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Custom Seats & Center Console Build - Get ShortyPart 17: Interior Motifs From the November, 2009 issue of Custom Classic Trucks By Dakota Wentz
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No, that's not get Get Shorty's,... No, that's not get Get Shorty's, but these seats were made using the same technique described in the story, and they will look somewhat similar to this style when all is said and done. Back when show rods and wild custom cars and trucks were at their height, circa late '50s to early '60s, builders spared no expense in creativity. Their art, expression of one's self, vision, or whatever you want to call it, began with the exterior of the vehicle and flowed into the interior. Long story short, onlookers got to see a wide array of designs and techniques being applied, for better or worse, being at the forefront. In today's world of custom classic trucks, builders are still running the gamut with creative exteriors searching for new ways to distinguish their rides from the pack. However, continuing that creative mindset into the interior has dwindled in popularity. The never-ending search to escape the norm by looking for new ideas and ways to set one's interior off has seen a significant drop. Months ago I built the custom... Months ago I built the custom dash in Get Shorty. Now it's time to wrap up the inside of the cab by building a custom center console and seats. When I embarked on building Project Get Shorty I wanted to be sure to try and carry the theme of the truck, which is being built in the vein of an old-school custom, throughout the build, whether anyone agrees with me or not; that's why Baskin Robbins serves up 31 flavors. Therefore, when it came time to create the interior of Project Get Shorty I left my mind wide open. I began by placing an Auburn-style dash insert housed with my own custom-designed gauges smack dab in the middle of the dash, but that was just the beginning. I still had the seats to worry about. However, I wasn't satisfied with transplanting an oddball seat from some random vehicle in the cab of Shorty, which meant the only way to achieve my one-off custom look was to dig down and pull out some ancient Kansas kustomizing secrets to create my own seat and center console. One might think building their own seat is a monumental task, however, it's really quite simple. All it takes is some 1/2-inch conduit mixed in with a little 18-gauge expanded metal and creativity and you're off. By bending and forming the conduit to your liking one can create any style of seat imaginable. Whether it's bucket seats, a bench seat, lawn chairs, or a chaise lounge it's all doable! For Shorty, my mind kept coming back to a hybrid between two bucket seats and a bench seat surrounding a custom center console. (Somewhat hard to picture in thin air, but the ensuing pictures are sure to help.) Oh yeah, here's the best part. Between the conduit, expanded metal, and sheetmetal I dropped just a bit over 80 bucks! Now of course that's not including upholstery, but that's something that will have to be done no matter what option one takes. For now, follow along as Star Kustom Shop whips up a batch of custom seats.  Fast-forwarding ahead a few...  Fast-forwarding ahead a few steps, I fabricated these custom seat mounts that use the stock seat bosses out of 1x1/4-inch steel strips.  The plan is to build the seats...  The plan is to build the seats around the center console; therefore I started by building the center console, which is going to be shaped like a torpedo cut in half. I began by creating the base of the console and tacking it to the floor of the truck.  From there I created the upper...  From there I created the upper half by bending some 1/2-inch conduit into the shape I was after and welded the console together.  It was then onto forming the...  It was then onto forming the seat. I wanted a sleek, flowing seat; therefore I created this rolling design for the perimeter of the seat. (Any shape to your liking would do.) I then created five more pieces just like this. All of these pieces of conduit can be bent using your knee, a vise, workbench, and so on, and then they can be cut to the desired length.  Before the perimeter could...  Before the perimeter could be set, I had to create the upper perimeter of the seat, which lies just below the rear window, hugging the cab. I tacked the upper perimeter in place, and then concentrated on tacking the outer perimeter in place. To do so I used a six-inch block to set the height of the seat, and added a few temporary braces. (Remember, padding will be two to three inches, and when added to the six inches of seat height, that will be right on target.)  Before the rest of the seat...  Before the rest of the seat could take shape, the center of the seat needed to be formed. The seat is going to hover above the rear of the console; therefore I created the U-shape above the console, and then ran a piece of conduit up to the top of the seat.  Next, I grabbed one of the...  Next, I grabbed one of the duplicate outer perimeters and set it in place, which is running alongside the center console.  With the perimeter of the...  With the perimeter of the seat in place, the front perimeter of the seat could be shaped and welded in place.  Now that the shape of the...  Now that the shape of the seat has been squared away, the inner structure is all that is left. Once again, one of the duplicate outer perimeter pieces made earlier is used. This time it runs down the center of the seat. By the way, I also placed this piece down 1 1/2 inches below the outer perimeter of the seat to create some shape to the seat.  The last step is to link the...  The last step is to link the outer perimeter of the seat with the inner vertical brace. Now that one side is finished all that's left to do is duplicate that process on the passenger side.  Next, I used 1 1/2-inch conduit...  Next, I used 1 1/2-inch conduit for the legs of the seat. The legs were brought down to the seat brackets built earlier. I also built a bracket with a conduit leg that supports the inner perimeter of the seat.  Now that the seat is finished,...  Now that the seat is finished, I can remove the center console and skin it. The console is going to have to be skinned in three pieces; I started by covering the cylinder portion of the console with 20-gauge sheetmetal.  Skinning the bullet shape...  Skinning the bullet shape of the nose is going to be a little bit different; it will have to be done in two pieces. I began by using my Eastwood beater bag and mallets to shape the nose. I pounded on the piece of metal until it began to take the form of a bullet tip.  Because I'm using mallets...  Because I'm using mallets to form the bullet shape, the metal is going to look a little crude and banged up. Therefore, I took my piece over to the planishing hammer (a dolly nestled in the vice; oh yeah, can you believe this sucker gets 60 beats per minute!) to finesse the metal by working out the divots and creases.  In order to get the sheetmetal...  In order to get the sheetmetal to form such a sharp bullet nose I shrunk the outer edge of the piece using my Eastwood shrinker. Doing so will allow the piece to hug the conduit skeleton.  Here's a close-up look of...  Here's a close-up look of how things are shaping up. All that's left to do here is a little bit of trimming.  Here's how the finished product...  Here's how the finished product turned out. Not bad for banging that nose out with a set of hammers-more or less.  Originally I had planned to...  Originally I had planned to install my Electric-Life billet aluminum power windows switches up under the dash, but now that this center console has entered the picture it serves as a perfect mounting point.  And that's all there is to...  And that's all there is to making a custom one-off interior that you can be sure is exclusive to your truck. Actually, at this point all that's left is to do is lay the expanded metal in the seats and weld them in place. That way the upholstery shop can lay the foam atop the metal and do their thing.
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The Thinker??? - Haul Monitor
Ryan talks about the friendly badgering that goes on around the shop and overcoming obstacles that seemly pop up out of nowhere during a project....
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