TF - Stock Bench Seat Questions

[Dan in Pasadena]

I stripped the old, super dry, cracking upholstery off my TF bench set frame today and noticed a few things I have questions about. First, here's a few photos of what I'm asking about:

So I never realized our seats have a sheet metal bottom. I assume everyone's does? Are these square holes in the bottom "breathers" to allow air to escape when someone sits on the seat?

If they are then why are they basically covered on the underside of the seat with these dried out plastic covers? Seems counterproductive. Can I remove these covers?


At some point one of the seat back pivot bolts must have fallen out and been lost. The owner substituted the bolt I found installed which is obviously not the same size as the other one. Because of this the factory hole has been worn too large and now I'll have to patch and re-drill a correct size hole. Does anyone know if thes bolts are reproduced? They seem to be an odd bolt with a very large head and a shoulder. ALso, because i'm alittel anal i'd like them to be stainless so I can polish them. I am having the frame sandblasted and powder coated gloss black just so the portion that is visible will look "right" - to me anyway.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I took too much time. Anyway, here's the factory hole - good. The other side is almost twice this diameter - bad.


Overall I THINK the seat frames are in excellent condition because there are no broken springs and no sags visible. Usually the driver side of any car seat over time gets depressed or droops. There's some rust especially on the sheet metal; which is fairly light gauge, but no rust-through.

Anyone experienced with these seats that can answer? JJ (Chuckdriver) did you see your seat's frame when you had it redone? You say you removed 2" of the seat back to keep it below the window. From what I've seen that would be a major operation to do properly and re-string all the springs. Did your guy use springs or the plywood/foam only?

[ChuckDriver]

Dan, my seat looked the same when I removed the covers and foam.

The black square on the bottom on mine was rubber and still in perfect shape, I just cleaned it up and reinstalled it. You could easy reproduce it with an old tire tube or other rubber material.

All of the springs were removed from my back and bottom. That made it easy to cut the back down before using the wood and foam to replace the springs.

It looks like the nut plates are missing in the large holes on your seat bottom. They must be there for you to attach the back to it.

You are right, the bolts have a large head and shank on them that allows the back to pivot on. If you need a pic let me know and I'll pull one of mine out for you.

[Dan in Pasadena]

JJ,
I'd really appreciate a picture of these nut plates you're describing. As I was taking it apart I realized the bolts weren't IN the holes at all. They were both riding up against the lower edge of the seat bottom! I don't know if they did that intentionally or it just happened over time as the oversized hole let the bolt/nut come out?

On yours if it has no springs anymore then the only qcushionin gigs from the foam? And it feels fine so far? Have you driven it much since this was done?

PS: Was your level of rust similar to mine? Did you blast it or sand it off?

[ChuckDriver]

Dan, I don't have a pic of the nut plates, sorry. But I can get you a pick of the attachment bolt if you need that.

No springs are in my seat now and it feels great! I don't think springs are used in new car seats, just foam these days.

Mine didn't have as much rust, so I just sanded and sprayed it with Rustoleum paint.

[tmoble]

find a big washer with the same diameter hole as the seat, weld it on there. If you find some nice shouldered bolts use whatever washer fits them.

My 70 Malibu has seat belt bolts that look like they'd be about right. The ones for the center belts in the front have extra long shoulders since they have 3 belts stacked on them.

Those rubber covers were supposed act as a damper, slowing the passage of air in and out of the big seat box. Sort of a crude shock absorber. The probably advertised it an air ride or air cushion seat.

What size is the good hole? 3/4"?

If the nut plates are gone don't waste time on them. Fix a piece of strap so it fits in there and weld a nut to it.

[Coupeguy2001]

you shoulda bought my truck seat Dan,
it is riding around in Tennessee in some guy's daughter's 58.
cost him $200 just to get it there
I know, doesn't help u now

[1project2many]

The lower plate you pictured was part of a discussion a few years ago. Mine doesn't have one and I don't remember either of the seats in my first '55 having one. I don't believe there was a consensus on which trucks/years/makes had the seat that you pictured. There was an "air cushion" seat available as an option but that one actually had bladders under the seat instead of springs.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...55ctsm0113.htm
I have never seen one in person but I know someone on the forum posted pictures of one a year or two ago.


The seat in my '57 had some broken sprngs when it was disassembled. I didn't do that job though. The interior shop I used in MT told me they replaced the springs. They also welded up a couple of broken supports as well. My seat came from a truck at the junkyard so it's no surprise it had some damage. It rode like an old truck seat before it was repaired and it rides like an old truck seat now. At least the cloth cover is much nicer than the old vinyl.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Interesting link. It clearly says it applies to 1955 2nd series but the photo they used shows a '47-'55.1 seat.

I'd never heard there was such a thing as an air seat or a bladder system. Again, interesting.

[1project2many]

Couple more references...
http://www.trifive.com/55-59Assy.pdf

P. 123 / Sheet 63 shows a stock '55 seat. This series of pictures shows the lower plate and valves (rubber flaps) like on your seat.


Index for the assembly manual can be found here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...6&d=1293057328

The TF style air cushion seat is on pp. 615-616.

[paulspickupparts]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I stripped the old, super dry, cracking upholstery off my TF bench set frame today and noticed a few things I have questions about. First, here's a few photos of what I'm asking about:

So I never realized our seats have a sheet metal bottom. I assume everyone's does? Are these square holes in the bottom "breathers" to allow air to escape when someone sits on the seat?

If they are then why are they basically covered on the underside of the seat with these dried out plastic covers? Seems counterproductive. Can I remove these covers?


At some point one of the seat back pivot bolts must have fallen out and been lost. The owner substituted the bolt I found installed which is obviously not the same size as the other one. Because of this the factory hole has been worn too large and now I'll have to patch and re-drill a correct size hole. Does anyone know if thes bolts are reproduced? They seem to be an odd bolt with a very large head and a shoulder. ALso, because i'm alittel anal i'd like them to be stainless so I can polish them. I am having the frame sandblasted and powder coated gloss black just so the portion that is visible will look "right" - to me anyway.

The 55-57 trucks use a different bolt than the 58-59 . As of last night they were not reproduced . But who knows what China was up to while we were sleeping.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Well, fortunately I have another '55-'59 seat I can scavenge from. No idea what year it originally came from, I guess I'll find out if the bolts are different. I haven't looked at it yet but if it has one of these bolts I'll take it. Also, if the seat back frame doesn't have worn out holes I may mix & match bottom and top seat frames to get one good seat out of them.