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What Stock Seats Were Available?

Discussion in 'Early Jeep Restoration and Research' started by BadGoat, Jun 25, 2020.

  1. Jun 25, 2020
    BadGoat

    BadGoat How High Can You Climb?

    Northern Virginia
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    Another thread brought up the question about what seats came stock in the various years. I thought this might be a worthwhile research thread. I can start this and we'll see where it goes.

    My Jeep is a 1965 CJ5A, Tuxedo Park Mark IV. While much has been replaced, I believe the seats are original and have likely been recovered with a similar to stock material (thanks Donny). I have the split bench set up. My driver seat is on sliders and moves forward and back, and the seat back folds forward. My passenger seat tumbles forward, but does not fold down. It appears that some do fold down. So either mine is frozen in place (likely), or their were different types available.








    Mike
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2020
  2. Jun 25, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Mike, Your Tux came with the split bench. Your Jeep also came with a column shift and a single-stick transfer case, unless it had the optional 4 speed. Your drivers side slide mechanism should have the lever on the side by the fuel filler. Your passenger seat should both hinge forward at the base and the seat back should hinge, making it fold and tumble. The upper portion should tuck under glovebox, giving both access to the tool box, and to allow access for passengers to get to the rear bed. Your Tux also had wheelhouse cushions for additional seating. No roll bars yet!
    Your seats have been re-upholsteded, but not copying the original pattern. Your pleats look similar to original, but appear to be heat-pressed rather than stitched, Yours look like marine material. The original covers left the hinge area of the outer corner exposed. The original side panels of the seatbacks had a horizontal stitched seam about 1/2 the way down, and the back and sides had no appreciable padding like yours show.
    You probably have the hinge on your passenger side, just rusted tight from lack of use. The hinge should be the same design as the drivers side. There are some 2/3 side seats that didn't have the hinge, but all the 1/3 side were hinged on your vintage Tux.
    The Tuxes also had special colors for the uphostery, often matching the soft top; Black, Presidential red, Nordic blue, and Sylvan green. The material was called calf-grain texture which differed from regular Jeeps. These upholstery colors followed the four Tuxedo Park body colors; Presidential Red, White Cap, Sierra Blue, and Parkway Green
    Period literature states that bucket seats were optionally available, but I have never seen them, except for a factory 4 speed Tux.
    A lot of this information changes once the Dauntless V6 was introduced for '66. Then, the Tux became more like the regular CJ5s, only with the chrome trim. Bucket seats became standard (molded foam now), regular colors, cane shift, etc.
    Check out "wheelhouse cushions" also here in restoration and research. Post#20 shows the correct material and stitching on a set of NOS rear cushions. These are what came in Tuxes when new.
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2020
  3. Jun 25, 2020
    BadGoat

    BadGoat How High Can You Climb?

    Northern Virginia
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    Thanks Donny,
    It's certainly possible that the seats have been recovered in the past 55 years. I'll have to check when I get home to see if the pleats are sewn or pressed. There is a sewn seam on the top of passenger seat back, in the very middle of the seat back. That would be an odd place to put a factory seam, but would make sense for a recover job.

    I'll also check to see if there is a horizontal seam on the driver's seat. I don't recall one from memory, and there obviously isn't one on the photo of the passenger seat.

    But I also hope that others might use this thread to show their seats and provide something of a catalog of materials, colors, and styles.

    Mike
     
  4. Jun 25, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Mike, Take a look at Dave B's "Love seat Jeep" over on the builds and fabricators section. He just trailered a green Tux home, and it has what I am positive are original front seats, just maybe not original for a '66. My only question is I believe his seats are from a '64 or '65, the seats I have and what yours should look like. He has some OK photos of them. I'm checking with Cary to see what his Tux has for seats.
    -Donny
     
  5. Jun 28, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    Here are some pictures of my '66 Tux front seats...

    [​IMG]

    Driver's side folds...

    [​IMG]

    Passenger seat folds and tumbles...

    [​IMG]

    Passengers set bottom...

    [​IMG]

    Pivots...

    [​IMG]

    The seats look original. They may have been recovered I don't know for sure. My Jeep birthday is Dec 65/Jan 66...
     
  6. Jun 28, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Thanks Cary! Those are the same seats as used in the '64/'65 Tuxes. Its good to document that the Tuxes 60/40 seats (1/3 - 2/3 just doesn't type well) carried over to at least '66. We now have Dave B' and Cary's having the same seats as the earlier years, where the bucket seats in '66 changed mounting/hinge and to molded foam.
    Cary, your seats have been recovered sometime in their life. That foam over the coils isn't original, nor is the texture of the fabric. Also, you are missing the seams on the backrest sides halfway down. Check out DaveB's photos.
    Does your drivers side have a slider? If so, which way does the handle point?
    -Donny
     
  7. Jun 29, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    Yes, I hadn't noticed. The slides does not work. The lever is on the driver's side pointing out the door. I don't see anything going to the other side from the lever to operate the center side. I'll have to look at it more next time I have the Jeep out...
     
  8. Jul 4, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    Driver's side lever handle...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Jul 4, 2020
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
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    I would be interested to see how the seats fold. Where the tubes are cut, hinges, blue prints... maybe enough details for them to be made from scratch.
     
  10. Jul 4, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    When I get a chance to remove the seat I'll post some pictures... :D
     
  11. Jul 4, 2020
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
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    Much appreciated! I'm planning a date with a coworker to get my seats recovered. I want to do canvas and a button or zip on vinyl cover for when the tops off. I would need to do hinges before the fabric and was hoping to have everything back in before the fall reunion in September.(y)
     
  12. Jul 4, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    The seatback hinges are roughly triangular plates, about 1/8" thick, that wrap about 1/4 the way arond the round tube frame. The upper and lower frame tubes essentially butt together when in the seated position. The hinge pivot is a single rivet mating the upper and lower triangular plates together. They are the same design for both the 1/3 side and the 2/3 side.
    The "tumble" hinge on the passenger side mounts to the toolbox top, and the seat has short curved stub tubes with the hinge pin on the bottom and the upper end laying parallel to the main tube frame, with a bead of weld joining the two tubes. There should be metal cap plugs closing off the short hinge stubs.
    -Donny
     
  13. Jul 5, 2020
    W2SNO

    W2SNO New Member

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    I kept the 2/3-1/3 seat when I parted out my 65 Tux. I was hoping to see if it fit into a CJ3A, but my projects have temporarily been stopped due to surgery. I do have what I think is a full set of sylvan green covers from the factory that I bought from Paul Brim 15 years ago. Once I am walking again I can take pictures or measurements of them.
     
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