60/40 split

How Fesler Builds Custom Seats by Hand in Phoenix: Bench, 60/40, 50/50, Bucket and Rear Seats

A 60/40 split bench seat frame in raw steel on a welding table in the Fesler shop in Phoenix, Arizona

Most "custom" seats start as somebody else's seat. A shop buys a core, pulls the cover, and stitches a new one. The frame, the springs and the shape underneath are whatever came in the box.

Fesler seats do not start that way. We build the seat. The steel frame is fabricated in our shop in Phoenix, Arizona. The foam is cut and shaped here. The cover is wrapped here, in vinyl, leather or the material you choose. Bench seats, 60/40 and 50/50 splits, bucket seats and matching rear seats all come out of the same building, from bare steel to finished seat.

This post walks through what we build, how it gets built, and what you can spec.

What Fesler builds

Full-width bench seats. Our truck benches come in 52, 54 and 56 inch widths, with adjustable 2 inch or 4 inch risers, on tracks and sliders with a recline option. Side wedge, center wedge or flat. Shop bench seats.

Bench seats with a built-in center console. Same bench, with the console fabricated into the seat instead of bolted between two buckets. See the console bench.

60/40 split bench seats. A full-width look with a larger and smaller section that fold and adjust independently. Built on the same steel frame construction as our benches.

50/50 split seats. Two equal sections, each on its own frame, tracks and recline.

Bucket seats. Individual steel-framed buckets built in-house, and rework of seats you already own, including Recaros, in your material, inserts and stitching.

Matching rear seats. Custom steel rear seats built to pair with the fronts. Currently listed for the 1967-69 Camaro coupe, 1967-69 Camaro convertible, 1970-81 Camaro, 1968-72 Chevelle and 1966-67 Nova.

Two bare steel bucket seat frames with sinuous spring bases and recline hinges, fabricated in the Fesler shop in Phoenix

Bucket seat frames, welded and ready for foam. Both frames, springs and recline hardware are built in-house.

How a Fesler seat gets built

1. The frame is fabricated from steel

Every Fesler seat starts as steel tube and flat bar on the welding table. The back frame, the base frame, the spring bays and the recline and hinge mounts are cut, fit and welded here. For a 60/40 or 50/50 split, each section gets its own frame and hardware so it moves independently. For a rear seat, the frame is shaped to the floor and the back panel of that specific body.

A 60/40 split bench seat frame in raw steel on a welding table in the Fesler shop in Phoenix

A 60/40 split bench frame on the table. The two sections fold and adjust independently.

2. Springs and mechanisms go in

The base and back get their spring support before any foam touches the frame. Tracks, sliders and recline mechanisms are mounted to the frame so they are part of the seat, not an afterthought.

A Fesler bench seat frame on the welding table with coil spring clusters being set into the base

Spring clusters being set into a bench base.

3. Foam is cut and shaped in-house

We cut and shape our own foam. That is what sets the final profile of the seat: the bolster height, the wedge, the depth of the cushion. Because the foam is done here, on the frame we built, the shape can be changed for the build instead of accepted as-is.

4. The wrap

Covers are sewn and wrapped in our shop. Standard is automotive vinyl in black, red, tan or cream. Leather and other materials are available on request, and we can do inserts in a contrasting material or pattern. Stitching, thread color and insert layout are part of the conversation when you order.

5. Fit and ship

Finished seats go out on their tracks and risers. Because of their size, seats ship truck freight.

A 52 inch Fesler bench seat frame in raw steel in front of a classic Chevy truck in the Phoenix shop

A 52 inch bench frame, marked and ready for foam.

Bench seat options at a glance

  • Width: 52, 54 or 56 inches
  • Risers: 2 inch or 4 inch, fully adjustable. Most people go with the 4 inch; taller drivers usually go 2 inch.
  • Shape: side wedge, center wedge or flat
  • Included: seat, tracks, sliders, recline option
  • Standard material: vinyl in black, red, tan or cream
  • Upgrades: leather, custom materials, inserts, custom colors and stitching
  • Pricing: bench seats are listed on the site. The more custom the seat, the more it costs, so call for anything beyond the standard options.

Which trucks and cars we build seats for

Our bench seats are built around classic Chevy and GMC trucks: 1967-72 C10, 1973-88 Squarebody and 1988-2000 OBS, and they are sized to fit just about any project with the riser and width options. Rear seats are currently built for the 1967-69 and 1970-81 Camaro, 1968-72 Chevelle and 1966-67 Nova. If your vehicle is not on that list, contact us. Custom is what the shop does.

Custom steel rear seat frames test fit in the rear of a classic Chevy with Fesler fiberglass interior panels

Rear seat frames test fit in the car alongside Fesler fiberglass panels, so the seat and the interior are built to each other.

Frequently asked questions

Are Fesler seats really made in-house?

Yes. The steel frame is fabricated, the foam is cut and shaped, and the cover is wrapped in our shop in Phoenix, Arizona.

Can you build a 60/40 or 50/50 split bench for my truck?

Yes. Splits are built on the same steel frame construction as our full-width benches, with each section on its own tracks and recline. Contact us with your truck and the width you need.

Do you make bucket seats?

Yes. We build steel-framed buckets in-house, and we also rework seats you already have, including Recaros, in your choice of material, inserts and stitching.

What materials can I choose?

Standard is vinyl in black, red, tan or cream. Leather and other materials are available, and inserts can be done in a contrasting material or pattern.

Do the seats come with tracks and sliders?

Yes. Bench seats include tracks, sliders and a recline option, plus your choice of 2 inch or 4 inch adjustable risers.

Can you build a rear seat that matches my front seats?

Yes. We build custom steel rear seats for the 1967-69 and 1970-81 Camaro, 1968-72 Chevelle and 1966-67 Nova, and can match the material and stitching of the fronts.

How do the seats ship?

Seats are oversized and ship truck freight.

My vehicle is not listed. Can you still build a seat?

Ask. Because we fabricate the frame ourselves, a seat is not limited to the applications on the site. Contact us with the vehicle and what you want.

Order or ask

Browse the seat collection, read more on the custom seats page, or contact the shop to talk through a split, a bucket, a rear seat or a material you do not see listed. Every one of them gets built the same way: steel, foam and cover, by hand, in Phoenix.

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