Finding the right seat for your hot rod, rat rod, truck, or project car can prove to be a difficult task. You can always resort to the cheap aftermarket bench seats, but what if you want some nice oem bucket seats?
OEM Bucket & Bench Seats
OEM Seats are built by companies who have entire divisions dedicated to liability. They are rock solid, crash tested, and approved by the DOT. The one issue you'll run into is that they aren't a direct bolt-in. There are a few key measurements to look at when choosing the seats for your vehicle.
- Overall Height
- Console Width (If Applicable)
- Overall Width (If Applicable)
- Seat Width
- FTA Height
The most important measurement of these is the FTA (Floor-To-Ass) Height. If the front of the seat is too high off the floor, your knees will be in the steering wheel. We've seen one too many cases of this. The floor-to-ass height is your starting point.
In addition to these measurements, there's one really cool feature that some seats have that can make your life as a fabricator much more simple.
Integrated seat belts allow you to mount a seat without having any of the worries of using a 2-point lap belt, and without any of the trouble of installing seat belts on the pillar. If you're looking for a quick, easy install, this is the way to go. It will help you maintain the clean looking pillars too!
Looking to re-upholster and get that custom look?
Let us know! We can probably find the seats you want with not-so-perfect material and cut you a real break on the price if you have a guy, or if you don't we can re-upholster for you! We are an authorized Katzkin Dealer, and we love Custom Seat Build Projects.
Aftermarket Bucket Seats
Aftermarket bucket seats are easy to come by, and they can be super affordable. All the material is new as well. In some cases they may even come with mounting brackets for your specific vehicle, so this can eliminate a little bit of a headache.
The affordability of these seats comes at a price. Aftermarket seats are usually less safe and the materials are designed to only hold up as long as the return period, especially with the generic and entry model versions. Replacement parts can also be very difficult to come by. In addition to this, most racing seats are designed to be used with a roll cage, not the standard 2-point or 3-point belt you'll probably have in your car.
Do you have Questions?
If you're ready to start your project and locate the right seats for your project car or truck, grab a pen and start measuring! When you have all your measurements in hand give us a call at 844-OEM-SEAT (636-7328) or Contact Us. One of our seat experts will assist you in finding that perfect sized seat for your ride. We also offer a professional airbag removal service which includes a replacement foam insert to fill the void at no charge to you, so you can rest easy knowing you won't accidentally blow up anything.