'70 Sport Custom Rebuild- She's been adopted!

[sargentrs]

Hopefully I'll get a chance to do a test fit and mock up some mounting brackets this weekend. Just slapping a tape on it looks promising. I've got around 15" between the two seats and the console measures around 13-1/2" across the widest part. My only real concern is the height of the seat. The bottom cushion looks to be thicker than the Mustang seats. I'll be sure to post my findings.

[sargentrs]

Couldn't stand it! Can't wait for the weekend. So I went to the basement tonight to see how it would fit. WHOA! Way too tall.

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The base is overkill so I took it loose and I think I can modify it to sit much lower.

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Without the base, it's much better.

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Definitely going to lose the headrest. There's no slides on the seats either so they'll sit about an inch higher once mounted. I think it's going to work out just fine.

[cole71]

Very cool! I can't wait to see it in the truck.

[jimmy828]

I agree with you on the headrest. It looks like it just don't belong there. Keep up the good work!

[sargentrs]

Ever had one of those great ideas that turned out to be a lot more work than you thought it would be? I took the console frame over to the bench, cut off the legs and notched the sides and crossbar to fit over the angle iron of my seat frame. It sat down nicely and is close enough to matched with the seats.

[sargentrs]

Temporarily bolted the console/back to and did a test "sit". The console, although it looks big, was at a comfortable height to prop your arm up on.

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Flipped the back up and it is WAY too tall.

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So that's when it started getting out of hand. Tried to take the head rest off and it seemed like it wasn't adjustable so I decided to see what held it in place. The console tray just pops in with plastic clips and I only broke one getting it out The vinyl just wraps over and has slots that clip into tabs on a plastic frame on the back. Still couldn't get to the head rests so I went on a mission to disassemble it totally. 2 hours later, I had it completely apart, the head rests removed, vinyl and foam removed and down to the bare frame. As it turned out the head rests were removable, I just couldn't see the push buttons.

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Regardless, I now have the frame on my bench.

[sargentrs]

So here's the question, to cut or not to cut? I plan on recovering the vinyl anyway so I think I can cut 6" out of the middle of the frame, weld it back together, cut the foam down, and shorten the back of the seat down to same level as the seats. However, that will also mean I'll have to cut 6" out of the console back. Would you do it or leave it tall like that?

[jimmy828]

I say cut/weld it. I don't think it will look good as if you were looking thru the back window. I know it will be a lot more work but as we improve these old trucks as we rebuild them the extra work is worth it.

[sargentrs]

I agree with you, Jimmy. I couldn't live it with it that way. Every time I put the seat up it would slap me in the face.

[Calfdemon]

I would agree with cutting it IF it was going to sit that way regularly. But the reality is that it is going to be down 99% of the time as an arm rest. The rare times (I assume) that you would be riding 3 across in your truck, no one is going to really see it anyway as someone is going to be sitting there. When they are not sitting there, it will be down and be an arm rest. Also, if you cut it and shorten it, then what does that do to the usefulness of your armrest and drink holder??

[sargentrs]

I'm going to think long and hard on this Rich. I'm thinking to end up like this one out of my stepson's 2010 F-150. From the pics of the one I bought, it didn't occur to me that they weren't the same, i.e., the back was that much taller. It was only after I set it on my frame that I realized how tall it really was.

[Heirloom]

Wow, that's a tough call Randy. It really stands up there and if you cut you lose the cup holders.

This is when I go to the junk yards just for inspiration. My sub conscience chews on the problem while I let my mind and eyes wander. Usually a solution presents it's self. Either in the form of an idea or a part that I can pull.

[sargentrs]

I've about talked myself out of cutting it. Shortening the back doesn't concern me but the console lid gives me pause. With the latch and hinge molded into it, I doubt I'd be able to cut it down and everything function. I definitely want to keep the cup holder so the 6" would have to come from the center of the lid. Just not a good scenario.

[Calfdemon]

And if that console was going to be in the up position for any length of time, I also would be hell-bent on trying to cut it or finding a different setup. But the reality is that it will be a center console a vast majority of the time and a center seat rarely. So really, the only person that will know that it doesn't look right in the up position is you. Just don't take pictures of it up!

[67 F100]

One more vote for leaving it.

When it's up somebody will be sitting there anyway right. It'll be nice support for them.