurements from your panel. Alot of times people get us to build an interior around seats they got from a junkyard. Then you don't' have as much money in your whole interior. Usually you can get seats cheap from a boneyard and do it yourself.

GOD BLESS

 

Welcome to the board!!
You managed to stumble into the finest site on the net! In here you will find tons of wisdom and knowledge, as well as humor and camaraderie.
Ask a question, any question and you will be sure to get an answer (it will be up to you to determine if its the correct answer....lol) Opinions? well, we got tons of those as well and we are more than happy to share them......heck, you don't even have to ask for them, we will gladly provide them free of charge.

When you get settled in try your hand at getting a gallery set up so that we can see your project(s). We love looking at pics. We can understand pics (sometimes we have a hard time reading and breathing at the same time...but we can always view pics)

Glad to have you
Bobby

 

HI; Welcome to the rat race. I'd try the mini vans to there are some great seats in them. I have a set of buckets out of one to go in my 50f1 when I get that far.

 

What they said. Head to the friendly "Pick-N-Pull" with your tape measure and tool box. Lots of great bargins there.
I add my Welcome to the board also. Lots of knowledge and info. here. Not many questions go unanswered. Always glad to see new members.

Gil

 

Welcome to the board!! I like the idea of pressing a latch/lever to be able to remove the seats for when you need to haul something.... like the minivans have.

 

Welcome to the board...looks like you have plenty of seat suggestions.

 

Ford Aerostar rear seats are nice the way they swap in and out, also the Windstar

 

Heres an idea.. On the late model GM trucks the 60/40 ( not the 40/60) where the wider (60) is the driver side, the passenger side seat had a double slider seat mount that uses the first rail to slide forward and back using the lever in front of the seat as a seat location adjuster. The second slider was activated by the small lever on the seat back which allowed the seat to slide all the way far forward after the seatback folded forward. It locks back into the rear lock position after you fold the seatback rearward as it slides back.
It was used on any extended cad that did NOT have the third door or hatch door. This allowed passengers to get into the rear seat from the passenger door without having to step over the mechanisms of the seat sliders. I bought one to use in my truck but did not afterall. I sold it to a guy for a panel after he explained all the above to me. The newer trucks with 4 doors or those with the "access" door on the passenger side will not have them. So look for an extended cab (rear seat) 2 door truck and check it out.
I think this set up is the perfect seat for all panels after the mount are made to mount to a flat floor as they were made to mount to trucks with a transmission tunnel.
Jon

 

The bronco IIs had the passenger seat track that slid and then flipped forward as well. Not sure how the seats would work, but some of them had some fairly nice buckets in them.

 

Brian, yup, same idea as the B-II . I had the B-II and it was a cool little 4x4. The seats were a bit wimpy and may be a tad narrow for our trucks, although some had a quasi 60/40 bench if ordered as a split bench with the auto shif on column.

 

Thanks so much to you all for your suggestions. Guess I'll hit the junk yards with my tape and tool box! This gramma is ready to drive! I already have collected a '57 Chevy Belair, a 26 Ford Model T Coupe, and an old Hilman that is sitting by the barn waiting for her turn. I'll get some pics and post them. I'm new to this forum stuff so I'll get my grandson to help me soon! Again, thanks so much for the help. I'll let you know how I turn out. Have a great Thanksgiving!

 

Welcome modeltgramma! Im down the road in Oregon.. I learned to drive in a Hilman!! Love those old cars... Pics!!