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11-19-2022, 07:23 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 14
Year: 2002
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Seat replacement
Greetings everyone,
I am well on my way in my bus conversion project. Recently, my wife and I bought a 2002 bluebird all American rear engine and we are currently in the process of gutting the inside in preparation for a roof raise and improved insulation.
While I’ve been doing this, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with the driver seat. I currently have a fully functional air ride suspension base, which I am definitely going to keep. The upholstery and driver seat are not in good condition, so I was curious about the process of changing it.
My question is can I just take any kind of vehicle seat and mount it to the existing air ride base? If so, my plan was to go to a vehicle junkyard and find a big captain chair, But I don’t know if that’s going to work the same way as the seat that’s already there. If I can’t replace the seat, I’m probably going to end up just buying a cover and sliding it over the top. However, I would like to have something more comfortable to drive in.
Any help or advice in this area will be greatly appreciated.
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11-19-2022, 08:30 PM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 729
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000 28ft
Engine: Cummins ISB 5.9 24v, MD3060
Rated Cap: 14
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You can get a seat from a semi at a junkyard. Having the air ride base already is good because you shouldnt need an adapter plate with whatever you find. I found mine on Facebook marketplace for a really good deal where someone took them out of their brand new Super C RV. Check facebook and craigslist first. Then go to some wrecking yards.
What you have to watch for with your plan is that air ride bases bounce, so the seat belt should be attached to the seat/ top of the base so it moves with you and doesnt lock when you bounce.
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11-19-2022, 10:37 PM
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#3
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 14
Year: 2002
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So, if I go to a junkyard and find a seat, will I be able to attach it to the base I already have? Is that what you’re suggesting?
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11-20-2022, 02:32 PM
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#4
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Suburbs of Winterset, OH
Posts: 802
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FS65
Engine: Mercedes 6.4L
Rated Cap: just the 2 of us
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For my freightliner chassis bus, i found a freightliner air ride seat on ebay, $250 delivered,
Nothing fancy, but it has arm rest and bolted to the original platform w/o any hassles.
The seller had the mount hole measurements in the listing, easy peasy.
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11-21-2022, 03:01 PM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 14
Year: 2002
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That brings up another question: How do I know what chassis I have in my bus? I've always looked for stuff using the Bluebird name. Should I be looking for a different manufacturer when I need something?
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11-21-2022, 04:12 PM
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#6
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Suburbs of Winterset, OH
Posts: 802
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FS65
Engine: Mercedes 6.4L
Rated Cap: just the 2 of us
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My title has freightliner on it.
Also on the vin plate located on the firewall under the hood.
(I have a front engine bus)
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11-22-2022, 01:59 PM
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#7
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: Arkansas - Fort Smith area
Posts: 19
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Bluebird All American
Engine: Cat C7 ACERT
Rated Cap: 54
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Your plan is exactly what I did; however, there were some issues.
My wife and I went to a local U-Pull-It yard and got two seats from a Toyota Sienna van (one for driver one for "co-driver"). I then set about using my limited welding skills to make a mount that would put the driver's seat on the existing (2005 Bluebird All American) air ride pedestal. It worked great until I went to drive the bus. The extra seat height of the Toyota seat meant that the overall height of the seat, when combined with the air ride pedestal, was WAY to high.  I have since given up on the concept of keeping the air ride. 
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11-22-2022, 07:06 PM
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#8
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
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Hi Mr. Octobus! As mentioned above (below?) you can find a semi truck seat, either new or from a wrecking yard. The seat should come with the air ride base and the base hole patterns are pretty universal. They have multiple hole locations and I've found they generally have holes which line up with existing holes. Worst case, you drill a few new ones and through-bolt it to the floor with large fender washers below.
You don't need to look specifically for a Bluebird seat. Any semi truck seat should work.
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11-26-2022, 04:37 PM
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#9
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2020
Location: San Diego
Posts: 21
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cummins 5.9 common rail
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Driver’s seat
I looked seriously at replacing my driver’s seat. I have the air ride base that works great. The lumbar support has an air leak so I capped off the line for now. I looked at new and junkyard seats. I decided to reupholster the one I have and fixing the lumbar support instead of trying to fit another seat. New foam and new cover material will work just fine for me.
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11-26-2022, 06:57 PM
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#10
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Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Union Bridge Maryland
Posts: 103
Year: 2002
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Guess I'm the Outlaw here. I took flat plate of steel bolted to my air ride base. Drilled holes in steel and bolted a Acura seat on. $25 dollars for seat, maybe like 20 for steel plate. Cheap and easy. My bus seat kept going into recline mode unexpectedly. Car seats fit pretty good, I find them comfortable
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