Projects AV8 seat recomendations

Used a custom after market Teas seat in my 34 and prefer not to make that investment again. When I built the roadster I used a third row seat from a mini van. Works fine, tilts, and have it mounted on sliders but never liked the look at all. Short of building a seat per the Tardell book what have others used? Recover the seat, rebuild it? Classic aluminum aircraft seats look great but can't see me sitting this old body in them for a couple hours. Ideas appreciated

 

My A Roadster had a seat from a Chevy S-10. Fit well and was comfortable, adjustable forward and back, plus back cushion folded for access to space behind.

 

In my coupe I have a 2nd row seat from an Aerostar mini-van.

 

Early sportscars like Triumphs and MGs have seats that look the part and fit.

 

My pops has a 28 A v8 and used tardels book as his bible. I built a seat bottom for him and everything else has upholstered in the car. In my humble opinion this looks the most traditional.

 

Not a roadster but I have a van seat in my A coupe. Had it rebuilt to fit my ass......bought a distressed hide, to fit the era and had it reupholstered. Worked really well for me.

 

I got a couple of school bus seats for around $10 from a guy who was building a party bus out of it. I cut the frame all to pieces and ended up using two bottoms. It's kind of crude but it fits the style of my early 60s build 27 pretty good.

 

My 29 has a late 90's jeep wrangler rear seat. you can find them pretty cheap.

 

If you have the original seat springs use them as they are very comfortable and will last for another 70 or 80 years. Some Cotton batting or foam over the spring will give you more comfort. Some new seat covers and will feel and look great. On my roadster I have original spring and change up the seat covers for a new look

 

Have the seat bottom platform but not the springs so I'm a bit behind the curve in this regard, thanks

 

Pricing out doing my present seat this week. Thank you

 

If you have the riser you are half way there. Some plywood, some webbing and some med to high density foam and you have your bottom. No springs needed and you end up with a lower seating position that is also more comfortable. Pics stolen off google but from the HAMB

 

Before you get to building your seat, have a friend take some pictures of you in the car sitting on boards, buckets or whatever else you can find to sit on. Adjust the height of whatever you are sitting on UNTIL YOU LOOK "RIGHT" in the car. Huh?

Yep, if you are too low you'll look too "gangsta", too high and you'll look like a "dork." You get the idea.

The right "look" is purely subjective, get it to where YOU are happy with how YOU look in YOUR car.

Then build the seat.

 

I have really enjoyed having an armrest in mine. It has a lid and works as a glove box too. If you make it strong enough it helps in getting out of the car.

 

You may want to visit the Glide website and check-out what they offer. I have a Glide framed seat in my 32 3-window. Seat moves forward and back, seat cushion folds for access to area under seat, and rear cushion folds forward for access to storage in back of seat. I also mounted it on a Tanks, Inc. bracket. Bracket is adjustable for height and rake.

 

Tman, it's kinda hard to tell if the plywood on the bottom is inside the rim around the seat riser, or sitting on top of the seat riser. Can you tell?

 

Typically it sets down inside the lip. I helped my old boss redo his years ago, the webbing, which we added, made a HUGE difference in comfort. I am doing the same on my 51 GMC. It also allows easy access to the storage under the seat.

 

MOPAR Mini van middle seat. Ron

 

I used a Caravan middle seat but I found it wasn’t very comfortable. Found a pair of Mini Cooper seats on Craigslist. Much more comfortable

 

I like the Glide seats

 

Talked to my go to upholstery guy yesterday and he is booked out till November. More ground work ahead I guess! Oh well, guess when you are exceptional at what you do that's expected. Mmmm who do I know that has an industrial sewing machine?

 

I used high density foam and plywood to make the seat in my '32 pickup, I got the seat setting where I was comfortable and the back I adjusted util it felt right then attached the two pieces of plywood together, I used 4" foam for the seat and 3" foam for the back, I covered it with a old heavy cotton material my mom purchased years ago, "Fruit Salad", it was only going to be a temporary deal but never got changed.

I drove the truck over six hundred miles in one day, not recommended for a 6' 4" tall guy but the seat was comfortable, the lack of leg room was not. HRP

 

"Fruit Salad, I like it.

 

Some of these seats look very comfortable, but only for a short guy. Maybe i am seeing it wrong but the comfy ones with the big fat back rest gobble up interior room for your legs.

 

The back seat of a 4 door Dodge Dakota. They are split bottom and fold up.

 

I had a Dodge Caravan 3rd row seat taking up space, so removed the covers, foam and then narrowed the frame 5 1/2". This gave me a perfect fit for my channeled 30 A coupe. The back tilts forward for access behind the seat and the seat raises up for storage underneath. The back has an adjustable tilt and the seat front can be raised or lowered. I just started this project and am going to reupholster it once I figure out a simple slide set-up for fore and aft. The original was too bulky and heavy. I am going to trim the original foam thickness and build some lower density foam into the new uoholstery to try to improve on comfort.

 

[AT TACH=full]5327487[/ATTACH] glide

 

these are glide

 

That's probably where I will end up with my seat. Nicely done by the way

 

Thanks, I still have the stock bench seat, which is not too bad in the comfort department but I couldn't get it to set down low enough and it didn't provide storage under the seat or access behind and was heavy. If I opt for a modest chop, this seat gained me about 2 inches of additional headroom. The price was right too, free.