Bucket Seat Question
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Registered User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 34
From: Portsmouth, RI
Bucket Seat Question
I recently bought a pair of bucket seats (had been looking for a while and they were in good shape for the cost of 300) but they are either 68 or 69 seats (side lock button) i have a 72 cutlass s. I am doing a bench to bucket swap and wanted to get the new bucket seats that are a tan color to match my dark green interior.
Plan is to paint the seat back and other plastic parts with a good interior paint.
anyone know the paint color code?
and to get the correct (if possible) upholstery (not against trying to paint the upholstery as well as this is much more cost effective). i was reading other threads on bucket seats and one went into matching your cover to the foam that you buy... can i put 72 foam and covers on my 68-69 seats? I dont want to cut corners or anything like that but its a budget build at this point with a wedding competing for resources...
OPGI has foam that says works for 66-72 but year one has different foam for 71-72s which i have seen on another thread here. I trust year one over OPGI but if i am getting 72 foam and upholstery will that work with my frame and seat backs?
others have said not to replace the foam unless absolutely necessary, however, without putting the 72 foam in, i would need custom upholstery right?
quotes so far are about 1100 to have someone else do the work including materials... if possible id like to do them myself
sorry about writing a book just wanted to be sure i got all the info i could in the post
Plan is to paint the seat back and other plastic parts with a good interior paint.
anyone know the paint color code?
and to get the correct (if possible) upholstery (not against trying to paint the upholstery as well as this is much more cost effective). i was reading other threads on bucket seats and one went into matching your cover to the foam that you buy... can i put 72 foam and covers on my 68-69 seats? I dont want to cut corners or anything like that but its a budget build at this point with a wedding competing for resources...
OPGI has foam that says works for 66-72 but year one has different foam for 71-72s which i have seen on another thread here. I trust year one over OPGI but if i am getting 72 foam and upholstery will that work with my frame and seat backs?
others have said not to replace the foam unless absolutely necessary, however, without putting the 72 foam in, i would need custom upholstery right?
quotes so far are about 1100 to have someone else do the work including materials... if possible id like to do them myself
sorry about writing a book just wanted to be sure i got all the info i could in the post
same but different
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,964
From: Central Missouri
Your plan sounds pretty good so far. I've done this at least once, but I started out with the right color first off. You're gonna need hog ring pliers and hog rings. Hog rings come in different sizes. Some good wire cutters too. Oh..and to cutting foam, if you need to, an electric knife works. Like the ones you cut meat and fillet fish with.
As to the foam, I'm not sure. Hopefully some one can guide you through that. Its possible the foam now is good enough. You never know. I bought new foam for the bottoms but didn't really need them. They were very thick, too thick actually. That's were the electric knife comes in.
When I did mine, I didn't have good head rests. So when you look at my 72 seats in my 71, they don't have head rests...yet. I simply didn't cut the upholstery a the top and covered the tops like they were never there. Later on I will finish this. I used the PUI covers I got from Fusicks.
As to the foam, I'm not sure. Hopefully some one can guide you through that. Its possible the foam now is good enough. You never know. I bought new foam for the bottoms but didn't really need them. They were very thick, too thick actually. That's were the electric knife comes in.
When I did mine, I didn't have good head rests. So when you look at my 72 seats in my 71, they don't have head rests...yet. I simply didn't cut the upholstery a the top and covered the tops like they were never there. Later on I will finish this. I used the PUI covers I got from Fusicks.
Ben
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,851
From: Snohomish, WA
Several points to make here... this might take a few revisions for me to get them all.
A side release button means its a 67 or 68 seat. If it has side release AND plastic side & back panels, it means its a 68. Metal sides and back means 67.
Very few 68's had headrests- but the seats did have the holes in the frame inside for them- you would need the 69-72 headrest "tubes", they'll slide into the holes in the upper seatback frames, then you can use 69-72 headrests.
The 1966-1972 the gm a-body & b-blody bucket seat frames and springs are the same basic dimensions- that means the covers are fully interchangeable- but you need order/use foam for the year of the covers.
So if you want 72 seat covers, buy seat foam for a 72. If you want 68, get 68 foam.
The only seat buns you want are made by American Cushion Industries (ACI). Some vendors sell them, some don't. ASK YOUR PREFERRED VENDOR WHAT BRAND OF BUNS THEY SELL, if not ACI, don't buy them. The right bun is critical to how the finished seats are going to look and feel.
There are two companies making cutlass seat covers- PUI & Legendary. Legendary tends to be more money, but is a step above in quality. They use a heavier (oem) weight vinyl, and their non-black colors are spot on to OEM.
PUI makes decent quality cover if you are on a budget, or plan to re-sell the car. For these purposes, I wouldn't shy away from them- but be aware their "colors" are not always exactly the same shades as original, and if trying to match to door panels, or a back seat, they may stand out as different (some colors are worse than others)
SEM makes excellent interior plastic paint products. I'm not sure if they sell one the exact color, but you can go to their site and check. Whatever you get, be sure to use the matching plastic prep spray & adhesion promoters so the paint will adhere to the plastic properly. These saw a lot of armorall over the years and without prep the paint will flake off.
A side release button means its a 67 or 68 seat. If it has side release AND plastic side & back panels, it means its a 68. Metal sides and back means 67.
Very few 68's had headrests- but the seats did have the holes in the frame inside for them- you would need the 69-72 headrest "tubes", they'll slide into the holes in the upper seatback frames, then you can use 69-72 headrests.
The 1966-1972 the gm a-body & b-blody bucket seat frames and springs are the same basic dimensions- that means the covers are fully interchangeable- but you need order/use foam for the year of the covers.
So if you want 72 seat covers, buy seat foam for a 72. If you want 68, get 68 foam.
The only seat buns you want are made by American Cushion Industries (ACI). Some vendors sell them, some don't. ASK YOUR PREFERRED VENDOR WHAT BRAND OF BUNS THEY SELL, if not ACI, don't buy them. The right bun is critical to how the finished seats are going to look and feel.
There are two companies making cutlass seat covers- PUI & Legendary. Legendary tends to be more money, but is a step above in quality. They use a heavier (oem) weight vinyl, and their non-black colors are spot on to OEM.
PUI makes decent quality cover if you are on a budget, or plan to re-sell the car. For these purposes, I wouldn't shy away from them- but be aware their "colors" are not always exactly the same shades as original, and if trying to match to door panels, or a back seat, they may stand out as different (some colors are worse than others)
SEM makes excellent interior plastic paint products. I'm not sure if they sell one the exact color, but you can go to their site and check. Whatever you get, be sure to use the matching plastic prep spray & adhesion promoters so the paint will adhere to the plastic properly. These saw a lot of armorall over the years and without prep the paint will flake off.
Last edited by RAMBOW; Mar 20, 2014 at 02:37 PM.
Ben
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,851
From: Snohomish, WA
* the 71/72 cutlass/442 buns are the same as the 71/72 chevelle buns. If you can't find an oldsmobile vendor that sells the aci buns (i think year-one does)... call National Parts depot and order them for a 71/72 chevelle. NPD sells the ACI buns.
Ben
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,851
From: Snohomish, WA
The Legendary Rallye and the TMI Sport seat covers, both require their own matching covers & buns.
I have installed one of each in the last year, I preferred the legendary rallye to the TMI ones due to less exagerated bolsters (still bigger than stock, but the TMIs look funny in my opinion) and the heavier grade vinyl used (TMI uses the same weight vinyl as PUI)
Both customers were happy with the appearance of their seats , but both VERY unhappy with the "feel" afterwords.
The special foam used in both is very very stiff- and causes the occupant to sit up much higher than they should. Both customers immediately took their seat tracks out and cut them and rewelded to lower it down. I tried to talk both into letting me modify the center section of the lower foam bun, but they were more interested in a quick fix...
Cutting the tracks apparently has made them both happy- but seems to me like a drastic measure.... I have a few thoughts on how to modify the buns to solve the problem, but until someone gets me another set and lets me experiment (not likely on brand new $250 buns) i won't know.
So for now, my personal preference and what i recommend to my customers is the standard Legendary seat covers, and the ACI buns.
If someone wanted the Rallye or SPort seats- i would suggest ALSO buying the standard ACI buns, cutting out the center sections in the sport/rallye buns and replacing them with the softer ACI foam center section. Costly, but i'm sure would give the correct feel, and still have the larger bolstering.
Hope this helps!
btw... here is a pic of the Legendary Rallye seats (69 chevelle covers). These are a beautiful dark metallic green, though my camera didn't capture it.
IMG_20131127_230548_367_zps02bd29af.jpg
I have installed one of each in the last year, I preferred the legendary rallye to the TMI ones due to less exagerated bolsters (still bigger than stock, but the TMIs look funny in my opinion) and the heavier grade vinyl used (TMI uses the same weight vinyl as PUI)
Both customers were happy with the appearance of their seats , but both VERY unhappy with the "feel" afterwords.
The special foam used in both is very very stiff- and causes the occupant to sit up much higher than they should. Both customers immediately took their seat tracks out and cut them and rewelded to lower it down. I tried to talk both into letting me modify the center section of the lower foam bun, but they were more interested in a quick fix...
Cutting the tracks apparently has made them both happy- but seems to me like a drastic measure.... I have a few thoughts on how to modify the buns to solve the problem, but until someone gets me another set and lets me experiment (not likely on brand new $250 buns) i won't know.
So for now, my personal preference and what i recommend to my customers is the standard Legendary seat covers, and the ACI buns.
If someone wanted the Rallye or SPort seats- i would suggest ALSO buying the standard ACI buns, cutting out the center sections in the sport/rallye buns and replacing them with the softer ACI foam center section. Costly, but i'm sure would give the correct feel, and still have the larger bolstering.
Hope this helps!
btw... here is a pic of the Legendary Rallye seats (69 chevelle covers). These are a beautiful dark metallic green, though my camera didn't capture it.
IMG_20131127_230548_367_zps02bd29af.jpg
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