# Bench seats.



## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

My lemans is orginally a bench seat car with column shift. It currently still has column shift but has buckets and a ghetto cutomized console.

I'm thinking going back original like my car had. Plus I like the concept of a bench seat in a fast, sleeper, column shift car. It's nice to have your date closer to you also. 

So now my question, Where can I get one for this car and be able to match the fabric design like my back seat like it came with? Bench seats are hard to fin for these older cars. Idea's on what I can do to get one for my car? A fold down arm rest is nice also.

Thoughts?

Edit: This is what I'd really like to have: (pic purposes only)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Pontia...fits=Model:LeMans&vxp=mtr&hash=item3cbfe334f3


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

You may end up buying one like that and then recovering it to the correct fabric design.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Yeah most likely. I can barely find any bench seats though. Muchless for a 68-70 a-body.

I see the right fabric on ebay. and the foam for the non head rest seats but nothing else. Hmm.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

all the A-body benches of those years should be the same frame and pads so you can also look for Chevelle/Malibu, Skylark & Cutlass benches. I would put WTB adds on the forums as many of us have them from a change to buckets and may not be posted for sale as there is not a real demand for them, as the usual conversion is bench to buckets. Too bad its not a 66' i have one....


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Be aware that not all A-body's with bench seats had arm rests. I'm pretty sure the Chevelle's/Malibu's did'nt and maybe the lower line Tempest's or Leman's.

Chrysler had a different approach to bench/bucket seats on some of thier cars. They use what I believe they called a "buddy seat" which bolted in the center of two buckets instead of a console and they usually were a column shift unless it was a four speed. So you had the individual adjustment of bucket seats, a fold down arm rest or a third seat in front. There is a 440-6 Cuda locally that has this seating araingment with a column shift, talk about rare!


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

:agree... mine is a straight bench no armrests, but with the Deluxe front and rear seat belts...maybe part of the "custom" package on the Tempest


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

I have a '68 bench with a fold down center armrest. I don't think it has headrests. I had pix at one point. Will have to dig to see if I copied them and removed of my computer if you think you may be interested.. Never got around to try and sell it. It's in the upper level of my shed. I swapped it out for buckets. I see it would have to ship to the other side of the world..:lol: Although, I did ship 4 Rally II's to Houston.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Don't worry about finding the correct fabric, it'll need replacing anyway. Look for the right frame then plan on recovering it yourself (I really like Legendary). Bench seats are way yonder easier to do than buckets.

Bear


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## pontiac (Mar 6, 2011)

just buy an El Camino bench seat. But they did not have arm rests. Plenty around. You are close to Denton, just go to up to CTC auto salvage and buy one. They have plenty.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

i had a 66 buick bence in my tempest til i found a good tempest seat, i was gonne use the good ole pontiac back and the good buick back since its a split type seat, aparently what my dad sead years ago bout pontiac seats seeming to sit diffrent is true, the bottoms were in the same place but the top of the pontiac one was back further in a more relaxed position so if you like to kick back more id try for a pontiac or oldsmobile one.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

oh fyi they are now making the correct tempest custom bench seat cover for 66 and the one for 67 however only sms uphostery has the stuff for standerd tempest


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

68greengoat said:


> I have a '68 bench with a fold down center armrest. I don't think it has headrests. I had pix at one point. Will have to dig to see if I copied them and removed of my computer if you think you may be interested.. Never got around to try and sell it. It's in the upper level of my shed. I swapped it out for buckets. I see it would have to ship to the other side of the world..:lol: Although, I did ship 4 Rally II's to Houston.


Pics would be great, thanks. 

All great suggestions. Thanks peeps.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

I'll see if I can dig them up............................................ tomorrow............


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Hey Hotrod, I can't find the pix, I must have removed them. If you're still interested, I could snap a couple more. Shouldn't be too difficult. Not sure why I deleted them...:confused


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

That be great. Though itll be awhile before I have the $ to buy anything. My Firebird is in the shop getting painted, all my $'s going to that right now. 

I'm just looking at my options for a bench seat, when I start working on the Lemans.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Not a problem. I need to have pics on file anyway. I'lll post up this weekend. Wont be too much longer and we have to start traveling to get to my daughters b-ball game tonite...


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## dataway (May 21, 2011)

I going to look at a 68 Tempest Custom on Wed. with Ivy Gold Interior ...I'm just buying it as a parts car. Has a bench seat. I'll take pics .... and I'm not going to need the seat. Although shipping it to Tx from NY might be kind of pricey. 
JohnnyB


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Hot_Rod said:


> That be great. Though itll be awhile before I have the $ to buy anything. My Firebird is in the shop getting painted, all my $'s going to that right now.
> 
> I'm just looking at my options for a bench seat, when I start working on the Lemans.


Sending pm........


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

pontiac said:


> just buy an El Camino bench seat. But they did not have arm rests. Plenty around. You are close to Denton, just go to up to CTC auto salvage and buy one. They have plenty.


Are their benches the same as a-body cars? I may just do w/out an arm rest if I can find a good one that looks decent until I could recover it.


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