Ok guys, I know this has been covered a million times. Ive got a 68 el camino with black interior. I have a bench with 5 speed no console. It looks pretty good with a bench and just the boot/stick coming out of the carpet. Should I put buckets in or stick with the bench? I have an offer for $250 for my bench seat. What should I do guys? Thanks, Brett

That $20 will hardly be a drop in the bucket (no pun intended) when you have to buy the new seats. If you like the look, stick with what you have.

You should look for some bucket seats from a newer car. Their are a lot of nice leather seats on Ebay and junkyards that have come out of brand new cars. You could get the electrical seats, heated seats and the hole nine yards. Some of the newer seats even have the shoulder belt coming out of the seat. The newer Monte carlo seats are like that I think.

just my thoughts

You should look for some bucket seats from a newer car. Their are a lot of nice leather seats on Ebay and junkyards that have come out of brand new cars. You could get the electrical seats, heated seats and the hole nine yards. Some of the newer seats even have the shoulder belt coming out of the seat. The newer Monte carlo seats are like that I think.

just my thoughts

The thing is, I dont want a bucket that is toooo high because in an elcamino they look like crap. I just wanted some of your opinions, I trust you guys! How much might some newer seats like that cost though?

The thing is, I dont want a bucket that is toooo high because in an elcamino they look like crap. I just wanted some of your opinions, I trust you guys! How much might some newer seats like that cost though?



Well, while I voted for the bench seat, I will say that the flofit seats I put in my 68 Camaro are incredibly comfortable so far and look cool. But...they take away alot of head room. I went to great lengths to set them as low as possible in the car because I am 6'4" and headroom is important. While the 68 Camaro is not a big car, the headroom is such that I have to lean the seat way back to not rub my head which is then a little uncomfortable. If I set up straight I just look like a big guy in a little car! So if you are worried about headroom, be carefull with what you choose. The aftermarket seats are great but they are usually much firmer which means you dont sink into them like factory buckets. Just some "gee whiz! Thats real freakin interesting" information
http://www.modmusclecars.com/DSC04200.JPG

I'd stay with the originality of the bench. Unless of course, you can afford the expense of changing it out and want that look of buckets. The process is a bit more than just taking out the bench and dropping in buckets.

I would stay with the bench seat also. I think it really takes away from the classic look of the car if you start adding modern seats.

I have buckets in the chevelle and a bench in the el camino. I like the look of the buckets but prefer driving with the bench. I even started looking for a set of buckets, guy here has a set of frames with no tracks for 90 bucks, after thinking it over I decided to keep the bench. Jim

Well My Buddy Has A 1972 Elcamino He Restored. It Has Bucket Seat Looks Great Considering The Fact There Is No Back Seat The Buckets Look Awesome In There, Ever Think About Getting A Console To Fill The Gap Between The Seat That Is What My Buddy Has And He Has Alot Of Lookers At Car Shows They All Like It Lok On Ebay For Others For Sale Many Times They Will Show A Interior Shot Then Decide. Just A Idea

If you really want buckets, visit a few salvage yards and try some out, like an earlier poster said, lots of nice seats in newer cars as most have buckets nowadays. For the Elky, look at the smaller car styles versus the big SUV style. If you find a set you like, just put the bench seat away and keep it, you'll probably want to put it back in someday. Salvage yards are full of bucket seats in all colors, just take a road trip and go searching.

Jeff
68SS in TX

The way you have it now sounds good. If you put buckets in, then it will look like you are missing something with the stick coming out of the carpet.

Thanks for all the comments guys. Im still torn. Unfortunatelly in our area there arent many "salvage yards".

Also the height of the seat wasnt bothering me because of headroom, just because it looks lame in an el camino.

Both of our '69 Chevelles are 4 speed bench seat cars and we like them that way. Surprisingly, even the 300 Deluxe seat is comfortable. You also sit higher in the car with a bench seat. Handy for shorter people like the wife who doesn't like looking through the steering wheel. Our el Camino came with newly covered high back bucket seats out of something. They were done in Royal blue velour with el Camino machine stitched into the headrest area of the seat. To me they looked terrible. Someone else might love them. Fortunately, I had a reskinned set of '69 bucket seats that have been in each of our other Chevelles at one time or another. The factory buckets and console do look pretty nice, especially in the el Camino. Not quite a Vette, but a two seater all the same.

What I had in my Elky (at one time - I miss it) was a split bench from a mid 80's Lincoln. Had it covered in black vinyl and a nice perf cloth insert. Very comfortable and had back support like a bucket, not too high, and a cool fold-down arm rest. I'm 6'5" and had no problems with head room. It was sort of the best of both worlds - lateral suport like a bucket, big tush room like a bench and room for a third person if need be.
I've now got Corbeau CR-1s and wish I could cut a hole in the floor pan to get these seats down where I fit.:( I've already cut and welded the brackets once and it's still taller that I was hoping for. Maybe if I mount the driver seat to my office chair base and sit in it a couple months - it will compress the foam a bit...

Maybe if I mount the driver seat to my office chair base and sit in it a couple months - it will compress the foam a bit...


HAHA! Yea...I feel your pain. I'm 6'4" and I have very little headroom in my 68 Camaro with flofit seats. I spent a lot of time setting them dang near on the floor board and still have to lean the seat back not to bump my head! Maybe I should try your suggestion?!

I've gone back and fourth on this same issue myself. My 66 came with a split bench and I opted to go bucket and bought a set of buckets. Now that I'm in the process of putting my car back together I've decided to go back to my bench seat and install a short console to house my B@M shifter. The bench seats give you so much more mobility than a bucket. This is a no-brainer IMO unless I were building an all-out racecar that wouldn't see street use.

buckets in the chevelle, bench in the el camino.

Hey Brett...your honey can't sit next to you with buckets!

Bench seat - 1. it was original, 2. you can have 3 people in the seat, 3. your other half can scootch over to you, 4. you can sleep in the seat when you get booted out because you spent too much on the beast (meaning the Elky, not her).

Brett,
I'm going through the same thing with my 70 SS. It's documented as a bench and I love driving the bench but the buckets look good. I had bought a set of bucket a year ago and they are going to be recovered this weekend. If they turn out good I might put in the bucket brackets since I have the interior out of the car. The thought process is if I want the buckets in later I can pull the bench and bolt in the buckets. On the other hand if I don't like sitting in the buckets I can sell them.

i voted bench i like it better they are more comfortable than buckets i hate buckets i stick with benches:thumbsup:

buckets in the chevelle, bench in the el camino.

exactly what this guy said.

Bench

Bench in the El Camino for sure IMO...

I'm with ehjorton on this! There's no question! Refer to the Cake song "Stickshifts and Safety Belts"...

Stickshifts and safety belts
Bucket seats have all got to go
When we're driving in the car
It makes my baby seem so far
I need you here with me
Not way over in a bucket seat
I need you to be here with me
Not way over in a bucket seat

:thumbsup:

i thkn the buckets with no console will look great but ten the bench will look great...im in the same position as you. do what i did and go to a couple car shows and look at what everyone has....then do the opposite.......

I see this differently than most, I guess. I'm currently in the process of getting rid of the buckets in my '66 Malibu (which are actually buckets from a '67) and going with a bench. If I had an SS, then I'd probably feel differently, but these questions helped me make the decision for my car:

1. Do I care if having a bench seat in the car makes it less "cool" or less trophy-worthy? No.

2. Do I ever plan on selling the car? No.

So, to each his own, right? Good luck with your decision(s)!!!

i say buckets, swiveling ones at that!!! with fold-down armrests even!!!

Got a girlfriend, wife kids, in that order. You need a bench. Anyways, you have the in look. Do the buckets only if you have to have them. They'll cost you at least a grand by the time you buy cores and do them up. I think the bench and floor shift are cool myself.

If you think there may ever be a time you might need it to haul more than 2 people (inside the cab :D ) I'd stick with the bench. If not, buckets look better. :thumbsup:

You know how this goes,,, if you go to buckets, then your searching for a console. Then you will be searching for a 4spd console for it, then you'll be searching for someone that can change the 4spd pattern cast into the console to a 5spd pattern, new console door locks.... it's a never ending quest to make it exactly what 'YOU' want. That's what is key. What YOU want. I won't go into the pains I've gone through to keep my Camino a 2 seater (Strato-buckets / original auto console) but suffice it to say,, it will be what "I" want, sanity or popular opinion aside.

Another observation. Buckets look strange without a console in the middle. Some cars actually did come with buckets and not a console. People get so used to seeing a console that it just looks like there is something missing. Even if there never was one there in the first place.

I think a bench in an El Cam is a good idea.......what if you need to haul three people?

buckets will eliminate that occassional 3rd passenger (comfortably) from the equation...if it was a car would say go for it....some gals like to shift those gears between thier gams too...ha...

I very biased of bucket seats cause they look better ., But the bench is more comfy....

I am swithing the bench out of my 1968 Chevelle. I bought a set on buckets and a console, but I have decided not put in the console. I the buckets without the console looks good. Additionally, it was an option in 1968. The console was in great shape, but I paid for it $365.