Best seats for a '57 Chevy 3100 (truck)

Hello!

My '57 Chevy 1/2 truck has most God-awful looking seats (PO put them in). They're rust colored velour bucket seats with swing down arms, cross pleated with buttons...kinda like a 70s easy chair.

I hate to admit it, tho...they're pretty comfy, and you sit at just the right height, but I can't live with the ugly ass color or design.

So...

I'm torn between finding an original bench seat and having it recovered in black vinyl (or maybe some mild custom design, black caps, etc), or putting in some earlier model bucket seats, i.e. mid-late 60s GM.

I want the seats to put me reasonably close to the correct ride height so I don't look like an 85 year old man peeking over the wheel of a Dodge Dart

The truck will have a 4spd (as soon as I tear out the slushbox that's in it now), so I'll have to be able to clear the seat, possibly by using the Hurst "pickup" shifter handle.

Any suggestions as to some good buckets or other options? What have you guys used?

Pictures would help.

Thanks...

Chris

 

stock seat works good. be careful to get seats with a thin, low backrest or you'll be jammed into the steering wheel. For a later bench, the 88-98 chevy standard bench seat fits ok.

 

The stock seat fits almost like it was made for it!

 

Squirrel -

So there were 2 kinds of bench seats, or was one type for a car and another for a truck? How can I tell them apart?

Chris

 

If you like the over all feel of the seat but hate the look, why not have it recovered in something you like? when you have the covers off you can easily ditch the Lazy boy arm rests. If you can find out what it came out of check with Rod Interiors maybe they make a cover for it or give them a call and see if they can hook you up.
As far as telling the car bench seat from trucks the truck seats back rest is solid all the way across

 

The stock bench seat for a truck is not a car seat, it's a lot taller and doesn't have the metal trim covering the ends, etc. Hope that's what you were asking

 

Thanks. Just didn't know if there were 2 kinds of truck seats, or if you were telling me not to use a car seat. You answered my question. Thanks...

 

There are original stock 55-59 truck seats, and there are other truck seats. The original 55-59 seat is the only one that really fits right. The others can be adapted to fit.

 

We're using a early 90s chevy pickup bench seat. Pretty comfy and just a tad wider than stock.

 

a few years ago I spotted a 58 Pup with a rear seat From a 65-6 Impala - looked great = has the dip in the center for the speaker grill - should be an ez find


sorry i wasn't focusing on the seat in the shot - but here's what I have

 

the stock bench is probably the best way to go without any modification and with the right upholstery they look good and sit good. that is what im using in all three of my task force trucks. i will try and post some pics of my redone benches if you like

 

Matt -

Sure, show me what you've got. The truck is painted a robin's egg blue (would NOT be my choice, but it's period, for sure), with a white roof, so I'm a bit torn as to which colors would work on a bench seat cover other than black or blue and white (don't like white seats).

Of course, if anyone within a reasonable driving distance of me has a stock 55 - 59 bench seat, drop me a line. I don't need a mint one, just one with a solid frame and all the hardware.

Chris

 

i will try and get the pics posted asap. i just been short on time.

 

I use the stock bench and it pretty nice, right now it is cover in 80s glory street rodder type and needs to be recovered got it from Seatz really needs some updating...

 

3rd seat outof an Astro Van, the earlier one w/o headrests.

 

I like your response-LOL

 

I agree with many of the above responses, I too like stock, as mine is upholstered in a "Spanish Grain" material.

 

here are the two I had redone