[Snakebite1]

Howdy Folks,

I am new to your site and was looking for information on what later model seats will fit (reasonably) into a 51 Chevy Bel Air. Prefer to use bench seating. Thanks

[DanTwoLakes]

The only thing you can do for the front seat is measure the opening you have between the doors, and look for seats that wide or narrower. As for the rear seat, the newer cars rear seats sit on the floor of the car and don't have any internal support, so you'll have to go back to the 80's to find a rear seat that will work. Why not use the original seats?

[MARTINSR]

Where abouts are you? I am looking for a front seat like that if you don't use it. But I have to say, I would stick with it.

Brian

[Snakebite1]

The original seats are rusted up pretty bad. Not much support left in the structure material. Thanks for your reply.

[MARTINSR]

But think about this, it is often easier to repair what you have than to modify for something else, then rebuild it too. It's all in what you want, if the later seats are what you rather have anyway then go for it. But if it is merely a way to solve the seat issue and you would even rather have the original but think you can't find any, repairing the original or finding good originals may still be the best, cheapest, fastest way compared to finding something that will "fit" then making it fit and paying for it.

Brian

[Snakebite1]

Thanks MARTINSR for your response. I do like the original seating compared to anything newer. I will clean up the original framework and look into repairing same. I will look for an outlet for new springworks and material to repair the structure. I am quite a ways off in needing them but I thought I would get a head start on the repair/replacement time. I believe I will take your advice and stick with the originals even if they take me a while to complete. Thanks again.

[MARTINSR]

The way I see it is often we simply "swap" time, money, work from one to another when we "swap" something like a motor, suspension, God forbid the frame! Often this swap is MUCH more work than repairing the original.

Brian

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by Snakebite1

Thanks MARTINSR for your response. I do like the original seating compared to anything newer. I will clean up the original framework and look into repairing same. I will look for an outlet for new springworks and material to repair the structure. I am quite a ways off in needing them but I thought I would get a head start on the repair/replacement time. I believe I will take your advice and stick with the originals even if they take me a while to complete. Thanks again.

Look at this thread, it will tell you how to re-pad and repair your old seat. Trust me when I tell you that your seat looks a lot worse than it actually is. Re-padding an old car seat. Also look at this thread: Seat Spring Repair