I am posting this to see how much interest there is in a new reproduction seat frames, and / or possibly a complete seat or seats for Chevelles. Our company has been building seat frames for service requirements for the OE's for a while now and we believe we can build a reproduction frame for less than the cost of the ratty used frames we all have had to restore for our builds. We are also interested to find out what kinds of things Chevelle owners would interested in adding to the frame, ie power tracks, heated, lumbar etc. I am a Chevelle owner myself and have a bench seat in my car. I found a set of old buckets and will have to restore them to use them in my car, so I though.... Why not build new ones and add the stuff all us old spoiled middle aged so and so's like about our newer model cars while looking stock! I would love to hear some feedback on this!

Thanks, Oldskool67

Thanks for the thoughts on how to keep the old stuff alive.

I'm not that fussy, as long as it reclines is comfortable and looks classic I'm happy. Power up/down and front/back might be nice but all that heating and lumbar is overkill for me.

Side bolsters would be nice with original looking covers.

LK

Side bolsters would be nice with original looking covers.

LK

Kind of like these:

http://www.motorsportseats.com/customers_seats/images/Eduardo%20Rivera%20Seats/Rally-Lg.jpg

They are pretty nice, Man when I said side bolsters I guess I wasn't thinking quite that much but they look nice.

LK

Reproduction reclining seats would be great. With options for power tracks etc. Let me know if you decide to reproduce the seats. BTW - I would be interested in 64 power tracks that would fit on original seats or I would buy new seats if necessary.

They are Procar Rally seats. I plan to get them for my'72.

Side bolsters would be nice with original looking covers.

LK
I know what you mean. Interior cleaner and power slides don't go hand in hand with stock buckets.

i would be interested, that is if they could beshipped to australia and at what sort of dollars would you be looking for?

Kind of like these:

http://www.motorsportseats.com/customers_seats/images/Eduardo%20Rivera%20Seats/Rally-Lg.jpg

Those are nice. Power seats would be great for comfort adjusting. I'll be changing my 67 Elky from bench to buckets but haven't decided on a style yet.

I guess it would all depend on the price. I have never actually even sat in any original seats. I would guess they lean a little far back for my taste. I would probably like if they could adjust to sit straighter up then what I have seen most stock seats doing. But even stock replicas would do. I think I have seen almost all the parts for sale for them new but I sure could not do the work myself.

I don't like the big lumbars on the rally seat.. maybe I'm too fat but seems like a pita to get in and out all the time you would rub the outsides off in no time.

I would be happy maybe with a power version of the classic procar seat altho I have never sat in one.

Are the classic procars nice and comfy or is it better to just get regular car seats like alot of people do

I know what you are saying. I have been told they are not very comfortable for a large person. I have seen them in a car in person though and they look like they will be perfect for me so that's what I am going to get. I like the side lumbars being that big, it seems like it will give alot of support around the corners.

Corners? what are those? hahah

I only nail it when I can see at least a mile straight ahead..

But yeah the seats look nice.

We intend to offer a stock version only new, then offer options for those who would like them if there is enough intrest. Basically the more seats we produce the cheaper the seats will be. We are even thinking of making an offer for a special price if the are enough folk's interested to get a group together. Thing is when you make something like this you have a minimum purchase for material and setup cost's. Obviously the more we make the more that cost gets spread around reducing the purchase price. It is my hope that we can produce a basic stock frame for less than $ 100.00 ea. That would be a new factory stlye Chevelle frame for less than what you get from the junk yard or ebay for a rusted out part in need of repair. We are still looking at complete seats but again we would have to sell a number of seats to keep the cost down. I can assure you that if we produce these frames they will be top quality as we are QS9000 certified and don't intend to loose our quality rating! Keep sending comments so we have motivation to persue this! Thanks for your comments, keep em coming!

Oldskool67

Sounds like a great idea! I really like the idea of reclining and power etc. Before offering any discounts though, please run this by owner of this website. You can PM him his screenname is Al. Thanks! :)

As far as power seats go, I'd like to see them made to accept the power tracks from a G body or B body since they are plentiful in the junk yards. I would redo my seats again if someone made a frame to adapt in such a way. Reclining ability would be nice too.

As far as power seats go, I'd like to see them made to accept the power tracks from a G body or B body since they are plentiful in the junk yards. I would redo my seats again if someone made a frame to adapt in such a way. Reclining ability would be nice too.

G body seats are actually becomming more and more difficult to find these days. Especially power seats. I got lucky to find a set for sale at a swap meet after scouring several yards. Mine werent power.

If you could bring them out anywhere near your projected $100 per, I would order some immediately. Recline mechanism would be great, lumbar support would also be a nice extra.

64 power buckets will be nice!!!!!!

i need a new set of frames right now.i would be game to try yours.

if they were precovered i would defenitly get them but new frames fully finished from 124 to 253 so it would all depened on how good they looked

i would be interested in a pair. i think just a recline would be good. if you start making some, count me in

new seats would be great. quite a few people here in the upstate of sc would buy. one thing you could add as an accessory to the seats. i'm getting old 48 and the wife is still in her 30's so if would be as kind to make a matching color pad to fit over the console on my 71 camino. it sure would be a lot more comfortable when getting naked after a trip to one of the many car shows we go to. awful hard not to get worked up after seeing all the cars. lol
just jokin you know. us carolina boys like our cars.

In response to the color pad for the console, we have a moto here, "if you got the dough, we got the show"! Ha! I just want to thank all of you for your responses to the post in regards to the seat frames. We have seen enough now to proceed with engineering and getting cost's together. Please don't let this stop you from responding though, we love all the ideas we have seen and may incorporate more add on items for those of you that already have nice factory buckets in your cars now. We are looking at power tracks and recliners as a first order of business as well as offering installation service. I'll post more info in the near future! Thanks again! Ron

not that i am any big hurry, but do you guys have any kind of (make-date) in mind? you know like when will you actully start making these seats/frames??? . just wandering, thanks..

We are hoping to have them early next year, maybe even by winter this year. My thought was if we can get them by December then folk's can make changes during the down season. It takes a little time to develop and test so.... We'll be sure to let everyone know the expected date once we have our advance planning finished.

I would be interested in a set of stock ones. Most of the frames you find today are so rusted they really aren't worth the time and effort to recondition them.

Absolutely interested! I would buy them today if you made them, and my current seats LOOK great (but don't operate so well, etc).

But they can't look cheap - gotta look like a new chevelle seat, stock look is best even if not mechanically identical on stuff that doesn't show.

Lumbar'd be great.
Recline... welllllll...

Maybe some trim color options - like black with the piping in the popular car colors.

Any updates?

i had forgot about you untill someone brought this subject back up here on t.c.. the way they have it here i dont know how to go back in time to find old post.( i also dont like the NEW classifieds)heres an idea. maby you could take peoples e-mail, make a list, and e-mail us when you start selling seat frames...you can start with me. wild1955@hotmail.com. i need 69 chevelle seat frames.

An update on the design, features, looks of these would be great!

An adaption to the old "Captain's chair's" that swung out Like in the old Monte Carlo's would be neat.

I would be in also if the seats look factory and recline!

I just bought a 65 Malibu with bench seats & 4spd. I would like to put bucket seats & console if not too exspensive, but can't find. Basic seats would be fine for me. Please let me know if you do make these. But need advice on console.

I wish you had done this along time ago. I found it hard to believe that you could get almost anything for a Chevelle except the bucket seat frames. I was just looking at a 69 Chevelle for my second project and was thinking about the hassle of finding a set of buckets to replace the bench. Your business idea gives me hope.

hello, is there any update on this subject???

This sounds like an excellent idea. :thumbsup: Just looking at how often the "bench-to-bucket" discussion is brought up here, I'd say that you can sell quite a few. If you have had stock -69 frames available about two years ago, I would definitely have had them in my car by now.

As far as features go, I would like to see side support, reclining back and tilt (always feel more comfortable with my seat tilted back a bit). Being able to raise it and lower it would be neat too, but not really necessary. Power features are really not all that important to me. I'm the only one driving the car, and I would only adjust it a couple of times to get it right and then leave it like that.

One thing that would probably be important is to make them look as close to stock as possible. Even better, if you can use a stock cover, you don't have to worry about making any covers at all. If you do that, you could offer them covered or uncovered, as those who want to do it themselves could easily get what they need from the aftermarket companies. It would definitely be very sweet to have "stealth" seats that look like stock, but with the comfort of a modern seat.

I hope that this project is still in the works, and I think you need to bring it up with companies like Ground Up and Year One. That way, you'll have a better chance of getting an order big enough to justify tooling and setup costs. But of course, once you get going, don't forget about the 50% Team Chevelle discount that you owe us for all the good advice.;)

His last post was long time ago and never came back.

His last post was long time ago and never came back.

I know, but it's a very good idea, and i was hoping that he's still working on it. Gotta have faith.

I would be interested in set of 1968 buckets if they were complete and look factory. Extra options would be of no interest to me. Dave

Any buckets are what im looking for!

Anybody ever hear anymore about progress on this? I would definitely be interested. Hope this actually comes about.

i went to a swap meet looking for a set of buckets. guys wanted $ 500.00 then after i sat down to see what it would cost me to bring them back into shape. from year one. $964.00 plus the $500 so $1500 for a pair of buckets?????? i've got bench seat in mine. and tell you what. for $ 1500.00. they look real good. plus my honey can sit right next too me.

i went to a swap meet looking for a set of buckets. guys wanted $ 500.00 then after i sat down to see what it would cost me to bring them back into shape. from year one. $964.00 plus the $500 so $1500 for a pair of buckets?????? i've got bench seat in mine. and tell you what. for $ 1500.00. they look real good. plus my honey can sit right next too me.

*edit by mod* send him a pm. Thanks

Like I said before. I priced a set of seats. from a swap meet. $ 500.00 in ratty shape. then added up the cost. to make them show worthy. another $1,000 so after its all said and done. about $1500.00. with parts from year one. just for info. I like your line of thinking.

Hi all, there has been some recent intrest in the offer I made some months ago for Chevelle seat frames with updated options. Many things have happened at our company since the time of the posting including adding a custom shop building Choppers and airbag systems as well as interior modifications. I say all this to tell you we have been busy! I would still like to persue this idea and have made some recent contacts nessesary to facilitate the manufacture of seat frames. If you are still interested please contact me so I can show interest to our company owner and carry out our original plans. To be honest there didn't seem to be a great deal of interest at my first posting but I have discussed this since that time with Chevelle owners at Chevellabration this year as well as other events. The comment was made, " you build them and they will buy them." I will update you all later this week with plans and dates.

Regards, Oldskool67

It sounds like a good idea, but with some reservations. Building seat frames for either bucket or bench would have some demand. But, when people want fully upholstered seats in a specific color or pattern, then the complexity becomes a real concern. As you know the pattern of the upholstery varies by year, further complicating things. I would think that new frames with good quality foams included would allow the end user to apply whatever upholstery that was desired, thus reducing the infinite number of variables. And the seats would probably have to be not fully assembled, to keep shipping costs reasonable. In any case, making new seat frames, springs and foam available at reasonable cost would be pretty attractive.

I've already gotten past the point of no return with my old seat restoration. But, I'll tell you... if you had had those new ones on the market when I was looking, I would have paid a little more just to skip the trouble of restoring the old ones. Also, I'd enjoy the power up, back & recline. I would have passed on the lumbar and heater though. It would be nice to have a seat that has a frame to support a seatbelt with a shoulder harness. Another option would be to offer the whole shebang, minus the seat covers- I'm doing leather, which seems to be somewhat rare. So, to sum up- I won't buy one from you now, but I would have, had you had them a little while ago.

I have an interest in them Im in need of the whole thing Frames, Springs, Foam, Covers and all. Make them look original with some of the options and thats awesome. But the thing that most concerns me is the price, Im only 18 and still in school so I don't have much money and I dont make much either.

Id love my originals to have stock stiching, a little more bolster and a "leatherlike" material, but its big bucks. Id be interested in maybe a little more adjustment, also.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/kalthoff1/Scan10002.jpg


If you want a bolstered seat thats hard to get in and out of, try these 90 sport seats on for size. You dont get in, you fall in :clonk:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/kalthoff1/zr1076.jpg

I like the lower back lumbar idea! Original seats are not comfortable at all on long trips, especially for those of us "Boomers" that are getting past middle aged! I have done quite a bit of long distance driving in original cars and lumbar support would have made the trips much more comfortable! Drove a stock '37 Chevy sedan from KC to Denver and back in '86. Think my back and butt are still screwed up from that one but it was a lot of fun! All the looks and comments were cool! The side bolsters you can keep but something for the lower back would be more than welcome.

Original looking 65 style with a three point seat belt and adjustable head rest built into the seat back like modern cars (Cadillac for example) would get my cash today.

BTT whaterver happened to this guy and his potential seats.

I found some new bucket frames made for 64 to 72 Chevelles from Glide Engineering for my car. I just bought the frames and had the form built with some extra for lower back lumbar support. I can add photos of the finished seat if anyone is interested.

http://www.glideeng.com/products.htm

Sure pics would be nice and a total of how much it cost. I have some nice looking after market seats but would prefer stock.

Count me in also. This is good timing for me. Right now all of the seats are out of my 67 while I redo the floor pans. Will be like this till spring

I would totally look into buying some. Please give us an update

I might be in for a side button set for my '68 if the quality is equal to original.
Mike
www.myspace.com/merlin0007

I would like to see a modified Bench seat. I am tall, and my head is so close to the roof, it is almost unconfortable. A thinner bottom and thinner back like newer bench seats would be nice. I addition, if the driver and passenger seat could be bolstered some, then it would be better for performance driving. Then my honey could still sit next to me while cruising. Reclining would be the very nice. Lumbar and heated would be possible options.

I think it would be a good idea for new seats to be avalible , I'm working on a 70 ss that came w/ a bench seat , would be nice to go to buckets , chadco

I have been looking for a pair of buckets for my 65 to replace the bench seat. Cost of rebuilding is quite high when you factor in what everyone wants for the junk stuff that is selling. I would buy a pair today if the price is reasonable and had reclining capabilities. Give us an update!!!:thumbsup:

I'd like to have a set of buckets with original design and a little more contoured,perhaps even ipod speakers built in,I was always partial to the '74 mc swivel,I'm all for any upgrade/reduction in price:thumbsup: but el camino's space is limited as for reclining goes:(

Maybe I'm too fat but seems like a pita to get in and out all the time...you would rub the outsides off in no time.

Regardless of your size, that bolster would wear prematurely.


Similar to the bolster wear on C4 Corvette seats.
If you look at used, low mileage C4 Corvettes, even if they have great looking interiors, there is almost always wear on the driver's side bolster.

Regards,
-Greg

I think we’re on the same page on this one

The bench seat in my '67 has always been an issue for me! I had all kinds of wild ideas of how or what could be done to improve comfort and style. I had an upholstery shop (attempt) to raise the center panel and bolster the outside edges slightly so as to give the bench a 'bucket seat' feel.
All they did was move material from the seat buns to the middle:angry:
After awhile the seat vinyl starts to get baggy.

Although I like the thought of large side bolsters in some applications such as street/strip or highly modified interiors, I think they may be to much for most people, especially in early Elcaminos with short doors and (uuuH...Hummm) overweight drivers.

I would like to see the seats get a major make over with all the modern upgrades yet retain the original pattern. There needs to be a balance of style and function.

The ‘target’ should be the best of both worlds. Integrating original appearance with advanced technology that would provide; reclining, lumbar support, heated, power seats, subtle yet contoured with serious comfort in mind

My ’67 Elcamino corners as well as any ‘Vette, but I am tired of posturing myself (like a cat in a wet bathtub) when I get into the corners.
Corvettes are cool and comfortable, but I usually see them in my mirror :D

I would like new - period correct (more or less) 64-65 buckets with power seat options for my 65 2-door wagon.

Did this company ever make any seats ?

you can buy fully finished reproduction seats now, several of the repop catalogs sell them. I think they run about $1k each

You can also buy just the seat frames, just the seat springs, even seat tracks are now being reproduced.

I need the complete seat frame and all ,do you know who sales them ?

www.google.com is your friend for these things...

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ISA-669&Category_Code=BUCKETSEATFRAMES&Store_Code=chevellecamino

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230293767765&crlp=1_263602_304652&ff4=263602_304652&viewitem=&guid=79f46efe12c0a0aa17b193f1fe609a06&hlp=false&rvr_id=173164555824&ua=WXI8&itemid=230293767765

what would be awesome would be a recliner mechanism to add to a set of originals. the ones in my 67ss were refurbished 10 years ago and are still sitting right. guess with old age came a bigger gut - thus the reclining update would be way nice......