The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors New seat in the 59

I just finished installing a new cushion and backrest in my 59. I retained all the original 59 seat frame and replaced the coil springs with the rear seat from a early 90's DeVille and then reupholstered them. The foam Cadillac backrest is somewhat thinner than the old coils to provide a little more clearance with the steering wheel and got the fold down armrest as a benefit. The space behind the seat is not affected. It required a little cutting and welding, but was not a huge task. This might be something to consider if you are needing more space between the seat and steering wheel.

Mark

That looks really nice! Are you going to make the big show in El Reno next Saturday?

Looks really good! Love the armrest!

Looks comfy

The foam seat is more firm than the old coil spring cushion and backrest. It might not be good for riding rough farm fields and pastures, but for my current city and highway use it is much more comfortable, less 'bouncy'.

Mark

That's a beautiful seat, did you do the upholstery work?

Thanks Craig. Yes, I did the upholstery. In another life nearly 60 years ago I was a trimmer. I wanted a retro-style in this truck such as one might have found in a custom car in the 50's or 60's. Doors and headliner are next.

Mark

Wow! Really nice upholstery work Mark! Can’t wait to see what you do for the door and headliner. Great job!

That would make driving an old truck much more pleasurable. Looks great and I bet it is very comfortable.

I finally finished the rest of the interior. All the padding seemed to make the cab quieter as well as look better. For the doors I just replaced the metal panel that fills the opening on the top 1/3 of the door and added the armrest. I don't plan to cover the bottom part of the door, although that may change. Also added carpet mats.

Mark

Very nice Mark.

Thanks Martin.

I'm gonna add another Very to Martins comment. Very Very Nice!!

Just proves once again how unworthy I am. If that interior came out of a spray can, I couldn't spray it on.

RonR

That's Awesome Mark!
Can you do my seat for me?

Great job Mark! Just a suggestion, use the same vinyl and design on your visors so they match!

Phil, Thanks for that suggestion. It would sure look better if they matched and I may make the effort to do that. I have never been able to successfully stitch a visor with my standard sewing machine, and it's especially difficult if one adds foam padding similar to the headliner. If someone on here has done that and could let me know the technique I would give it a try.

Mark

Your seat looks great. I used to work in an upholstery shop and we would do decorative stitching on custom visors by making them in several parts. We would make a stack of the vinyl, a thin layer of foam padding, and a thin cotton fabric and basically quilt those layers together with the decorative stitching. We would make 2 of those "quilts", one for the top and one for the bottom of the visor, then sew them together around the edge like a pillow, turn them rightside out, then put them on the visor arm with whatever the internal support was.

It always took me a couple tries of turning them inside out, adjusting the foam at the edges, rightside out again, check for smooth lines, repeat. My boss could do it first try every time, but she had been doing them for 30 years. The real "trick" to it was getting enough foam past the seam to make a smooth edge when it is pulled tight. Too much foam and the area just back from edge will have weird lumps. Not enough and the edge itself will look wrinkly.

I am sure that is not the only way, and might not be the best way, but it is what we did and it worked for us.