66 chevelle seats are hard to locate. What is the cost to do something custom?

[cactuss4]

Like GTO seats or heck get almost anything that would work. I'm thinkin It will be similar in cost trying to find a quality 66 chevelle rear seat, vs getting something and having an interior shop make it fit nice. But I have no experience with these types of shops, so not sure if I'm totally fooling myself or not.

I pulled of the "new covers" from my back seats and both frames are rusted out and missing metal. Here is the back portion I pulled apart today.

3rd pic is the lower section that is also pretty bad off.

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

I'd look for a shop that can do custom, completely sculpted seats, as they'll have experience with foams and know what works. With modern foams, there is no need for springs in seats as most modern cars and aircraft seats will prove.

I work in military seating and we use a product called Confor foam, aka memory foam. There are three different densities we use, green>blue>pink, stiffest to lightest. We are able to make a comfortable cushion within 3" of thickness, much less than the old spring seats. So try and find a shop that isn't afraid to get full custom. I'd try and make a new seat platform out of plywood, or just a large flat area and build the foam up on that to mimic the original shape. It will give a much more modern feel, and be a lot sturdier.

[cactuss4]

Ahh interesting, thanks Josh

I spent last night and a bit of today trying to match car widths and look at options, to see if I could build upon.. Appreciate the ideas!

Tory

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Your welcome, glad I can help get the gears rolling. The improvement in foam technology opens a lot of doors for options, not being restricted to OEM seat springs. Like on the 2nd gen Camaros, they don't have much clearance for a true dual muffler setup. I'm going to raise the floor under the rear seat to allow the mufflers to tuck, and instead of 6-8" of seat cushion, I'm going to reduce it to 3-4" and have it just as comfortable, but allowing me to do what I want in the shape/look of the seat. I'm also building my own bolstered racing seats out of a 3rd gen Camaro for my 82 Z28, the shape of the seat will be all sculpted in Confor Foam. Really allows you to be creative in the seat designs.

[cactuss4]

Okay josh and folks, I had kind of an awakening and wondered if this is what Josh was referring too.

so anyways, my seat frames are pretty rusted and are missing metal, I thought initially I would sell those and just go with an interior shop around here to extend some GTO seats and make them work, but then I figured, heck any welder could probably add a bit of metal and make my stock seats just fine again (so I started putting feelers out for welders). And then I think something hit me.

I thought okay so folks are not making repo seat frames (it's a shame, as they make front seats for these cars).. But then something Josh said kind of set in, Foam, don't really need all those springs and stuff anymore, soooo, why would I just not cut all the springs away, leaving just the back frame that connects to the back of the car, I don't need the springs anymore.

So I could either say, look metal / welding genius, make me a new frame that matches "this" give him my seat, I would get a small clean frame that would sit against the rear supports, connect to the seat retainers and I could simply have an upholstery shop, shape, form some quality foam to this new skeleton, they could upholster that, I would not need the springs as Josh was trying to get through my thick skull and I would have a back support that attached like stock and had the same dimensions etc.etc. This just seems fairly straight forward and honestly I can't see how it would cost a mint (this from the guy that can't do any of what he is typing about!).

Here is a picture, if I just kept the back most part of the metal or had someone replication something similar and ignore the springs and depth of the frame (other than the spacers that follow the contour of the car at the bottom back of the frame

Obviously folks also do this out of wood, but a frame would give the upholsterer something to hog clip the cover too. I guess if I put some cross rods or vertical/horizontal rods as well, then there would be a place to tie down the foam if needed, or more like so the foam didn't push out the back of the seat.

Have I made some progress in my thought process here? Am I totally incorrect that shaping some metal rod should be inexpensive?

Thanks
Tory

[csouth]

I would personally put a WTB ad out for some frames. It would probably cost you more to try and have somebody make them. Reach out to Tom Farrington. If I'm not mistaken he has some parts cars....

The custom seats I have seen are built on a wood frame using foam and no metal framework. As stated. modifying some existing seat to fit in the back of your car is also an option.

[cactuss4]

I would personally put a WTB ad out for some frames. It would probably cost you more to try and have somebody make them. Reach out to Tom Farrington. If I'm not mistaken he has some parts cars....

The custom seats I have seen are built on a wood frame using foam and no metal framework. As stated. modifying some existing seat to fit in the back of your car is also an option.

$500 for 1/2 of the back seat frame on Ebay. $350 for a set that has similar metal missing from mine. I just can't fathom the fabrication would cost that much, the upholstery job more so I would think. i'm going to go down this road just to see what it looks like.

Tory

[csouth]

$500 for 1/2 of the back seat frame on Ebay. $350 for a set that has similar metal missing from mine. I just can't fathom the fabrication would cost that much, the upholstery job more so I would think. i'm going to go down this road just to see what it looks like.



Tory

I hope you can get it done for what you think is a fair price, but I think you might be underestimating how much time might be involved with this. Good luck

[cactuss4]

I hope you can get it done for what you think is a fair price, but I think you might be underestimating how must time might be involved with this. Good luck

There is no doubt. But I don't know what I don't know and putting out feelers to understand the true costs is the only way to know.

Tory

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

You definitely have the right idea Tory, that's what I was thinking would be best, just get rid of the springs. I was thinking of building a new frame, but now that you mention that, using your existing metal work would make things super easy. Gut the springs, and use some very light gauge sheetmetal to create some wide strips to run across the frame to give the foam something to press against, and you have a good foundation. As far as labor, any good upholsterer with a proper foam cutter can skive the proper shape for the two seats in a couple hours, especially if you were going for the stock flat look. And as mentioned, yes you can find original springs, but a pure high density foam seat will give a more sturdy feel, and not loose, and sloppy like Tory had mentioned in another post.

[cactuss4]

Yes cool thanks Josh. I told a friend I think I had an epiphany or I am going crazy.. Glad it was the former

Tory