73-75 Low Back Bucket Seats & Console Restoration

[TKCR]

Bought a set of low back truck bucket seats & console from a fellow forum member. The deal was a pleasant experience. Everything was packed well for safe shipping from Oregon to Ohio.
First order of business, was getting them unpacked.
Started stripping them down. All the brackets, tracks, springs and all the hardware are soaking for rust removal. A couple of the brackets are broken, but I have a buddy that already does weld repair on my bench seat frames. So I have no worries that these will be fixed up good as new.

[TKCR]

These are the brackets that were broken. After I get them welded back together, I’ll post the pictures.

[TrailerTrash]

Looks like a great starting point. I have never seen one of those early center consoles in person. If I am not mistaken, the rectangular openings are to hold the lap belt buckle. Is that correct?

I went from a bench seat to buckets and used a 79 Blazer center consol. So much room in that thing I love it.

I have a feeling it is going to be satisfying to watch your progress on this. Cant wait for more keep it up!

[dagnabbitt]

I've been looking forward to this thread, I have the exact same seats and console: same color even. Yours look to be in slightly better shape.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by TrailerTrash

Looks like a great starting point. I have never seen one of those early center consoles in person. If I am not mistaken, the rectangular openings are to hold the lap belt buckle. Is that correct?

I have a feeling it is going to be satisfying to watch your progress on this. Cant wait for more keep it up!

Thank you, I’m anxious to see the progress myself. And yes, you are correct about the rectangle openings. I only learned this myself from another forum member. I thought they were for a pack of cigarettes, lol, since the ashtray was right there.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

I've been looking forward to this thread, I have the exact same seats and console: same color even. Yours look to be in slightly better shape.

Thanks, which is a good thing when it comes to the foam. I was looking extensively for foam, prior to receiving the seats. From what I’m seeing, it doesn’t look like Foam is available for this particular seat. Maybe there is, I’m just not seeing them.
If anyone with knowledge in this area, I would appreciate some insight. I don’t believe I’ll need any, but I would still like to know if it is available. I’ll know better, once I get the covers off.

[Ad Cam]

I'll be watching this as well. I have the lowback bucket seats and console that will probably be my winter project.

[Ad Cam]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Thanks, which is a good thing when it comes to the foam. I was looking extensively for foam, prior to receiving the seats. From what I’m seeing, it doesn’t look like Foam is available for this particular seat. Maybe there is, I’m just not seeing them.
If anyone with knowledge in this area, I would appreciate some insight. I don’t believe I’ll need any, but I would still like to know if it is available. I’ll know better, once I get the covers off.

I've looked and foam for these is pretty limited. These guys have it, but it's $$$ https://www.speedwaymotors.com/OER-S...am,135481.html

[TrailerTrash]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Thank you, I’m anxious to see the progress myself. And yes, you are correct about the rectangle openings. I only learned this myself from another forum member. I thought they were for a pack of cigarettes, lol, since the ashtray was right there.

Awesome! I read it here aswell a long time ago.

My 79 console has the 2 cup holders and the rectangular opening that holds 2 cassette tapes in cases perfectly.

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by Ad Cam

I've looked and foam for these is pretty limited. These guys have it, but it's $$$ https://www.speedwaymotors.com/OER-S...am,135481.html

Huh, I wouldn't have thought to look there. Also surprised that 71-75 foam is supposedly identical. I would have thought there would be a slight difference starting in 73.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

Huh, I wouldn't have thought to look there. Also surprised that 71-75 foam is supposedly identical. I would have thought there would be a slight difference starting in 73.

That’s what I was thinking. I found several places that list them separately, for the 2 styles of low backs. But the stock picture looks the same for both seats, but they are definitely 2 different foam styles.

[TKCR]

Spent some time today getting a lot of the hardware restored. Tracks are done. Just need to get the brackets that need fixed done, and then I can get those completed.

[NWSooner]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

Huh, I wouldn't have thought to look there. Also surprised that 71-75 foam is supposedly identical. I would have thought there would be a slight difference starting in 73.

It's $25 per seat less at Jegs

https://www.jegs.com/i/OER/691/SF142...hoCQh4QAvD_BwE

Will these buckets fit in a 79 SWB? I've been away from this site for 3 or 4 years and back then I had a 66 C20 which I sold 6 months ago and just picked up the 79 last weekend.

Cheers. . . .

[smupser]

Can’t wait to see you work your magic on these like everything else.

As far as the foam goes, low backs came in two styles. 73-74 which had more rounded top corners and 75-77 which had more square(what you have)
I’m not sure but I believe the 73-74 style of foam is available. But I think some have made it work for the 75-77 style.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by smupser

Can’t wait to see you work your magic on these like everything else.

As far as the foam goes, low backs came in two styles. 73-74 which had more rounded top corners and 75-77 which had more square(what you have)
I’m not sure but I believe the 73-74 style of foam is available. But I think some have made it work for the 75-77 style.

That’s what I’m seeing also, that’s theres 2 styles. But all the vendors show just the one stock photo, so it’s confusing. At this point, I don’t think these are going to need foam, but I’ll know better after I get the covers off today.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by NWSooner

It's $25 per seat less at Jegs

https://www.jegs.com/i/OER/691/SF142...hoCQh4QAvD_BwE

Will these buckets fit in a 79 SWB? I've been away from this site for 3 or 4 years and back then I had a 66 C20 which I sold 6 months ago and just picked up the 79 last weekend.

Cheers. . . .

They will fit in any 73-87 truck. They just need the extra mount shown here.

[NWSooner]

Originally Posted by TKCR

They will fit in any 73-87 truck. They just need the extra mount shown here.

Thank you very much TKCR and please forgive my ignorance, what vehicles and years did they originally come in so I can start looking for a pair? Also do you seel those brackets or where does a guy get them?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by NWSooner

Thank you very much TKCR and please forgive my ignorance, what vehicles and years did they originally come in so I can start looking for a pair? Also do you seel those brackets or where does a guy get them?

You would be better off buying the fabricated brackets. The bucket seats were pretty rare in the trucks, so the likely hood of finding some are slim. Then they have to be cut out. The guy that makes and sells them, is Kenny Whitman. You can find him on FB or Messenger. He’s out in Washington state.

[smupser]

Originally Posted by NWSooner

Thank you very much TKCR and please forgive my ignorance, what vehicles and years did they originally come in so I can start looking for a pair? Also do you seel those brackets or where does a guy get them?

They came in 73-77 trucks and K5 blazers before they made the switch to hi backs in 77 1/2. The seats are identical between the trucks and k5s. What’s difference is the mounting brackets as the floors are different. K5s have a flat floor and trucks have a hump. As Tina said the trucks that came with buckets are rare, so your better off looking for k5 seats and contacting Ken Whitman(chop shop squarebody) for a set of his seat brackets which are better than the originals. You will need a bench seat slider setup for the drivers side seat. Hope this helps.

[TKCR]

Thank you Aaron for more clarification. I’m learning

[dagnabbitt]

I've heard or read that low back buckets in early square trucks account for, like, 1-2% of total productions numbers, so they are quite rare indeed. I think it might be much less, I have never actually seen a truck (in person) that was "born" with them.

Possibly they are not as rare, though as the truck-style brackets and sliders! Since Blazers also had a nearly identical low back seat (they just had plastic backs on them) - but different brackets due to their flat floor - there are actually more buckets than brackets available for sale in the used parts market. And, as TKCR notes, very few people bothered to grab the additional "A" shaped bracket needed since it needed to be cut or chiseled out.

I personally think it is one of the best looking buckets GM made, I love that little medallion in the centre. So 70's.

[NWSooner]

smupser & TKCR thank you so much for the excellent information.

Have a great weekend!

[smupser]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

- there are actually more buckets than brackets available for sale in the used parts market. And, as TKCR notes, very few people bothered to grab the additional "A" shaped bracket needed since it needed to be cut or chiseled out.

I personally think it is one of the best looking buckets GM made, I love that little medallion in the centre. So 70's.

That’s why ken’s brackets are great and really opened the door for guys putting the seats in trucks, but not too many people know about them. You can find the center brackets every once in a while on eBay. But the quality of kens brackets far exceed oem specs. I personally would utilize his brackets rather than try to clean up an original set that are made from thinner gauge material.

And I agree, the square medallions are the finishing touch on them. But they only came on the 75-77 style of low backs. I’m a fan of the earlier 73-74 style with the rounded edges is trucks, but they are even harder to find than the later style

[TKCR]

Got the covers off today, and the Medallions. I’m not going to need foam, these are perfectly fine. Going to hit the bottom of the frame with the sandblaster and repaint. Now it’s a matter of waiting for covers to be made.

[smupser]

One thing I forgot to add. Kens brackets are setup for the earlier style of low backs which has the rear mounting hole spaced at 3.75 inches vs the later style which are spaced 5 inches apart. He is in the process of developing a hybrid bracket that will work on both, but the current solution if you have the later seats and utilize his brackets are to relocate the inner rivnut to space at 3.75 inches. And as far as the drivers side slider, you can just use a bench seat slider assembly which is basically the same thing.