wrap around back seat... Interior guys HELP.

Ok. I am working on the 49 plymouth this winter. Gl***, Wiring, and Backseat. Sounds like a busy winter.

Anyway the car has absolutely no interior. I want to build a wrap around back seat. The car is chopped ALOT.. so probably won't be anyone sitting on it, but how do i build a wrap around seat??? metal?? wood??? Anyone got pics of how they built one.

Thanks in advance
Matt Wilson
www.myspace.com/kingpincustoms

 

I saw a great article in Rod and Custom a few months back about building seats. I don't remember off the top of my head what month but if I find it I'll post it. I personally would build it out of metal, but then I don't like wood working all that much and I love metal. Hope that helps a bit. Oh yea, the article also had a good list of suppliers for the materials needed. Look it up on their website. Good luck.

 

Since there probably won't be anyone sitting on it i will probably just make some frame work and either screw or weld it to the car. Just needs to look like a wrap around seat. Doesn't need foam or springs. Probably will mount speakers in it somewhere. Really just need some pics or ideas.

Thanks

 

If I remember correctly 65 Tbirds had a wrap around back seat.
Might be able to make one fit.

 

I am really looking for ideas on how to build one. Anyone?? More for looks that function.

 

are you asking for ****tail type seating? like in old wooden boats from the '30s-'50s ? horseshoe shaped...

 

Here's a couple shot's of my seats in my 40 Ford. I built the frame out of wood and had a friend of mine who is an upholsterer finish it. There's not much room for sitting, and its far from comfortable, but its a good place to put a cooler for those long road trips.
Here you can see how the door panels flow to the back.........

.............and continue around the rear seat

 

take a look at 64-66 t-birds I believe they're what your looking for.

 

I'm sure this isnt quite what you're looking for, since its on a bumpercar, but the project would be the same in theory. I made a framework out of B***wood cut with a bandsaw, and wrapped 1/8 inch plywood along the curve. I can take a camera out to the shop to show pics of the construction if you think that'll help.
I do a lot of woodwork, so the project wasn't too bad, but it might intimidate a non woodworker a bit.

 

We did our "T" interior like Chaz did and it looks pretty close to his. Across the back we glued in a more rigid foam and shaped it with an air rotary sander before laying the upholstery in. I'll see if I can find the disc I put all the interior images on.

 

Thunderbird seats are the shizzy. 62-66 or so.

check out my site as I have a picture of the one I plan on using in my merc.

say...anyone got some front seats for sale??

 

How about using a back seat (without the center section) of a mid 60's T-Bird. I have one that I can measure and send pics of. The backs and seats are in four pieces.
Fat Fender

 

Thanks guys. I am looking to build more of a horseshoe style. Thanks ol55 very similar to what i want. I am going to make the seat part wrap around too. Will probably make it out of wood and then just have it covered. Anyone else???

 

Another way if it's that small would be to use a tonneau cover over the rear. That was popular back in the 50's

 

The easiest way is to pay someone like me to do it.....

How I would go about it would depend on how the area is shaped. Got any pics of the back seat area?

But basically I would build a three sided "box" fitted to the car. Layer the three sides with dense poly foam, and shape it with a 36 grit on the 4" and/or the 90. If the space was basically square, I would use ply. If not maybe a combo of ply and sheet metal and other structural metal to create the base. The biggest problem is fastening it in place. It could also be done in sections, with the finished piece having the desired shape.

 

No interior. Just some X bracing under the rear window and the left and right side panels. Do i need a metal frame work covered with plywood or just weld in sheetmetal?

Thanks

 

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If it's gonna be upholstered to look like a seat, it needs to be able to be removed from the car.

 

I'd build the basic form from foam, the blue insulation type usually pretty commonly available at a good home contracting store. It's easy to cut with a knife or bandsw, sands and forms easily. I'd cut the basic shape in the form of ribs to get primary conours as it mates to the body, then shape what the seat needs to look like. Once that is accomplished, youcan slice it into however many pieces it needs to to come back out of the car. Wrap about 6 ply's of good quality fibergl*** cloth around it, something like Ciba 7500 uni directional cloth, alone with a good grade EPOXY resin, not that garbage polyesther most people use. The epoxy will not attack the foam. stipple the cloth layers down well. Epoxy asnd good grade cloths available from Applied Vehicle Technologies in Indy at 317-546-6840. Ask for Joel, tell him Gary Smrtic sent you. No, I don't work for him he is a supplier to me; and he will help you. He has good prices and specializes in small quan***y buys. My .02. One of these days I need to do a tutorial here for you guys.

 

Cool. Thanks.