Anyone using school bus seats?

Been kicking this one around upstairs for some time, never got down to it and took measurements to prove it one way or the other. Anybody using seats out of a school bus? They seem to be about the right width for a narrow model A coupe, although non-adjustable, but the look is right and they seem to be in every JY across america. Unlimited supply, I'd say. Whadda ya tink?

 

I got one in my '31 Plymouth sedan, fit perfect and looks perfect...mine has a thin, flat back, not the thick padded one...it doesn't quite have a look that screams "school bus seat"...good luck with your hunt...

 

Sedan, if you could post a pic I'd appreciate it. All that's left now is to find the right color, and probably at $15 a pop!

 

I think they smell like cheap vinyl, look like... well, a schoolbus seat, and are as comfortable as a piece of plywood. Although I will admit, when I was 16 and trying to get to second base one night on the way back from a friday night football game I really didn't care what the hell the seat was

 

Maybe it's just me, but I miss vinyl. Actually, I miss the whole old car interior experience, especially in the summer time; steering wheel too hot to touch, sun scorched seat belt buckles that branded the GM logo into your hand, and the smell of the baking vinyl, sure to scald the backs of your calves if you had shorts on, and who didn't when AC was still a luxury item. Remember sitting on a beach towel in the car? All of that means so much to me, it's things the kids today would never understand, much less tolerate, and why all of my vintage stuff will always have a vinyl seat.

 

hey skip, was that with a team mate or a cheerleader? just kiddin'

think the tops of the seat would be a tad bit high? probably could just cut the frame down, re-weld and put some padding back in and there ya go.

 

My buddy Ollin used one for his ride, im sure he will tell you about it, once he gets online.

 

I wasn't big enough to be on the football team... it was on the co-ed BAND BUS. FWIW, SHE played flute...wink wink... and high back seats were okay.... ha ha ha

 

a nice alternative i stumbled across a few weeks ago, is the rear seat from early broncos(66-77). about the same size as a bus seat, but a low back and thicker padding, plus they have armrests if that's your thing. saw one in an A coupe at the greybeards show in denver. i got two seats rotting in my back yard, nothing to put one in...

 

my name is Ot-to and i like to get Blot-to.

 

They don't seem to think kids need seatbelts in schoolbusses, must be the SuperSeat, maybe it would make your car safer...

Later- John

 

Keep in mind that there are probably dozens of bus seat styles, I'll post a pic of mine soon...

 

When I first went to school they were still running a few 70-74 International Superior body busses with a real low back seat, even at 5 I could see over top of them. I think that's what I'd try and round up.. don't know how comfortable one would be, but they'd certainly look more traditional than a velour minivan seat.

 

The old bus seats had low backs and that nice metal tube running around it. With a cutout at the ends as a "handle" to grab as you're walking down the isle, or to hold onto on bumpy roads.

I have an old one like that in the back of my extended cab 59 chevy pickup. I took a few inches out of the legs to get it to sit right. Not for big folks though! my twin sons were 3 when I built it.

 

Yeah, I know, I just wanted to see one in action.

 

My brother harvested a bunch of school bus seats from a local junkyard, and installed one in his 28 pickup. Looks exactly like the one you pictured.

The color worked with the 40 year old paint on the truck, so he used it in combo with some new white vinyl from the upholstery supply house. But he also found out they stock the same green vinyl that was on the seat from 40 years ago.

I think he modified the bottom of the seat slightly to fit his truck. Maybe he pinched the front a bit. It's not the most comfortable, but I don't think anything would be perfect in a pickup that small.

 

I know a few people that have used them in 48-54 Burbs. They look alright. You can have any good upholsterer contour the foam with varying densities and layers to make it look right, yet ride sweet!

 

here's the seat in the back of my truck

 

Heres mine, I used to bus seat bottoms since they just snap into the frame of the seat and I didnt wanna go into cutting one up. ITs just mocked up in this pic but they are mounted now and work pretty well and since we have a large truck wrecking yard full of busses the price was right.

 

I put one of the green high-back ones in my 26 t coupe,It fit perfectly. and i think it is comfortable. The school bus material is waterproof which is nice when it rains.


here is a super tiny pic.

 

I did use one. It was super cheap at the junk yard and it fit in my T like a glove!
I just had to shorten the back rest a little and lay it back, which was no biggie at all.
It even came in Handicap Blue!!

I was just going to make something out of plywood and foam, but I went to go price the foam and it was cheaper and way more comfortable to use this, plus it already had the cover which I can use as a pattern later. I painted it with black vinyl paint for now.



Oh yeah, and I had to modify the bottom also. not a big deal either.

 

How's the vinyl paint holding up?

 

Jonz, if you're the one that sent me the pic, it looks great. Have to say I like the throw rug as well.

 

alright actually if you prep it right before you paint it. It comes out pretty smooth. If there are any dusty parts etc. it wont stick there. Im not anywhere near ready to do my interior yet, but I couldn't take that handicap blue anymore. Besides, you can always touch it up later too.

 

I've had one in my car since it was built in 2002-- Still fairly comfortable, and the bottom swings up for storage. It had legs on one side, because the other side mounted to the bulkhead of the bus. We had to cut them all off and make a new mounting system, which is still a little weak if I get another fatty in the car besides myself! The only other draw back is that the seat bottoms are short, so if your over 5'7, your whole rear might barely fit on it.

I keep toying with going to a nicer Glide w/ traditional upholstery, but the ol bus bench is still kickin'...

 

Anyone have a copy of Rodding and Restyling, Nov, 1957? There's an article on using a SHOPPING CART as a seat. No joke. the articles' called "How to Seat Yourself", page 52. It uses the bottom part of the cart (where you would put heavy items, i.e. dogfood, beer cases, etc...). That becomes the seat back, the verticle parts which run into the handle is cut to length, and that becomes the seat bottom. Take a look at a cart, especially old ones, and you'll see. If i get ambitious i'll scan it and post it in the forum. Makes a bucket kind of seat. You can add a hinge as well.

 

mine is very similar to squirrel's, except my backrest is a flat board with minimal padding on it, and it's surprisingly comfy...

 

A buddy of mine is using one in his A coupe.

 

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