Mid 60's bucket seats, low back with chrome

I have always had a fetish for the mid 60's (GM mainly) bucket seats with chrome. I am always looking for that perfect fit in a project. They don't look right in everything, but when they do hit the vibe, you can't beat em.

A few examples.
1964 Olds Starfire


1962 Impala SS


1964 Ford Galaxie 500


1962 Ford Galaxie 500XL


1966 Dodge Charger


1963 Buick Wildcat


1966 Ford Thunderbird

 

Don't forget the early Corvairs!

 

1966 Corvair. Pretty sure they share a frame/structure with other GM lines. Maybe different seat rails?

 

1964 Pontiac GTO

 

1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass

 

1967 Pontiac Grand Prix- starting to get a little taller with headrests.

 

1966 Buick Riviera GS

 

Agreed...style and class.
Just say no to High Back bucket seats for our era of cars/trucks....just plain wrong.

 

I disagree. For those of us who have had broken necks high backs are a necessity and don’t look to bad.

 

At 6' 6", I've had to make concessions for practical reasons as well....doesn't always enhance/beautify the car/truck though.
I'm glad for you, to be able to continue utilizing your car....that's what it's really all about in the end.

 

I guess it takes me back to my childhood. Pushing those seats forward and piling out…dad never owned a 4 door.

 

Only problem is the guys with those cars are usually looking for the same seats. Not many left around…

 

You can buy new strato bucket seats, reproduction. You can even get head rests too last I checked.

 

This is true. I have been watching them on FB marketplace and they command stupid money. I keep hoping to find an "off " model that the muscle car crowd doesn't know about...I know it's a long shot, but.....

 

Some info from another site.

I'll start it out with some info and hopefully, this will gain some traction and become the Ultimate Strato Bucket Seat Guide and Identification 1966-1972.
Photos of correct seat upholstery and seat medallions would be good to have in here as well. I will also try to touch base on options that were available for the Strato seats.
Headrests, power driver seat, and optional passenger reclining bucket seats were available options. (Reclining bucket is not an option for the Chevelle, but was available on some other GM models).

Basic Information to start this out.
1966 through 1972 optional bucket seats were called the Strato bucket seat. The seats and tracks are very similar from 1966 through 1972 with some variations and changes.

1966 was the first year of the Strato Bucket seats.
In 1966 The bucket seats did not include a locking back.
They simply folded forward for access to the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle.
The 1966 Seats have metal backs and lower side trim pieces.
Also, correct original 1966 seats had matching color trim on the lower side panels (not chrome)
The seats do have chrome vinyl / plastic trim surrounding the metal back panel.
Headrests were an available option but did not come standard. Headrests are rare in 1966.

1967 Strato bucket seats do have a locking mechanism to prevent the seat from being folded forward.
To release the seat back, there is a button that is on the upper sides facing outward on each seat.
1967 seats also have metal backs and lower side panels.
Headrests were an available option but did not come standard. Headrests are rare in 1967.

1968 Strato bucket seats look nearly identical to the 1967 seats in structure.
These have a locking mechanism to prevent the seat from being folded forward.
To release the seat back, there is a button that is on the upper sides facing outward on each seat.
1968 has plastic backs and lower side panels. Headrests were an available option but did not come standard.

1969 through 1972 bucket seats have a push button located in the center of the back to release the locking mechanism for folding the seat back forward for access to the rear passenger compartment.
Headrests are now standard with bucket seats.
Plastic backs and lower side panels.
The headrests are different than the headrests that were available as an option for 1966, 1967.
Somebody may need to fill in the blanks for headrest information on the 1968 seat and also if any variations in headrests for the 69- 72 seats.

• Bench seat headrests do not interchange with bucket seats.

• Sister GM cars 1966-1972 share the same seats and year-specific information is consistent.

• A-body cars will have the same seat tracks and are interchangeable.
examples; 1966 through 1972: Pontiac Lemans, Tempest / GTO, - Oldsmobile Cutlass / 442, - Buick Skylark / GS (also 1970-1972 Monte Carlo, 1969-1972 Pontiac Grand Prix)

• Many GM cars of the same years will have Strato bucket seats that are interchangeable, however, the seat tracks vary from full size and other GM cars.
For example, seat tracks from an Impala or Nova are different and will not work in our A-body cars.
You can use the seats and have them upholstered in what is correct for your car, but need to get the correct seat tracks to be a direct bolt-in for the A-Body.

 

'65 Impala buckets (narrowed to fit) in George Poteet's Fastlane-built '34 3W.

 

I have always been a fan of the Galaxy, Marauder, T Bird seats. That is what I decided on when it came time to pick a seat that looked period correct and is comfortable to replace the ugly uncomfortable seats in my Cyclone.
I removed all the trim and fabricated new back panels, adapted the Comet seat tracks and had my interior guy cover them in the stock Cyclone pattern, only deviation was the perforated material in the center panels.

 

I have always like the Galaxie seats. I love the metal backed stuff, even though my rides are not necessarily the best platform to ever even see the backs, since most are pickups from the 30’s-50’s.

 

I have no pics to add but I'm in agreement with the topic.

 

Corvair's always used another lines bucket seats.

62-66 used the same base frame as 62-65 Nova and 64/65 Chevelle
67-69 used first gen Camaro/Firebird frames.

 

Yep GM made some great bucket seats in the 60s. I love my buckets in my Camaro, but almost all first gens had them, its rarer to find a strato bench seat.

 

Then the 69-72 Chevy trucks and the 73-later 70s square bodies had some really nice buckets as well. They went to a high back around 1978, but all they did was weld a bent tube to a low back frame. I converted a set of high backs to low backs for my 68 C10 along with the factory center console.

 

I just scored seats and console out of a Thunderbird. After upholstery, I will install them in the shoebox. I know it is rough but the console is all there and I only gave two bills for it, I figure the console is worth that much, that means the rest is free!!

 

can never go wrong with the 60s T bird stuff. We have a complete set in Taboo out of a 60 bird.

 

A local yard closed up 20 plus years ago. I parted out the last 3 tri fives they had. Money was tighter then. I just did not have the $200 for the rusty bullet bird. It still haunts me.

 

Definitely looking for a set of buckets out of a mid 60's T bird if anyone has some.... can't beat the look!

 

I have a set from a '66 T-Bird, along with two back seats, shipping will be a bitch though