The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs reproduction 3rd row seat

I have some updated pictures of my reproduction 3rd row seat.I found an original upper cushion at the Kansas City stovebolt reunion.Boy was it rough,but hard to come by.Sand blasted,totally taken apart,welded some pieces in the frame work.Replaced all of the springs from a donor upper cushion from a truck.Made a new outer ring that circled the springs.prepped,primed,painted and put back together. third row picture
I'm now in need for the 3rd row lower seat cushion or I will be forced to fabricate one from a donor truck seat cushion.

The reproduction seats,middle and third row 1947-1959 can be purchased from elhippie64.Contact information elhippie64


Thanks,Tim

Nice improvisation! I thought the reproductions were to come with the radius, it looks like yours come without? Not complaining, they look great!

Looks like a fair amount of work to make them look like originals. Do you have more information on the radius on the back of the seat? How long did it take to modify? Do you have more detailed pictures?

Do you have side by side pictures of the suburban top seat spring and the truck top seat spring? Do you have a picture of a truck bottom spring that I can compare to my bottom suburban spring?

Nice work Tim.

On my frames that lower radius is just cut into the back plate,,,,,,,, from behind they look og. What Tim did was weld the extra steel on to complete the bend as the og frames are. Once the springs or cushions are on they are not seen.
That is the only part that is not made as the originals are

Thanks for the feedback, that clears it up for me! All the other reproductions do not include the radius and it's the first thing I notice. Nice touch!

GMONIZ,I measured the radius of an original middle seat I have. I then cut off the extra metal on the 90*lip and used the left over material for the radius. It really didn’t take very long to fit them and weld in place. I do have some more pictures; I put the most important in my photo bucket album. The upper cushion is an original third row; I just replaced all the back rest springs and welded in new metal to the frame work, ETC.

I do have some pictures; I don’t remember if I took any side by side. I do know what is different between the two. When I get time I will elaborate on it. I do have a AD pickup truck lower seat cushion, but they are too wide. I’m hoping to come up with an original lower cushion or complete third row seat. I’m waiting to see if I can borrow a friend’s original lower cushion, he hasn’t got back with me yet.




Tim

Good topic

Gmoniz,here are a couple pictures of the AD truck lower cushion springs I have.I'm not sure what year my cushion is from,I know there is two different sizes.Top side of the spring cushion is about 54 1/2" at the widest point x 19" deep.
The widest point on the bottom frame work is 54" x 20 1/4" deep.Do you know what I have ?I ve already sand blasted it and it's ready for the modify.
lower AD cushion
pic#2
pic#3

Does anyone have pictures of the original lower seat cushion without the upholstery on it.This would really help out a lot.

Here is what the reproduction third row seat looks like with the original cushions in place.I was able to borrow a lower seat cushion from a friend.
original lower seat cushion pic1

original cushion pic#2

Looking at the truck seat frame work and the original suburban seat cushion,they are really different.I don't know if I can do it or not.The drawing is of the very bottom frame work of the seat cushion.
outline of original lower cushion
AD truck cushion



Tim

Does any one have a picture of the lower 3rd row seat cushion with out the upholstery on it?

Thanks,Tim

I'm sure you have seen it by now but I think the pic you are looking for is on ebay right now.

I need a picture of a lower 3rd row seat cushion with out upholstery on it.

Thanks,Tim

OK,I have an update on my third row seat lower cushion build.This is a template made from plywood 1" thick to make lower cushion frame. lower cushion frame template
I used a upper AD Truck seat cushion frame to make my lower cushion frame. AD Truck upper cushion I stripped all of the cross braces from it,and cut it once. AD upper cushion stripped
lower cushion frame build
lower cushion frame build pic#2
You can use the lower seat cushion frame as well,you just have to reform it.
I used the cross braces from an original suburban drivers seat cushion along with three from the ad upper cushion.Keep in mind that the truck cross braces are longer.I just cut them in two and overlapped them and welded. seat cross braces
seat cross braces pic#2
I started welding the cross braces into place. welding cross braces into place
All cross braces welded into place. cross braces welded into place pic#2
The cross braces that were from the truck cushion need to be drilled to except the seat springs"two holes per brace".

You can use the lower cushion from an AD truck,but have to take it apart and reform lower frame like I did above.The springs width will have to be shortened,the depth is about an 1/2" deeper.

I need to do some grinding on my welds and a little straightening.I'm not a welder nor an engineer,so my template and method is primitive.I will post more pictures when I start installing the springs to the frame work.


Thanks,Tim

Very nice work and photos, Tim. This will help people in the future.

Does anyone have some pictures of the third row lower seat cushion with out upholstery on it.I need to know what the outer upper edges look like.

Tim

Well,I got the springs installed on the frame work I built.I ended up using the Ad truck lower seat cushion springs.I had to bend the springs where they attach to the cross braces.I made a jig and call it my spring jig.The front springs have to bent to 1 1/4" height and the rear bent to 2 3/8" height.The diameter of the spring material is 13/64" and I drilled a hole on each end of my jig. my spring jig
You will want to bend the springs with out heat,so the spring tension is not lost. bending first spring I stuck a round drift punch in the coil of the spring,so it bends correctly.I used the end of the jig"oak 2x2" applied pressure and bent the springs to the correct height. bending springs Here is another picture of the spring being bent. bending spring After I bent all of the springs into place,I cut the extra row off. cutting extra row of springs off This is the result of cutting the extra row of springs off. extra row cut off After all the extra springs are cut off,I had to bend the material upwards on each row. bending upwards I still need to grind the edges of each row I just bent upwards. all ends bent upwards
Fitting lower seat cushion fitting lower cushion

So now I have to build the upper outer ring that surrounds the seat cushion.
Gmoniz sent me some pictures to my email to compare and study.
I have found that there are three different ways the drivers seat cushions were built,may even be more than that from 1947-1959.The middle and third row was probably built the same as well.


Thanks,Tim

I sent them to your hotmail email address again today. I am not setup to post pictures.

Here are a couple of pictures of Gmoniz seat cushions.The upper third row cushion is the same as mine.The lower cushion is built different than mine.He sent me a picture of his middle seat cushions as well.
Upper cushion with middle lower cushion
3rd row lower cushion with middle lower cushion

If anybody has any pictures of there third row seat cushions without upholstery,please post them.

Thanks,Tim

I recently purchased a oem third row seat.
oem third row seat
I'm going to remove the upholstery off the lower cushion to see how the upper ring is built.This will allow me to finish my lower cushion that I'm building.

Thanks,Tim

I got a little more done to the lower seat cushion build.
I bought some bw clips to hold the edge wire to the springs and wire edge braces. bw clip#1
bw clip#2
one pound of 7/8" bw clips is about 114 pcs.
the upper outer ring is made from #9 gauge edge wire that comes in twelve foot lengths. upper outer ring
making the outer ring to spring wire braces.These are also made from the 9ga edge wire. outter ring braces
outer ring brace #2
fitting and clipping bw clips loosely. fitting upper ring

here is what my original lower seat cushion looks like without the upholstery on it. top view
bottom view
The lower frame work I built has a bend in the left side.I copied it from an original lower cushion.I wonder about how many different ways they were built from 1947-1959. lower framework I built

I have four braces to build and install,bend and shape everything and I'm done with it.

The bw clips and edge wire can be purchased from upholstery suppliers.I used national fabrics company INC. here local.


Tim

I had to make 4 tension wires from 9ga stock. tension wire 9ga
9 ga. tension wire in place
All bw clips crimped and all 9 gauge wires in place. cushion fitting

Tomorrow I need to replace a couple of the small cross springs that make an x hooking to the seat springs.This will complete the build,then prime and paint.


Tim

Tim,

Thank you, again, for posting these instructions and photos. I know that what you have posted will help me this spring/summer. One of my Unison/Ride-Control bottom springs and one of my COE bottom springs will need repairs. I did not know how I was gong to get the repairs done but now I think I might attempt the repairs myself.

Have you posted the sources of the 9 (etc) gauge tension wire and of the bw clips?

Thanks,

Tim,any upholstery vendor should be able to supply the bw clips and edge wire.The bw clips have a paper lining for an anti squeak and rattle.I paid $2.50 for each 12 foot stick of 9 gauge wire.The bw clips are about $5.25 per pound and there was 114 pcs in the pound I bought. 1 lb bw clips My supplies came from a local company.

National Fabric Company Inc
901 S 7th St, Kansas City, KS 66105
913-281-1833

There is a special plier that crimps the bw clips,But I was told most shops use regular pliers.I had no trouble using plain pliers.

I will finish it up sometime today.
I'm more excited about this reproduction seat than the oem one I just bought.I'm planning on using the reproduction in my suburban.I will hold onto the oem seat.


Tim

....doing some nice work,Tim.

Thanks Alvin,
I need to prime and paint the lower seat cushion,then the fun will start.I'm going to install the burlap,joot,cotton and then the oem seat upholstery will be installed or I will buy one from jim carter.I will keep this post going until I have the upholstery installed.

The oem seat I have has had the cushions recovered. oem third row cushion
Here is a picture of another cushion that has been recovered. 3 rd row cushion
My cushion doesn't have the bead on the front part of the upholstery like the one in the second picture.I have seen the cushion covers made both ways.The upholstery kits that Jim Carter sells also have the bead in the front of the seat.
How did the come from the factory ?



Tim

Here's a photo link to my '58 seat cushion upholstery. There is a bead on mine.

http://s780.photobucket.com/albums/.../?action=view&current=seatcovers.jpg

Does it have the bead over the front,where your left calf would be ?


Tim

I can't locate the picture of the full seat at the moment, but I don't believe it did.

Tim,

You're doing a great job with the seat!

Did you have to replace any of the coil springs, if so where did you find them?

Also, what tool did you use to crimp the clips?

Mike B

Mike,I only had to replace one coil spring.When I converted the AD truck frame,I had one row of springs left over and used one of them.

I used a regular pair of pliers on the bw clips.There is a special bw pliers available,but the vendor said I didn't need them.


Tim

Tim,

I may be doing a stock seat for my '56 3100 (if I don't find a 40-20-40 split bench seat I like). The problem I have is the 4-speed shift lever hits the seat. If I do end up using it I will need to make a custom notch (modify the springs and frame) before I get it covered. Your step by step was just the lesson I needed!

Thanks!

Mike B

Finally got the lower spring cushion primed and painted. primed
painted
I purchased a seat installation kit from Jim Carter,it contains the following.
Upholstery C clips C clips
jute
Cotton
berlap
This kit comes with enough material to cover upper and lower seat cushions.The C clips are used to hold the upholstery to the seat cushion frame.
I also bought a pair of hog ring pliers to attach the jute to the cushions.


Tim

Tim,

I found that the burlap, cotton, and jute from JC did not provide enough padding ( or, maybe strength to the padding). The original layers of padding (at least in 1954) included a stronger layer called coir, I think.

As I recall, Denny posted a lot of information about upholstery padding a few years ago.

Coir,is that the brillow pad looking material ? Is this the same as coconut fiber or horse hair ?I will buy some new coir,the original is really nasty looking and dirty.It looks to be 1/2" to 3/4" thick.

I was thinking of adding a little foam with all of the other materials I have.


Tim

I had all of my seat frames sand blasted and I metal prepped them with DuPont metal conditioner"acid". I epoxy primed all seat frames.
driver seat frame
passenger jump seat
middle seat
third row seat
I will be fixing the dings in the back of the seat frames next.
Stay tuned !!!

Thanks,Tim

Nice stuff

OK,here is a long awaited update for my fellow suburbanites.
I decided to upholster my interior myself,keep in mind this is my very first time attempting it.I purchased the Spanish brown grain kits from Jim Carter.These pictures are of the lower seat cushion I built for the reproduction seat frame from "elhippie64".
burlapI did trim the edges and hog ring it to the frame edge wire.
This is Coir" woven coconut fibers" also called cocomoss. coir
jute
cotton
lower seat cushion covered
lower seat cushion #2
lower seat cushion #3

I wrapped the tips of the pliers with electrical tape,this prevents damage to the material while installing the c-clips.

I have started covering the upper cushion,but not done with it yet.


Tim

Very nice job, Tim.

Very nice documentation.

Where did you get the coir?

By c-clips, do you mean hog ring clips or the c-shaped clips that were originally used?

I bought it online 2'x36' long roll.

C shaped clips,hog rings were not used on the seat upholstery.

Thanks!!

Tim

Tim,

Any chance you can post the name of the coir vendor and/or the website (if the vendor has one)?

Thanks,

Excellent work, Tim.