The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors 1949 chevy truck seat

I need help restoring a 1949 truck seat. I found one, but the upholstery and internal fabric has rotted away. It appears that on the bottom seat long springs held burlap pieces in place that acted as a stabilizer for the coil springs. How can this be fixed? I also need help with routing the cable that controls back and forth movement. One last thing is where to get new seat regulator springs? Thanks for the help.

duck457- Welcome to the 'bolt, best place to be

I can't help you with your question as the seat in my '49 was re-done several times but I'm sure someone will be along shortly.

Sabrina

As for the cable, take the old one to Lowes or Home Depot, they have the same size cable, and connectors. Make one the EXACT same size as the original. I did it right in the store, using the crimping tool Lowes sells for an outrageous price. A new cable works much easier, and is inexpensive the way I described. When reinstalling, be sure the that the cable crosses itself in the small channel running the length of the seat. Otherwise it will not work correctly.

I managed to find those retractor springs NOS at Heavy Chevy in Arkansas, but who knows if they have more. Try calling all the places you can think of, try the links section for phone numbers.

i just did the seat in my 48 GMC and got a cable connector that had 2 holes in it that you crimp, and i used a banding strap crimper to crimp the connecter. held up so far.

Thanks for the help on the cable. Got it figured out. Just need help with the bottom seat spring.

I bought the recover kit in original material from LMC and then took it to a local auto upholsterer who rebuilt it for $75.

The burlap is simply protection for the original straw padding. New seat used foam in place of that. Springs on mine were wired together for stabilizing them. Really quite simple.

Actually, duck457 is talking about burlap that wraps each spring in the seat. You are talking about the burlap on top of the seat. And I do not know how to help. Maybe a professional upholsterer will have some ideas.

53moneypit must have a more recent truck (53?), and a different set-up for seat adjustment, namely, a rod. I cannot remember when it changed.

Does anybody have the specs. on the retractor springs(i.e.-Length/width/thickness). The seat I am restoring did not have them on. Thanks again for everybody's help.

I can, but do not have time right now, going on vacation over spring break, I will make the measurements when I get back and let you know, this is if no one else has volunteered the information in the meantime.

OK, it took a while, but here are the measurements of my springs:
5/8 inch in diameter
The spring section is 5 1/4 inches long
The extensions are each 1 5/8 inch long
So overall, the spring is really close to 8 1/2 inches long.
I count 52 coils on the spring.

Hope that helps, if not, let me know what you need to know.

Brian