Trying to juggle a beverage while driving my 80 manual flareside sucked. Since I needed to replace my seat anyway, I decided to add a custom cupholder to it. It was super easy to do and it works awesomely.

Here's how:

First get a seat from the junkyard with a flipdown armrest (curious dog optional):


Get a little coping saw, or some cutters or something that will cut ABS plastic and some sandpaper:


Pick up a simple cupholder. This one was $3 at walmart.


Cut off how ever much of the cupholder tray thing you dont want. If you have room and/or want to, you could keep the whole thing. I just wanted the cupholder.


If you care about the open hole you'll have at the back (I did), get a small sheet of ABS plastic ($1 from Tap Plastics), trace the height of the hole, and cut a rectangular backer piece.


Glue the piece of sheet to the back of the cupholder with ABS cement (got this at home depot).


Add a little bondo and sand it down to make a smooth transition from your cupholder piece to your patch piece.


Paint the whole thing. I like this paint for textured plastic.


Flip down your arm rest, place the cupholder where you want it and trace around it with chalk.


Draw another line about 1/2" or so inside the tracing. This will be your cut line and will help make a snug fit for the cupholder inside the foam. Cut the fabric into flaps. KEEP THE FLAPS as you will glue them inside the hole to make a more finished look. Do not cut the flaps off.


Flip the fabric flaps back and dig out the foam. (In my pic, the left and right flaps are too short to fold out of the way so i had to dig under them. Not hard though.


When the foam is clear from the hole, use spray adhesive to glue the fabric flaps inside to the walls of the cut foam.


When the glue dries, push the new cupolder into the foam. You can glue it in there if you like but I found that the fit was snug enough that i didnt need to.


That's it! It flips up and hides away when not in use. Super handy!

 

Great work em! Trucks looking great.

 

Great work. I have the same type of bench, where the armrest goes into the seat back. I hate it!!

 

thanks guys! yeah i figured i might as well try to make that seat and armrest really useful. It's already been worth the effort.

 

Great write up, points for you.

 

genius!! i had the prob in my old mitsu pick up

 

cool, guys, thanks! i hope it's a useful solution to some folks. it makes me happy every time i get in my truck and have someplace to put my coke or coffee.

 

Nice mod! Very clean. Looks a lot nicer than using some clip-on contraption.

 

I have a question. It looks to me like the arm rest will no longer go all the way back up is that true??

 

hey <b>redneck</b> that must just be a trick of the light in the photo. The arm rest totally flips up flat to its original position.