I'm wonderin' if anyone makes a low back sort of art deco looking set of bucket seats for the ol' lady's 56 olds? I think some of the old T-birds had a fair amount of chrome on the sides and might not look bad. Any repros out there?
Actually the "traditional" thing to do is using early sixties Impala buckets. They have a neat chrome band around the back rest. I like the 1962 seats best.
I'm a purist... I like the original bench seat. Putting buckets into these cars is akin to putting IFS on a fenderless car.... Well, maybe that is a bit extreme but hey, opinions are like belly buttons.
I'm with ya on that but I'm 6'3" and she is 5'3". That cramps legs and my layback shotgun rider slouch. I like the chrome on Pitts car. Maybe if I got seats like that and did them in two tone it would match up pretty well.
How about getting creative and building / modifying a stock bench into a split. Might start something.
The t-bird type bucket seats are cheap and plentiful with lots of chrome. But they are kind of low for a 50's SEDAN. The exact same seats were put on a small attractive metal pedestal for the galaxies through 1966 and are perfect because they are a little taller.
This is the right answer. Just like my 56 olds in 1964. Then you need a vibrosonic & arc record player. Roger
Some of those Rambler/Nash seats are split, the kind that fold down like a bed. Would look bench-y and give you the option of having one seat back and one forward, plus the fold-down bed thing is pretty cool.
a big car needs a big bucket seat. the early 60's GM's are good, another to look at is BMW or Mercedes....older ones of course. there is a junk yard near me that always seems to have a few 60's models around. they may be hard to find in your area.. prolly no harder than the aformentioned GM seats... and less expensive since so few people would be looking for them.
I guess even the Corvair used those same buckets, so they can be had cheap if you know what you're looking at. Otherwise, hit up an 80s fullsize GM for the split bench and have it recovered, with the head rests taken off it most people will never know the difference.
Yes, the basic seat design that makes everyone think of '62-'63 Impala SS cars actually started out in the 1960 Corvair Monza. The Corvair version had a funky mount on one side, but since you'll be fabricating anyway, it shouldn't make much difference. However, the 'vair seats do not use the chrome trim all the way around the top cushion.
Used early 60's Corvair buckets in a 56 I had. Just a tad wide for me. Went to a late 70's Mercury Topaz bucket in the 55 Olds I have now. The Mercury tracks bolted in like they were made for the 55 with good bolt locations. The drivers side is a 6 way mechanical set up and very comfy. Only $40 for the pair. Had them recovered with the rest of the stock interior. Still looking for the right chrome cap to cover the headrest buttons, but keeping the option to slip them back on for the wifes comfort on long trips....... Slept overnight at the Jalopy Showdown recently. Those recliners sure are easy to rest on............