I purchased new seat covers for my '71 Chevelle (black buckets, 2 door) from OPG - manufactured by Distinctive Industries. I started with upright portion of the rear seat and that went fine. Then I went to the lower part of the rear seat and I found out that the new cover is nearly 4" wider than the original (measured from the outer portion of the welting). I matched that up to the lower part of the back and it is 54" compared to 51". I talked to Distinctive Industries and they checked their pattern and that's what their pattern measures. My seat covers are the original so I know they are correct. Distinctive Industries says they have sold these for years but have never had a problem - although they agreed to remake mine based on my original - so I sent the lower portion back to them. The new covers at 54" obviously don't fit my cushion - even if they would go on somehow they wouldn't match the upright portion of the rear or fit between the armrests.

Now today I go to redo the buckets and they are almost 2" wider than the originals - both the upright and the cushion!! Anyone else ever heard of this?

Could someone measure their lower portion of their rear seat at the center of the seat, the distance between the two weltings?

GOING CRAZY IN WISCONSIN!!!

Hey I measured my seat on a 70 bucket seat car and the bottom back measures 51 inches and the front buckets measures 21 1/4 inches wide on the bottom Hope this helps Jim

Thanks Jim, can you measure the upper portion of the bucket? Go about 6" down from the very top welting - right where the welting goes around the top edge of the vertical pleats. My old covers measure 17 1/2" there and the new ones are 19".
Thanks for your help!

I ordered the rear seat cover from NPD and it was too small. Sent it back and had my upholstery guy order from a dif place for me

I'm not sure if I measured the right width , but I get 19 inches for the width of the seats about 6 inches down from the top, these seats have been reupholstered and I don't know if the welting is in the same place as stock though. Jim