The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Pictures of Spanish grain vinyl bench seat?

Hi guys, does anyone have a few pics of their spanish grain vinyl seat covers installed in the truck? Thanks!

Dave, not sure which forum but someone posted a pic of this very thing a few days ago...........if I run across it tonight I'll come back and post it.

I'll try to throw a fresh one up tomorrow.

Thanks guys...I could not find the earlier post that you referred to that had a pic in it...

Dave,sorry for the delay. Weather has been crappy this weekend and the shop is full. The truck has relinquished it's shop spot to a more needy project and has been living in a hay shed the last week or so. However rain stopped today and I pulled it out and used my old iphone 4s to shoot the images below. Hope they help.

Added in edit: As I'm suspect most will notice, this is my first seat cover installation, on looking at the pictures it's sure obvious.

Dave, I just clicked on your 50, 3600 project link and all I can say is "GOOD Job Sir". I really like the way it's coming along, brown is now one of my favorite truck colors.

Thanks for the pics Moparguy- very helpful... sure looks nice on your 3600. The cover job looks nice and straight too.

Seats look awesome From what vendor did you get your seat cover/kit?

Scooter, purchased the cover from Jim Carter. Details from the invoice are; UP148FS SEAT KIT 50-55 SPANISH GRAIN Brown
FRENCH STITCHING

Please know it only had the seat covers, bottom and back. No kit. I used hog ring pliers and hog rings to fasten it. Over the springs on the back, medium pile carpet secured with hog rings. Wanted to keep it thin as possible. On the bottom it was 1/2" hardware cloth, then more carpet, then the seat cover.

I used the hardware cloth to unitize the springs, making them less likely to sag when one sets down. I now wish I'd have used one or two of the closed cell foam exercise mats (we no longer use) in place of the carpet on the seat bottoms. It sets fine for an hour or so, but them my butt gets very unhappy, to the point I carry a cushion to set on during long drives. Sorta like driving a vintage IH or JD tractor with the metal seat, well not that bad but the cushion is nice on trips.

RonR

Added in edit. Scooter, I've both clicked on your truck before and read a bit about your epic trip to Alaska. Just reviewed the pics again. Man, do I feel unworthy! I do suspect you can share "tired butt" stories with the best. Well Done Sir!

Excellent advice: "I used the hardware cloth to unitize the springs, making them less likely to sag when one sets down. I now wish I'd have used one or two of the closed cell foam exercise mats (we no longer use) in place of the carpet on the seat bottoms."

Read carefully, and do not ignore. JCs kits are inadequate (and, missing one layer that was used in the original seats).

I still haven't found a covering kit I'm happy with- Ron's looks better than mine, but it's still not an exact duplicate of the factory curve on the seat bottom. The one from LMC that I installed has square corners at the front of the seat bottom, and looks like hell. I'm still looking for a sewn cover that is exactly as the original: A 90 degree CURVE. Have people forgotten how to sew a curve????

Dave, I found the original seat covers recently (thought I'd thrown away). The pictures below may help with identifying a set of covers that more closely duplicate the originals.

As shown on the images, the major difference from original and the reproductions is the seat material is cut different. Stock has one piece you set on, with a separate skirt going down to the floor. Reproduction takes the seat part down to the floor. Saving a seam. Hadn't really noticed the difference till you pointed it out. Good Eye!

Sorta wish now I hadn't cut the originals off the frame. Maybe next time.

Very instructive moparguy, thanks for the pics and info. In 1986 my friend's mom did heavy duty sewing and was able to make patterns from original covers and very little wear after 32 years!! Except the drivers side piping wants to come off and the texture is not right. Leaning toward spanish grain maroon of the same texture and quality look as your brown, undecided yet as to original piping versus French stitch. Underseat padding is no less important, thanks for the insight on that. Shelley the truck also appreciates your comments about the AK drive. It's been a few years and she still wears me out like a cheap treadmill.

Thanks for the additional pics- that is exactly what I'm talking about. I also threw away my original cover... but here it is before I removed it:

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/jAqEqREA5xfuhEM13[/img]

The difference it makes (to me) is huge- that crisp, curved seat edge is one of the first things you see when you open the door. Hopefully I don't have to have one custom sewn.

Here's another one that I found: [img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/eTubWDMuzd21D6UA2[/img]

The covers are out there, found this, (scroll down to just past the halfway point). Unfortunately no mention of the seat cover vendor. Of course it could have been a shop sewn cover.

Well, after more netsearch, I'm thinking two options exist:

1. Buy from the vendor of choice, then take the cover set to an upholstery shop and have them cut/sew as required and add piping so it matches the original style.

2. Source original style material and have a shop make proper covers using available photos for reference.

Good Luck and do post up if you find a solution.

RonR

Here is a picture of Jim Carter’s maroon color ‘Spanish Grain’ vinyl seat cover installed in my truck. As noted earlier, it is not the exact grain pattern or stitch line as the original cover, but it’s very similar. As I recall, another member from Georgia?- a while back located a source for material a bit more like the original grain if you choose to make your own.

For comparison, here is a swatch of original seat cover from a 1950 seat.

Ron- thanks for the link. RdsLessTaken- that maroon looks really nice. The pattern is definitely an improvement on the squared-off kits out there.

The search continues. I will post any updates here, if I ever find a vendor that is doing it the right way.

Dave,

I was all set to order a seat cover and then I started to study this thread. My seat springs seem to be in good shape, but the cover and padding need some work. I'm going to check into the cost of having it professionally covered. Please keeps us updated on your search, thanks.

Andy, I will.

Hi Guys,

Sorry to get to the discussion a little late. I've purchased (and received) seat upholstery for my truck, but haven't installed it yet. I got mine from Classic Industries. Comparing to what is in the earlier pictures, mine is not a single piece (back to front) on the bottom cushion. It uses multiple pieces, more like the originals, although it does not use piping at the seams. Since it isn't installed yet, it is kinda hard to get good pics, but I'll post what I have. Hopefully it helps inform.

This pic shows the upholstery unfolded and shows the individual parts.

This pic shows the upholstery draped over a box to show the seam.

This pic shows the box with the part number.

I had heard about the tip of using carpeting between the upholstery and the springs to soften things up, but hadn't heard about the closed cell foam. Is one method better than the other?

Thanks!

Michael, good looking seat cover.

"I had heard about the tip of using carpeting between the upholstery and the springs to soften things up, but hadn't heard about the closed cell foam. Is one method better than the other?"

Knowing what I know now, I'd do both on a do-over. Carpet on the springs, closed cell foam on top next to the seat cover.

Good Luck, RonR

I found out that carpet on top of the springs requires extra padding on top. I used the cotton batting. I just wish I had used twice as much.

Ron, before you go through all the trouble of layering up your seat, make sure you've got enough seat cover around the edge to cover it all- my LMC seat cover kit had absolutely NO room around the edge (it was short!) for me to put additional layers in my seat bottom....I never would have been able to get my seat cover on.