Vibguy

I am looking for a few good recommendations...

I am restoring an old 71 Vert pulled from 23 years in a barn. The stock seats look pretty good but need a complete rebuild.

I am not going for originality but want the look of it's era. Comfort is desirable.

So do I just go to a good car upholstery guy and tell him what I want and let him go at it? If so, any recommendations for someone in SoCal?

Or do I buy a kit and take it somewhere to have them install? If so, any recommendations on a kit?

I am not that interested in doing it myself. I have plenty of other fun projects with this car.

Thanks so much if anyone has a tip for me!
Paul

Priya

The 79-82 seats are much more comfortable than the early ones.

zwede

I have the 79-82 seats in my '71. Bolt right in and much more comfortable and have at least some lateral support. There was a 2" and 4" side bolster version. You want the 4" version.

I contacted Corvette America and they made me replacement mounted seat covers on new foam in the '71 dark saddle that I have. It matches perfectly and I didn't have to mess with spray-dye.

Alex66

Zwede,
Do you have a Picture of your seats in the car by any Chance? Thank you

zwede

Sure.

Alex66

That Looks great! Well done with the covers, I have the same interior Color If you sell them some day...

Torqued Off

I personally think stock seats in your year, up to my 1977, are very comfortable. My wife agrees, and I could drive from Pennsylvania to California sitting in them. In fact, way more comfortable than her Toyota Camry.

I also think the 78 and up seats would be comfortable as well, although I never have ridden in them. I do worry that the deep bucket and bolsters on these seats could be a little cramping?? I had a 2015 GMC Canyon with similar deep buckets and bolster, and sold the truck because I couldn't ride for more than 30 minutes without cutting off circulation in my legs.

Much of this is a matter of your physical shape. People are different on this, just like stock Harley seats, some can ride all day, others can't ride for 30 minutes.

The early C3 stock seats always seem to take a bad rap, but I have found they are very comfortable.

Priya

The drawback to the 79-82 seats is that the bolsters make it more difficult to get in and out of the car. I thought about going to the early seats to make getting in and out of the car easier. I tried a fellow's 77 and got in and out of the seat several times. Definitely easier to get in and out of the car but I found them much less comfortable so decided it was worth the difficulty getting in and out of the car to have the 79 seats.

Vibguy

Thanks everyone for the kind advice...

I wish that when I went to the Corvette show a few months back I would have taken the time to sit in the different model seats to see what I thought. Based on what I have heard on this thread, I think I am leaning towards getting the 71 seats refurbished. The reason for that is that I am making this car for my sister and her husband and how do I put this politely... they are a bit wider in the backside, so I think the narrow later model seats might not be a good idea.

So with that being said, Is it typically better to buy all the rebuild parts and take them to the reupholster shop or just take the seats in as is, and let them take care of it?

gjohnson

I put 1980 seats in my 76. Much better IMO

Vibguy

I do like the tan with the orange. Your seats look great.

So when the later seats fold partway up the back, does that make it easier to get in the back? Is that why they changed the design?

Also, do the 79-82 seats come up higher? Do you think they are more safe for a rear collision?

Priya

When the 79-82 seats fold partway up the back the passenger seat lays level with the rear storage area so that its better for carrying larger items that extend over the passenger seat.