[35WINDOW]

I am starting to look for Seats for my old '35 build. After looking at Wise guys and the Tea Design offerings (pricing them and picking myself off of the Floor ) I am looking at every option. If these Seats are the best, I will buy, but I am looking for experiences here.

So, I think about the Cars I drive every day and how they fit me-I absolutely LOVE the seats in my Sierra and my Wife's Yukon, but I know that they won't work because of the configuration of the Headrests/Seatbelts (they are made into the Seat), so they are out.

I would also like power seats, but wondered if they will make the seat position too high (I have to look cool ya know ). I started looking around, and there are so many different seats out there it's hard to know if they will have a flat mounting surface, if the power seats need a Computer, if they are too wide, etc, etc.

I am concerned that after paying $1500-$2500 for a pair of Seats that if I don't like how I fit into them, I am stuck-now, I realize that everyone's, um, derriere is not the same, so I don't think that opinions in that regard will matter.

So, I know that I am certainly not the first to do this, and I am hoping that someone has some guidelines or suggested Seats that have worked in '35-40 Cars. I will have a Floor Shift, so Bench Sets (unless they have a generous cut-out won't work.

Sorry for the long winded-explanation, does anyone have any experiences they would like to share?

[delawarebill]

i have no experence in that car.. but how about early '70's tbirds or lincons. they most likely have low backs but should have power.
but in any case i do as good a measurement as u can and visit a bone yrd for the day..

[DanTwoLakes]

Besides everything else, you will need narrower seats to go in your '35, and also seats that tilt forward unless your car is a fordor. I picked up a pair of power bucket seats from a 2005 Chevy Monte Carlo (which tilt forward, and are narrow enough for your '35) that were in perfect condition at a local salvage yard for $145. After I re-do them in leather, I'll have about $700 total in them.

As far as height goes, all you have to do is level the seats at the height you want, which may involve taking off the original mounting brackets that attach to the floor and engineering your own and attach the seats to the floor brackets.

[35WINDOW]

Thanks for the replies!

Dan, I have no problem in fabricating new brackets, I was just concerned that with the Power Slides they might still be too high-sounds like they may not-

I will go look for a set of Monte Seats, and sit my 'ole behind in a few others-

Dan, in your opinion, are the Tea's, Krist, Wise guys, etc. a better quality seat, or just new? I see so many of them out there I was wondering-

I'm thinking of Seats that might be power and comfortable-maybe late model Corvette Seats? We have a Mustang, and those aren't quite so comfortable-any other suggestions?

[DanTwoLakes]

With all due respect to Tea's, Shawn Krist, Wise Guys, etc., I think they're pretty pricey. They're also probably getting their seat frames from the same companies. If I was going to give anybody the money, I'd pay Krist Kustoms to do the seat covers.
Shawn's attention to detail is fabulous.

The power seats in the 2005 Monte are very simple, so they're also easy to wire up and don't require very much height off the floor like some of the newer seats with 60 wires attached to them. I don't think any Corvette seats are comfortable, even the late model Corvette seats. Too low slung for my taste, but that's just my opinion. I have a '77 Vette, and there was nothing I could do to get those seats comfortable for a long ride.

Unfortunately, some of the better seats now days are in the import cars. Toyota and Honda have some great seats. I'm sure Hyundai, Nissan, Kia, Subaru etc. are good also. Try the early 2000's Toyota Four Runner seats if you get a chance.

[ogre]

these seats are from an 07 ford fusion.
i cut 6'' out of the height to make them low backs



the power function is close to the seat,
adding nothing in height over the pass non-powered seat
i added a 4'' pedestal to get more leg room for my 6'4'' legs



drove it 3400 miles in 10 days on the power tour
my butt appreciated these seats

[Wrapped Up Interiors]

I just got 2 sets of seats out of infiniti cars and they are nice. one set is a little wider and more square and the other is narrow and rounded. both have power with only 2 wires to hook up and the height on them are not bad. I got them from pic a part for $25 per seat.

[Wrapped Up Interiors]

Here is one of the more rounded infiniti seats. I just got it finished.

[CALI4N1A]

Originally Posted by 35WINDOW

LOVE the seats in my Sierra and my Wife's Yukon, but I know that they won't work because of the configuration of the Headrests/Seatbelts (they are made into the Seat), so they are out.ns in that regard will matter.

'07 and up Yukon's do not have the seat belt integrated into the seat... Cut down the back and you could have a winner.

[Wrapped Up Interiors]

These are out of a 2000 mustang and they were very easy to make mounts the tracks are level. These seats are not power but some of the mustangs were. They also tilt forward. In this car i used the passenger seat for the driver seat and the driver seat for the passenger so you dont see the plasic covering the hinge. The plastic dont look bad but in my opinion this looks cleaner.

[kristkustoms]

Ahhhhhhhh, custom hot rod seats..... the product that used to make my company good money, but has now become the thorn in my side.

I have only made seats for about 7 years now, and in those 7 years, the seat business has changed drastically. DRASTICALLY. When I started out, I used to sell my seats for $600-$640 per pair. I now sell them for $1100 per pair. When I sold them for 600-640 per pair, I made MORE money per pair than I now do selling them at $1100 per pair. The prices of manufacturing and foam has become nothing short of sickening. Foam prices are the worst. Since I started 7 years ago, foam prices have quadrupled. No joke. I have gotten multiple quotes from numerous foam manufacturers, they are all the same. I have been given numerous reasons why the foam prices/chemical for foam prices have shot through the roof, but they really aren't worth going into detail about on here. For the first year that we sold seats, we manufactured the frames in house on a small jig, as sales grew, I started outsourcing our seat frames, I could have them manufactured and powdercoated for about the same cost as I had making them in house. I can tell you for a fact, that our seat frames are manufacturered in the exact same factory as Wise Guys seat frames. Our frames are totally different, but made in the same factory.

I am in the process of discontinuing our hot rod seats. I am keeping a couple palettes of seat frames for cars we work on, and selling the rest of the foam and we will be done in the seat market.

The market itself has changed quite a bit also. We used to sell seats for, and put interiors in, a ton of early 30s fiberglass bodies. We rarely see those cars anymore. When that was the majority of our business, we would sell one type of bucket seat and a couple different benches, and we were set. Now it seems like people are building different cars, later model cars, so the customer needs are totally different. I have looked into getting our foam injected molded ($10,000+ mold cost up front), buying a CNC foam cutting machine to cut our foam in house, but in the end, I like having a small business... I personally don't need all the extra overhead and machinery. Let someone else have that headache!

[OneMoreTime]

I have had good experience with the seats in my ford focus including some long trips..should be able to find one of those for a trial setting so to speak..

Sam