Lurch (1927 one ton) has a factory-built wood seat box that goes around the gas tank. Mounted on that box are two seat back frames that fold forward.

I didn't have a seat (just the wood box), so I made a bench seat using the ends of a twin-size box spring (or foundation). I cut off the ends, screwed them together, and upholstered the bench seat with an old jeans skirt, courtesy of my wife. 😉

For many years, I didn't bother with seat backs. I just rolled up an old pair of jeans around the back frames. Here's a pic where you can see the tops of the seat backs.

Eventually, I made seat backs from one pair of the old jeans: the front of the jeans for one seat and the rear of the jeans for the other seat.  Here's a side-view pic of the finished seats. This is a snap shot from a video tour of Lurch that was produced during COVID.

Here's the web address of the part of the video where I talk about the seat: https://youtu.be/MDFCtidXkx0?t=381

Here's the address of the beginning of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDFCtidXkx0

Cheers, Dean

I have a 1927 one ton that has just been finished being restored. The 1928 inside cab and seats are the same as 1927. There is a full length seat back that runs from passenger to drivers side. There are two seat bottoms because the gas tank is under the seat and the filling cap is under the drivers side - so only the drivers side needs to be removed when filling the tank with gas. The seat frames are metal (unlike the 1928 car seats - which were wood). On the seat back frame they inserted compressed cardboard so the material could be nailed into it. The seat bottoms were also all metal frames. If you have more questions or would like pics please let me know.

Regards , Scott

@scott-walker, is your cab a factory produced cab or one supplied by an outside body builder (like Hercules or Springfield)?

The reason I ask is that Lurch had a factory cab (most of which is gone now). The box around the gas tank is wood with two metal seat back frames screwed to the box. It also has the original LM car number and weight limit plates nailed to the passenger side of the wood box.

If the cab was built by Hercules Products, for example, it would have a metal box around the gas tank (as you describe).

@lou, do you have a box around your gas tank now? If so, please upload a couple of photos. 

Curious minds want to know! 😉  Thanks, Dean

as I received the truck, there was no seat or seat back. What remained is a wood box around the tank, with a piece of angle steel around the perimeter, top, presumably for a seat to fit into. The previous owner had placed 'bucket' seats from some unknown sub compact car on top of the tank, not fastened in any way, and way too big for this short fat fellow!

I purchased my '27 in Dec 1999 and finished it Oct 2024. It is a Chevrolet body with the vin tag and wt tag on the wood seat pedestal. When purchased it did not have seats. If you have access to the August 2008 Generator & Distributor - the cover and featured article is on a 1927 1 ton flat bed done by Gary Barguist. I purchased a spare set of seats from him. In 2023 I finally worked on them. The seat back was in pretty good shape but the seat bottom frames were rough and several springs were broken. I purchased a set of 1927 car seats from VCCA member Denny Christianson for necessary parts. I realized I could not save the seat bottoms and used Denny's frame and springs to fabricate a new single seat bottom - not being original. My '27 had the seat pedestal surrounding the gas tank and there was a metal strip attached to the front of the pedestal to keep the seat from sliding forward. And by the way, I am tall and skinny and I can barely fit into my truck - very tiny cab. I would be happy to show pictures if permitted.

@scott-walker, you'll be able to post photos after you make one more post in a forum. The way these new forums are set up, a person needs to make 5 posts before they get photo privileges. 

You're up to 4!

😉 Dean

So, Dean, Did Lurch have a cab at all when you got it - since there would be nothing to attach a seat back to without it? Also, just finished watching your walk around video of Lurch and learned a few things. I've only driven my '27 three times since the long restoration. I need to work on double clutching!!

Lou, Not sure how handy you are - but - I took a '27 car seat bottom and dismembered it. Then cut and reshaped the frame to fit the truck and re-assembled the springs into the new 'truck' frame. I still have the '27 car seat back not being used - but you would need to do the same thing - ie: disassemble it and reassemble it to fit the truck.

Lurch did not have much of a cab when I got him. Here's a pic of him in my driveway when I got him in 1994. The wood box around the gas tank had two cast iron seat back frames screwed to the wood box. It is not shown in the pic. I mounted it later during his initial build.

Cheers, Dean

@scott-walker 

Scott, I got a chuckle when you said you are tall and skinny, so was the fellow I bought the '28 from, and as I said, he had those subcompact bucket seats in it, which were 2-4 inches thick. He was still able to slip into the seat, behind the wheel but his knee was up next to the windowsill and over pushing on the shifter stick. He looked rather cartoonish!

It was my intentions when I got the '28, as well as the '29 to keep them as survivors, doing only what was needed to preserve and make safe. However, s I stated on this forum earlier, unless the vehicle is restored, the state of Pa will no longer issue an antique plate for it. I had already made a seat for the 28 with a piece of 5/8" plywood and some foam rubber and sewed a canvas cover for it. but, now that I have to make the exterior extra pretty for the state, I was thinking getting closer to original also. my latest thought on the seat is pretty much as you say, except I found an upholstery supply that sells springs, so I was thinking of forming a frame from hardware angle and buying new springs. The seat back I have no idea how it is constructed, not sure if it would be the same as a car seat

wonder what shipping a car seat back would cost. Would you be willing to post some pics showing some general construction of the seat back?

Lou, I just measured my seat back and it is roughly 45" wide at the top and 43" at the bottom and roughly 21" tall. I think I have good news for you in that the car seat back metal framing and springs (minus the wooden framing and material) is roughly 44 1/2" wide and 21" tall. What I have learned is that you would want to keep the back as thin as possible (maybe compressing the springs with the stretched material) so you can fit your body into the cab.

FYI, here are a couple of pages from the 1928 Hercules Products company that show some construction details of their seats. This catalog is for the bodies that they made to go onto a Chevy chassis.

Cheers, Dean

@scott-walker 

Thank you sir, that and the pics are very helpful! I think for the seatback, at least, i am going to use a piece of plywood and a sheet of 2" firm foam rubber and cover it with either Naugahyde or canvas

@rustoholic 

Dean, you need a rocking chair on top for grany! I was not aware that Hercules did the bodies. Thanks for the info

Lou, I totally understand - it was a lot of work to convert my seats. And the end result is I feel like a sardine. Skipping the springs and going to thinner foam should give you a little more breathing room.