Need photos, driver's seat cover install

[ashyers]

I'm looking for some photos of how the driver's side seat covers were originally installed.

I'm going to receive a set of covers in trade and want to know how to put them on correctly. I seem to remember a photo somewhere that showed some bobbins on the lower portion of the seat that were used to lace the cover on. Any bobbins in our truck are long gone, but the lower portion of my seat and springs are in good shape. If I had a photo of the bobbins and lacing I could make the bobbins up with the lathe and do a nice fix on the seat.

It will be nice to not be sitting on some thinly covered springs for a change!

Thanks!

Andy

[Hawk101]

Hi Andy,
A year back, maybe two??? I put some new canvas's on my seats, and happen to have these photos id taken, laying around on my PC.
The photo of the drivers seat base is not a great photo, but the photo of the drivers seat back rest is a lot clearer, and both where laced the same way.
Hope this helps?
Lee

Drivers seat, base


Drivers seat back, rest

[ashyers]

Lee,
Thanks! As they say a picture is worth 1000 words and those help a bunch, as the orig. covers are long gone. I need to find a source of some good foam and I should be ready to redo the driver's seat, no more spring butt!

Andy

[w30bob]

Andy,

Not sure if they're by you, but Jo-Ann Fabrics has high density foam........I was just there after work looking at some marine vinyl for a seat cover for another project. Otherwise most upholstery shops will sell you a piece of foam........unless they're A-holes!

regards,
bob

[w30bob]

Oh.......they also have all types of Burlap too! You can find 50% off coupons for them online everywhere.

[Cal_Gary]

Beechwood Canvas provided a full-foam seat bottom when I ordered my canvas-much more comfortable than the springs....
Gary

[w30bob]

Gary..........it's a bit odd seeing the words "comfortable" and "M37" in the same sentence.

One thing's for sure.......you'll never fall asleep driving one!

Andy......one thing about foam when you buy it......high density seems to mean different things to different foam manufacturers. Make sure you actually sit on the piece of foam you're about to buy to make sure it doesn't fully bottom out. I've "felt" a lot of foam with my hands and every time I thought it was dense enough by touch it turned out to be too soft when I actually sat on it (and I'm not a big fat tub of lard). And sitting on foam that bottoms out on a wooden board isn't any better than metal springs hitting your arse.

The other "poor man's" way to get the foam is to find an old couch or chair someone is tossing out (think landfill, divorce, tossing the kids out on the street, etc). Those foam parts are bigger than what you need, so easy to cut down, and free! And if you find a couch you get at least 3 tries to get it right! Of course the problem is......when you WANT an old couch or chair you can't find one.....and when you don't you see them everywhere! Must be Murphy's cousin's Law or something.

later,
bob

[LegionPiper]

Can someone please post a picture of the Passenger Seat Bottom ?

I have a really old Wooden-Slat base that someone built just to cover the battery box.

I've heard it was Plywood with a Metal Hinge Assembly.
It also had a foam pad with the same fabric material covering it ??

So there was no spring assembly like the back ?

Thanks so much

[w30bob]

Legion,

Someone's giving you some bad info, brother. Passenger seat bottom was not hinged, it lifts straight off. The metal seat base it sits on has steel tits in the front corners that stick up and fit into holes on the cushion's base. The back of the cushion tucks under the seat back. There are no springs either.........just a hunk of foam on a flat perforated base, as seen in the pic below. The cover was OD canvas like the rest of the seats, with grommets and a cord that wrapped around "bobbins" that were attached to the cushion base.

regards,
bob

[Elwood]

Can someone please post a picture of the Passenger Seat Bottom ?

I have a really old Wooden-Slat base that someone built just to cover the battery box.

I've heard it was Plywood with a Metal Hinge Assembly.
It also had a foam pad with the same fabric material covering it ??

So there was no spring assembly like the back ?

Thanks so much

A few years ago, Jim C. (N1VSM) had prepared a nicely-done PDF with drawings, photos, and details of the wooden passenger seat bottom. He's still active here, so you might try sending him a PM about it.

[ashyers]

I love this site!!!!

Bob,
Do you have any dimensions of the "bobbins"? I just need a general idea so I can make a set up. Think function over form.

I'm getting inspired and may have to both seats. I was thinking that a good place to get some foam would be the local Pick-n-pull. Then I could test it on site !

Andy

[w30bob]

Hi Andy,

Ask and ye shall receive!

Bobbin:
3/4" diameter (wide end)
5/16" diameter (narrow end)
1/4" tall

Screw:
3/16 x 1/2" long (threads, not the head)
Head is Phillips Round Pan head

There are 18 "bobbins" total, spaced 5 1/2" apart on the straight sides, 4 3/4" apart on the corners.
There is also a "latch" in the middle of the board that catches the front of the battery box....see the pic.
Last pic shows corner socket the tits on the seat base fit into.

Enjoy,
bob

[w30bob]

Andy,

If you have to "make" the bobbins I'm thinking some flat washers and metal spacers would do the trick. The spacers can be made from cutting up some brake line......or any other small metal tubing you can find.

If you need more pics just shout.

regards,
bob

[Elwood]

The ORD 9 SNL G-741 parts catalog indicates that there were two designs of the "bobbins" used to retain the rope on the underside of the passenger seat cushion base board:

G505-0175972 CLIP (used through vehicle s/n 80018958)

and

G741-8328054 RETAINER (used on vehicle s/n 80018958 and up)

The G505 prefix on the first truck suggests that it dates back to the early WWII Dodge VC series trucks, which were in turn modified commercial Dodge trucks. Could the first version of the bobbin be something that is still available for the Job-Rated era trucks from vendors that specialize in the civilian trucks of that era?

[isaac_alaska]

a few minutes on the lathe would yield the tools needed to form those bobbins from washers wouldn't be too hard to do at all