Big Blue's Bucket Seats

[Gary Lewis]

You are too young. Welcome Back Kotter was a very popular TV show.

[mat in tn]

the seat system is looking great. how much travel are you going to end up with while having double tracks?

[Gary Lewis]

LOTS!  I'll take pics and measurements tomorrow, but I think both have about 5" of travel.

[Gary Lewis]

Got the console painted today and plan to line the inside with felt tomorrow.  Maybe get it installed on Sunday?

And, by the way, you are looking at the side that had 5 holes in it.  



As for travel, there's 16" from the front of the seat to the dash with the seat fully back, 11 1/2" with the seat's track run forward, and 6" with the platform's track run fully forward.  So there is a full 10" of movement.  And here's a shot with everything fully forward showing the access to the storage unit - but don't forget that the seatback also tilts.

[mat in tn]

I love that setup. the way either can access the cargo without disturbing the other and still have the main track for added access. good job.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, it works nicely.  And it is easy to do as it just uses the legs off of a bench seat.

[BigBrother-84]

Wow!  The upholstery looks really good, nice job!

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Jeff.  Once I get the console in I'm hoping Janey and I can take it for a spin and try out the seats.  Mine is in just like the red one was, but I took a wedge out of hers that had it angled back, and she may not like that.  So we need to try it out locally before we head to western OK.

[mat in tn]

I have made bucket bases before and just got a second pr of tracks from a junk bench frame because I like the seating height off the floor. often, I'm building a custom console if I'm doing the sport truck style, most common for me. but I'm loving driving the farm truck lately. haha.

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

You are too young. Welcome Back Kotter was a very popular TV show.

https://www.google.com/search?q=welcome+back+kotter+youtube&rlz=1C1AWFC_enUS753PS760&oq=Welcome+back+Kotter+yo&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIICAUQABgWGB4yCAgGEAAYFhgeMggIBxAAGBYYHjIICAgQABgWGB4yCAgJEAAYFhgeqAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c38602df,vid:xZzEzDkeHzI,st:0

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, David.  We will educate those youngsters yet.  

[Gary Lewis]

Today Janey and I took Big Blue on a ~200 mile trip to test the seats.  They work nicely.  They aren't as comfortable as the captain's chairs, but that might be due to being new and the captain's chairs having been used for quite a few hours.

In any event, they are comfortable enough to set in for several hours at a time, so we are happy.  But we think we are sitting upright more than the captain's chairs so I may pull the 3/4" spacers out of the rear of the platform legs and see if that helps.

[BigBrother-84]

Watch out to not exaggerate with seats angle.
Clouds are pretty but you still need to look a bit at the road.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't see () that being a problem, Jeff.  Maybe on a Crew Cab, but on this regular cab I couldn't fit horizontally between the back glass and the steering wheel.  So I'll just rotate it a smidgen.  

[viven44]

Just a thought/idea. Would it be possible to make an adjustable spacer of some kind which provides various seat angles. Sort of like a camber/caster nut.

[Gary Lewis]

It would be possible, but not necessary.  There's only maybe 1" at max of movement before things get in a bind.  I'm at 3/4" now and wouldn't want to go up for these seats as they already feel like they are very vertical at the back.  So I'm thinking I'll take the shim out and see how they feel.  Easy to do, and easy to put back.

[mat in tn]

3/4" might be just enough to feel right

[Gary Lewis]

The don't feel "wrong", but more vertical than the captain's chairs.  I know my head is higher because I had to adjust the driver's outside mirror up yesterday.  And the rim of the steering wheel blocks the high beam indicator when it didn't before - quite.  On the other hand, the view of the gauges below the instrument panel is now better than before.

So I'll pull the spacer out and see what happens.

[mat in tn]

let's see if you end up putting back 1/4"worth of fender washers.

[ArdWrknTrk]

https://youtu.be/Uodcwx5cYIQ?si=P6XvAVRnn9SZCB9z