Just wondering if anyone can suggest a vintage looking bucket seat that reclines.I have a bad back and I want to have the vintage look but have the recline feature. I don't like the modern looking seat in a vintage car.
If you have fabrication skills you can pretty much make any old bucket seats recline if you want adjustments, or notch stops .
Me thinks this is probably the best route to maintain the "vintage" look you desire. In the early 70's I had a 65 Malibu that had mid 60's Porsche reclining bucket seats. Far from vintage I know, but IIRC most car mfg's (U.S.) didn't start offering them until around 1960, Corvairs come to mind, highly doubt the reclining option was included.
You didn't say what kind of a car to give us an idea on the size and shape but I have used the Mercedes buckets with the dial type recliners on a few oldies. Just loose the head rests. I put a set of GM 6way power bucket seat mechanisimsunder these seats and it gives you almost infinite control, just add lumbar air bags.
50s 2 door wagon is what the seats will go into.I've got a couple of cars I'm interested in. The Mercedes seats without head rests look good.I think they would fill up the space nicely. But what's the chances of finding a pair of those? Rambler seats might be too small? I'm not a metal fab guy so I really couldn't fab a set.
ck out pro cars bucket seat. a friend put them in a 64 chevelle and they looked perfect. very good price, and they recline. speedway and summit both carry them.
The Rambler seats are wide and comfortable and they have a multi-position recline feature. The Mercedes ones are oddly springy on the seat bottom which some people love for comfort but also can be odd on your back after a while, be sure to sit on one before you buy them. Every Mercedes from the late 50's through the mid 70's had them, even the common 4 door sedans, so they're pretty common and the MBtex vinyl held up really well so they're often in good shape. Beware that both Ramber and M-B used individual buckets in their 4 door sedans but they don't all necessarily fold forward for back seat access. If your 2 door wagon will have a back seat that might be a big deal. Late model or repro seats always look like dog**** in an old car. Even the ones that are marketed as a "retro" look seem to have plastic handles or ****ty looking hinge mechanisms visible when the doors are open. I have yet to see one that I thought was acceptable looking.
Nearly all of the modern reclining bucket seats are controlled by a mechanism that is bolted to the outside of the seat, replacing the seat back pin. That mechanism is attached to the seat by bolts. There is no reason that mechanism can't be installed on the inboard seat back of the other front seat and be towards the inside where it would be less noticeable. The driver side mechanism could be mounted on the inside p***enger side, and the p***enger side could be mounted on the driver inside. They could be added to nearly any bucket seat by removing the seat covers, removing the existing pivot (likely a bolt), and drilling holes in the seat frame at the appropriate position and adding lock set nuts or tack welding nuts inside the seat frame. Once the 3 or 4 holes are properly placed and the nuts are fastened, the seat cover can be reinstalled and the new holes cut through the material so the mechanism can be bolted on. You would need to cover the mechanism, if the original plastic cover is a big no no, but if you need the recline feature, I'm pretty sure something can be figured out, especially since you can keep your existing seats if you choose. Gene
Clutch, in my 36 Ford sedan, I installed buckets from a 87 ******. After I removed the headrest, they looked kinda vintage. They were more comfortable than the stock 36 buckets but they really dont have the old car charm. Unfortunatly I let DJANGO get my stockers for in his 36 sedan delivery so they are long gone. Choose wisely or you might become disapointed after a while. Mitch.
I have a pair of mid 60's ramber that I am not going to use. They need reupholstered and will take some work to get them out for pictures. Like the ones Hemi Joel pictured. If your real interested, I'd get them out for pictures. They even lay flat, so you could sleep in your car if you so desired.... lol
I appreciate the input. It's my opinion like when I see a vintage hot rod with new modern wheels geeez I just don't like that look.when I see a new leather super sleek modern interior in a ol' hot rod,it just takes the charm out of it. Hotrodharry2 I will get with you,those seats could be what I'm looking for. Where in michigan are you?
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