I am in the process of restoring(?) a 68 Firebird. I am nearing completion and am running out of $. I also like the look of the Camaro standard upholstery better than the standard Firebird seats. I purchased a set (front and rear) Standard Black PUI 68 Camaro seat covers. After installing the new covers on the front buckets (which turned out beautifully), I started laying out the rear seat covers. I noticed that the new Camaro upholstery was right at 2" too wide on each side for the Firebird seat that I was attempting to cover. I had standard interior in the firebird and I got standard interior for the Camaro. I also ordered the Camaro rear (door) panels (I know, I know, a damn Camaro don't have frickin rear doors) and they appear to be flat. The Firebird rear panels (the car isn't at my house so I don't recall exactly how it looks) I believe are smaller and they definitely have an attached armrest that includes an ashtray. My Firebird is not a convertible and doesn't have a fold down rear seat. Now that I have the explanation out of the way my question is; Are there more than one width rear seat for the 68 Firebird and Camaro? If so what upholstery and side panels do I need to make the Camaro vinyl fit into the Firebird properly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am nearly 20 grand into this rebuild and need to save some money if possible. I haven't started installing the rear seat vinyl yet or the rear side panels so if I just need to get different upholstery for the rear (and still make it match the front) then I can do that, but I need to know what to order.

I assume this is a bench seat top and bottom. Are you talking about 2" too big side to side? You need to take the seat and seat cover to an upholstery shop. Making them smaller is relatively easy, and if you can re-upholster the seats yourself, it shouldn't be too expensive. If you've got 20K invested in this thing, a couple hundred more to fix the seats will be well worth it. It sure beats eating the seat covers you have and starting over. As far as the rear panels go, get the right ones for the car. There are all kinds of websites that sell exactly what you're looking for. If you can post some pictures, I can tell you exactly how to make the seats smaller.

Birdman -

The trouble you have run into is that all the 1st gen Firebirds had rear armrests whether coupe or convertible, standard or deluxe. 1st gen Camaros had a wider backseat in standard interior coupes (and 69 deluxe coupes, if you want to venture into the "more than I needed to know" category.

Anyway, if you can return or sell the cover set you have, you want a standard backseat cover for a convertible and/or fold-down rear seat Camaro. That's the only way to get standard 1st gen Camaro upholstery for a narrow backseat.

Your F-bird armrests will be fine.

Good info, Eric

We Camaro guys run into this question a lot... Lots of guys with verts that lost their seats along the way.

And we all know that "Firebird" is just French for "donor car".

Please don't flame me, I just could not resist.

Super info Eric. That's why this forum is the biggest on the web........super knowledgeable guys(and gals) like you! BTW nothing wrong with playful teasing of the Pontiac guys!

Ill just pretend I didnt even see that Firebird comment, E

What Firebird comment?

The "donor car" comment lol. (I must admit, it did make me laugh pretty hard though)

I thought "donor car" was a given? Just kidding! CDjr: What are you doing up so late?

LOL Oh yall aint right for that! You DO realize the Camaro was just the "baby brother", right?

I always kinda figured that all 'Birds got rear arm rests so that the blue hairs that favored them could get out of the back seat when they got to their hot Mah Jong tournament.

Camaros needed the bigger back seat for all the, umm, activity that their clean good looks generated...

Camaros had bigger back seats because of the bigger butt size of the um, guest occupants the average Camaro owner picked up.

Time for some Firebird Camaro Smack Down?

Actually the seat is 2" too narrow on each side for a total of 4 inches and I need to make it bigger. I have attempted to find a new reproduction seat frame and foam but there are no manufacturers making rear seats. I am attempting this weekend to take another seat that I acquired and using some ingenuity and some of the clips (i don't know what they are called but they are tubular shaped and split down one side and you crimp them together around parts of the seat frame) and my mig welder to increase the dimensions of the frame. I will then attempt to use the good old electric knife and form new bolsters with high density seat foam. I am lucky enough to have a place here in KC (Muscle Cars Inc.) that can get me just about anything that is produced. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks Eric
Actually that is the exact information that I was looking for.