Hot Rods Official 1959 Chevy Apache Build Thread

Well I started to tear apart the seats. The upper half is far better (as usual), but I found out why that part of the seat was sunk in. I fixed the springs and the clips and got it taken care of. It was only recovered twice, but the seat foam was trashed AND all that dust covered everything inside the top of the seat. No big deal, I can get it fixed pretty easily.

 

The bottom of the seat is trashed. I can still try to fix it and frankly it would be okay, but I am sure it wouldn't be a permanent fix. I am all about not doing something twice if I can avoid it. To top that off the moron who covered the bottom half of the seat for the third time went though and used roofing nails and pounded them through the steel, so I would have had to weld and fix all of that up, fix the dents. then fix the top half of the seat... So instead I will salvage the rails off the bottom of the seat and everything else I can. Here are some pictures.

 

Are you going to show us a step by step? It would be awesome if you were willing to go through the hassle and take the time to take pics for each step. I've always wanted to tackle doing my own upholstery...

Can't wait to see the results...great job on everything so far.

 

Here are a couple pictures of the frames only and what my end result hopefully will look like.

 

Looking at the door panels, is that stainless trim I see along the raised accent around the vinyl insert? Did Chevrolet actually make SS trim for door panels?

 

Are you going to use an after market seat cover, or make it your self?

 

Probably just make it myself, its really easy to do. I will have right around if not under $50 in materials for the whole seat.

 

Yes, it is called deluxe door trim, you should be able to get it through truckandcarshop.com or classicparts.com.

 

I could be wrong but I DON'T think there is such a thing as "deluxe door trim". My door panels look the same and I just painted that ridge with Rustoleum Brite Metallic silver.

 

I saw it on someones truck at a car show, not sure if it was fabricated or not. (might have been from another car that they matched the contour of.)

 

You are correct. There is no original deluxe stainless or chrome door trim. The "deluxe" door trim consisted of cloth panel inserts like on the cameo. You sure fooled me with that paint job though. It looks great. I couldn't figure out how the hell you fabbed that trim!

 

i was gonna say dans door panels look killer, but he beat me to it. the seats gonna look badass when its done man. cant wait to see it. i cant believe they used roofing nails...... wtf

 

and I flipped it over and made this face

Yeah they tried to use staples on 16 gage steel, which didnt really work... so I guess the nails were the next best thing... the problem is that they wouldnt stay in so they swiss cheesed the bottom before finally getting one of them to stick....

My wife says I have to finish grouting the shower before hot rod time can continue, so that's the law...

 

'59 Apache,

I could have sworn I saved a link to the source for your seat cover...or one identical to it, Now I can't find it (natch!). Maybe it is on my work computer, I don't know. If you know the source, please tell us.

Green Grenade, Thanks for the compliment on my door panels. Unfortunately, they are gathering dust (and scratches probably) sitting in my garage because I've not been working on my truck in awhile. This forum keeps me reminded to get off my butt!
BTW, Thanks SO MUCH for the pm. I'd feel bad taking advantage of your genrosity so I will pass. Maybe I'll reconsider next summer if the offer holds. Thanks again!

 

I just found a picture of that, I have no clue where the source is... I think Newfisher is the place where I snagged the picture from. I should ask him

 

yeah those door panels are from NEWFISHER's truck that he recently sold. It's just Rustoleum metallic rattle can sprayed on a nicely masked off door panel. I think he did an exceptional job of cleaning up the interior on this truck, and it was all done with a few can of Krylon and Rustoleum.

 

My ears are burning....
1959Apache-Scott, great thread, great build!
Dubie, Thanks!
n847 and dan in pasadena here's the online cover people: http://www.ricksupholstery.com/CompletedTrucks.html

Thanks dan, it was your idea i stole for my door panels too!

 

Thanks to you NEWFISHER I got my idea (from your seats and interior) on what to do for my truck. I will post a picture or two of what it is going to look like, but it will have 2 inch pleats on the top and bottom, the headliner and the sun visors. Everything looks good, I got the bottom part of the seat almost together completely today at the upholstery shop, but ran out of material and pleating foam. I used the excess to make my headliner, which should be completed by Friday.

I found out that he has been making upholstery for some Barret Jackson cars (last '64 'vette convertible that he did sold for $350,000 and he is doing several more that are going to the same auction) and he has been featured in a couple hot rod magazines. Pretty cool stuff and he is a pretty humble guy.

I also talked with the him and since he likes me he is going to let me have everything at cost at his shop (so new seat covers are $50 and new high density foam for both the bottom cushion and the back should be about $150) the rest of it he said was on him, and he would help me install it all if I need it lol. It's good to have friends.

Below is what I am going to go with:

 

I think that will look very nice. It's good to have good friends!

 

Gnarly, thats gonna look badass man. I wish i could do upholstery. Cant wait to see this, and thats awesome that guy is hooking you up. Seems like a cool dude

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Well I stripped the springs off of both sides of the seat and will go ahead and put the plywood down on the top half, but not the bottom (i don't know for sure though). I hosed everything down because it is like 60 degrees out right now, which is nice. Also I started stripping the floors where it is heavily surface rusted and on the passenger side used CLR and water to see how bad everything really is... I was hoping to not have to strip that side, but it looks like I am just going to have to. I may tackle it again tomorrow with CLR and a scotch brite.

Anyway, here it is.

 

Thanks man, I am still waiting on the seat cushion to get in and the other material. Looks like he ordered the wrong stuff, which sucks.

Yeah me too, thanks again for shooting me those measurements

 

Floor looks pretty good!!!

How much are you cutting that CLR with water?

 

I started with 50/50, but after waiting and not seeing a decent result I just put 100% on there and let it sit for several minutes and that seemed to work really well. I need to work on it some more, but it really turned out nice and way cheap compared to blasting it and the time cleaning everything up.

 

Cool! I gotta try that on my coupe. We knocked the loose stuff off the 58 floor and hit it with some Krylon rust tough on a brush. Supposed to keep the rust down. Think we'll do another coat after we get done smoothing out the dash.

 

Never heard of it, what does it? a rust converter? I havent had luck with that stuff in the past... are you guys looking to paint it afterward?

 

Well I spent 4 hours today at the upholstery shop and got the top part of the seat cushion cut, some pattern finished for the headliner, and other little crap.

I then came home and worked on the floor of the truck and started to tackle the drivers side floorboard, which is by far the worst with surface rust/holes. I cleaned it up with a wire wheel and some 3M pads and started hitting most of the floor to break up any large rust and remove as much surface rust as I could. I then let the CLR do its work for about 20 minutes with me scrubbing it with a red scotchbrite... It worked really well and actually made my job a thousand times easier by removing whatever surface rust was left.

I also was able to clean up the snapped off bolts from the front part of the drivers seat that was probably broken since the accident. Anyway, its coming along.

I need to do a little repair to the upper half of the seat and then its back down to the upholstery shop to glue the cushion onto the backing and by then he should have the right material in so I can actually finish this seat up (he ordered the wrong stuff). I am going with a madrid grain black vinyl (by far the prettiest I have seen). I have everything else lined up for the sewing machine and will be working on getting the bottom cushion finished and glued as well.

 

Good news... my cushions were finally delivered after a week......

Original seat back had 7 inches of springs and the cushion had 7 inches as well.

I did a lot with a few hours at the upholstery shop. I decided against using a wood bottom for my seat because it would be too time consuming. I went through and put 1 inch high density foam on the bottom part of the seat and then put my 5 inch high density foam on top of that. All I need to do at this point is reshape it to how I want it and I will be ready to go.

I also put a backing onto the top of the seat that acts more like shrink wrap than cloth.. I will have to find out the name of it, but I got that done today too. I went through and got the 4 inch top cushion on there as well. I will need to shape that too...

I am sick to death of smelling upholstery glue... so I am going to call it quits tonight. I will bolt the two seats together and sit them in the truck to see how I like the ride height and extra leg room. I actually fell asleep on the bottom cushion today at the shop

 

floors look sick dude, those spongy disc things work wonders on the drill. cant wait to see the seat. will you use a turkey knife to cut the foam ?

 

I already used one to cut the foam, since the foam is close enough I am going to use some 36 grit circular pads on the rounded edges using the air compressor... that will smooth everything out and I will be ready to throw the upholstery up on it.