Hot Rods T Bucket Interiors

This may be OK for a custom, but not for a T-bucket hot rod!

 

Okay guys "my bad" all my point was after my initial fiberglass seat post was, a long low T Hot Rod like Fred is building (You noticed I didn't say T Bucket) Would look better and be more conformable with sports car bucket seats than a T Bucket bench seat. But then opinions are like well you know we all have one.
Rebel

 

I disagree, or you're not understanding my point. When you boil it down, a seat is simply a wedge that you put your butt in. If one finds a wedge that suits the requirements in its form/fit/function (and yes, I do agree, build style) or can readily be made to, then it is a viable option.

 

I'm going to have to agree to disagree, the style of the seat doesn't fit in the style of a hot rod IMHO! I see the seat as more than a wedge you plant your ass in, it is an integral part that completes the build style!

 

Until you sit in it......then no one can see it.
Comfort has to be priority one looks second. JMO

 

Nah, I think we're just miscommunicating. I'm not disagreeing with the fact that a seat is an integral part of a build and its style AT ALL! I completely agree with that statement! The Gherkin seat and all the others I posted were really just examples.

What I'm saying is that, yes, a seat is just a butt-wedge, so if you find yourself a butt wedge down at the furniture store (or anywhere else) that fits the form and the look, then don't rule it out.

 

Okay.... back to interiors. Now, I like this and while it's not what I have planned for my ROADSTER, it's a nice seat set up. Ignore the steering wheel and tilt column. The seats are low and the color is spot on. I also like the rounded rear corners on the side panels. Notice how the panels get thicker in the curve.

If I was to go back with a bench, I'd try to emulate this arrangement.

 

Nice!

 

i see that t doesn't have seat belts. just a side note, i had built a t once and it had smooth material on the seat too. i jumped on the loud pedal going around the corner once and it through me to the other side of the seat and the car was sideways in the street. just a thought.

 

I used to keep my seat belts under the seat base. So, their absence in that pic doesn't mean he doesn't have them. As for gunning it around a corner, a person has to know his limitations and plan accordingly.

 

Just thought I'd post a video of a Speedway T Bucket. It shows some basic details. It also shows their Bomber seats installed. Note the suicide door. I love the wheels and tire sizes they used. If Speedway would have offered a stretched body, I probably would have went with them, instead of CCR.

 

Well, my build isn't any longer than the average T Bucket with a 98" wheelbase and it sits as high as the average T Bucket, so it's not lower.. I will, however be sitting lower and not appearing to be sitting "on" the car. As for it not being a T Bucket? That's debatable and honestly, I don't care what someone else calls my car. But I do realize that a stretched body is not what a conventional (notice I didn't say traditional) body style is for a T Bucket. Hell, maybe Ryan will pop in when it's done and delete it for looking "Street Roddish". No sweat. But considering 75% of the cars on the HAMB are NOT traditional, I doubt it. I'm just trying to build the best Hot Rod I can with the limited resources and money I have.

Am I making too big a fuss over stuff like my seats? Probably, but that's a personal quirk I have about things that I care about. It's the way I'm programmed. I love doing research on every thing. It increases my knowledge and introduces me to new things. When I post, I'm usually expressing what's in my head and if someone gathers anything from that collection of cobwebs or enjoys following along, congrats. If they hate it, well, escape is a mouse click away.

I called CCR this morning and my body is just about ready to ship. I had a little scare, however. When I ordered my body, I didn't mention that I didn't want a P/U bed or the holes in the body to mount one. When I asked to not drill the holes, she said they may have done that already, because most people use a P/U bed. That would have changed everything! So, I hung up and started to wrap my head around buying the 14" P/U bed.

A while later (10 minutes), I called back to check on the availability of a P/U bed. She told me the guys actually hadn't drilled the holes yet! If I hadn't given up drinking, that would have been a Chivas Regal moment!

So, my body should ship next week. I'll order the frame welting Monday and begin more waiting and seat worrying. As far as the Empi seats go, they're still my final choice. I did some measuring and they should work. But nothing is ever set in stone with me, until I make that final shove into "no turning back" mode. So, Rebel and everyone else, keep posting seat and interior ideas. Not so much for me, but for anyone else out there who's interested. Hell, there's probably someone buying a pair of those cafeteria chairs right now. Just not me.

 

A pretty simple seat back.
http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/upholstery.html

A door panel.
http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/door-panels.html

 

Pricey, but maybe you could sell off the fronts.
The rear center looks like it's attached, but if you could use just the rear seats...
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/t-bird-bucket-seats-with-wrap-around-rear-seat.1015797/

More info
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/66-t-bird-rear-seat-in-shoebox.778866/

and cheaper!
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/t-bird-wrap-around-back-seat.1070553/

and without the lower that will need to be redone anyway. I really wonder how well these would fit.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/64-65-thunderbird-t-bird-rear-seat-tops-and-panel-/222513477859

 

But Marty you have all that room, behind your seat

 

Okay, this thread has been about seats and it's great But there's something me kinda skipped over. First, I'm going to give my opinion on seat belts. This is NOT to start a drama thread. I'm leading up to something. okay? Now, my thoughts were that in an accident, I'd rather get thrown out, rather than be strapped in a glass car with 10 gallons of gas sitting behind me. Made sense to me.

I held that logic even after being in my accident, which I survived without any problems. Well, last night one of my cousins sent me an email. All it said was, "Be VERY careful out there." and it had a video. I kinda shrugged and played it. Here it is:



So, after watching that, my thoughts on seat belts have kinda changed a little. That being the case, should they be mounted to the body alone or through the body and then to the frame?

Oh, I called my cousin, who's not a car guy and thanked him. He said, "The car looked like the cars you like."

 

Scary stuff Fred. He got tossed pretty hard. I think he probably would have fared better belted in.

 

In that crash, yes I agree he would have been much better off belted in, there is no best scenario for all situations but I think I would prefer to be belted in! The seat belts should be bolted thru the frame and body.

 

IMO if they were belted in, holding them in place during that crash, it would've instantly snapped their spines with the lash of that impact. I've seen the video before along with a similar debate.

(I also stuff my ugly belts under the bottom cushion when I park the car)

 

So, bolted through the body and into the frame sounds good.

 

And, that's the reason you don't ArmorAll the seats

 

I investigated a fatal crash involving a T bucket some years ago but I will never forget it. On a limited access highway but at around 55mph a hairpin bracket snapped in half and the car made an IMMEDIATE hard right turn into the roadside barrier. Not too much visible damage to the car when I arrived but the driver had been ejected (No seatbelts in use) and went over the guardrail down an embankment. He was still alive and breathing but unconscious and the ambulance crew was there and they asked for my help to lift him up onto the basket type equipment used to drag him up the bank.

I thought I was smart and said I will hold traction on his head avoiding the bloodied parts of his body ... until I slipped my hand under his head and INTO HIS EXPOSED BRAIN.

I will never forget that moment and have ALWAYS used a seatbelt anytime I get in a car from that moment onward.

 

Holy crap! no seat belts?????

 

I did most of my own interior. A professional in the area where I was working did all the interiors in the ambulances, EMS, fire department etc. Talked to him about what I was after and was told to Do it Yourself. Very helpful, fellow. Sold me the foam for the seat.and told me how to build it. Told me of a discount upholstery supply (discontinued end of roll etc) Used lauan side and back panels, 5/8 in plywood for the seat base. The only stitching is in the seat base, the rest is glued or stapled. He charged me to stitch up the seat base, but overall the interior cost me just under $200 . Not the classiest interior but it has stood up for 20 + years of use.

 

Welded tabs on the frame for the seat belts. You can just see the bolts under the gas tank. Also welded hitch receivers on the rear cross member for the license plate and club plaque. Then I made rack for the cooler/luggage/tools that is removable

 

I posted an "in progress" photo of the aluminum interior going into my T a few pages back. I finally got the aluminum panels finished and fitted, bead rolled for a little character, and installed with rivnuts and #6 truss-head screws (99 of them!). The panels have some "warts" that I don't particularly like, but I don't dislike the results enough to re-do them! I'm kinda lazy that way. My fiberglass dune buggy type seats went to the upholster a couple days ago for seat and back pads that would just Velcro into place. He said it would be "next year" befor he would have them done, but I guess I wouldn't be driving the car much this time of year anyway. I also built some 1.5" seat risers to mount the seats rather than directly on the floor. I think the slight bit of height will make the seated position a bit more relaxed. Now would probably a good time to blow the whole car apart to clean and paint everything. I grow weary every time someone calls it a rat rod. Gr-r-r-r!

 

Fred, on my semi the seat belts are bolted to a bracket on the sides of the seat, then that bolt has another bracket/short belt that gets bolted to the floor of the cab. It's so the air-ride seat can move up and down . I don't see a problem bolting the belts to the floor of the bucket, then on the underside have a short belt that attaches to that bolt then connects to the frame

 

But if the body and seat are attached to the frame with a short belt, where's the advantage over bolted directly to the frame?