Gun Jeep Seat

[Driver523]

Ron Smith from Pensacola that has built the replica 5 ton gun truck Black Widow is now trying to replicate a gun jeep that his unit (the 360th trans) had in VietNam, its about done but he cannot find the rear seat that was in it, at the time it was thought to be a APC seat but we are not sure---so---hopefully someone can ID this rear gunners seat and know where one can be had, now I'll try and post a photo of the jeep in Nam-----Thanks All-------Driver

 

[Driver523]

Here's another photo of a gun jeep with the 572nd Gypsey Bandits---looks like the same type of seat----I have looked around on some M-113 sights but can't find a seat that looks like the gunners seat in either photo-------Driver

 

[Billy Bobbed]

Looks like an old tractor seat.

 

[Driver523]

Could be---It also kinda looks like one of the old bomber seats the rat rodders used (use) Wonder if it could be from an aircraft???????--------Driver

 

[maddawg308]

Looks like a helicopter or armor crew seat. Not sure which.

 

[Driver523]

Thanks MD---how about heavy equipment?----dozer, scraper, something like that?-----Driver

 

[JB]

The seat in the first pic looks like a swivel office chair. It looks like one with foam padding.

 

[Billy Bobbed]

JB why does you join date say 1969.

 

[JB]

No clue. It was like that when transferred from old site i think.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Boy I would think that it would be from a piece of heavy equipment like a cat loader. Whats interesting in the 2nd pic and I wish it had the whole jeep but in that pic, it has a A2 windshield frame. So either it was put on a A1 or they got a new A2 that was "fresh from the world" Larry, if ron wants a generic seat, he can use the drivers seat from a M-37. Some of the gun trucks had them in the back, I have one pic that clearly shows it from the M37 as you could still see it had the adjuster rails attached. With that info, I picked up a cheap one at a show from someone that parted out a truck.

 

[WarrenD]

Doesn't look aviation related to me, certainly not a Huey part. I just saw a seat like that last week in a M37. The guy had replaced the drivers seat and the one he used looked just like the ones in the photos.

 

[Driver523]

Thanks guys---We used just about anything to sit on Jeff, like you say--seats out of M-37 or anything else, in the 5 tons alot of the time the inner armor was lower then the outter so it was easy to just set a seat on the inner and bolt it to the outter, most M-37s were single walled so it was a little harder, I don't think I even had a seat in Malfuction (M-37) but it did have a good radio table and a RT-524 so that along with a flak jacket you had your seat, in the jeeps you had the fender, or you could remove the rear seat and set something up there, alot of guys just used the rear spare as a seat, Ron is replicating this particular jeep and really would like to find this type seat, someone will recognize it---the jeep he is building was a 360th jeep and the other photo is a 572nd jeep---360th was in Cam Ron Bay and the 572nd at the time was in Da Nang so these seats were all across the country, the 572nd had at least one more gun jeep with that type seat, We'll keep our eyes open and Thanks to all for looking---------------Driver

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Hey larry, do you or ron have any more pics of that jeep???? I saved it and zoom'd in on the seat and other parts of the jeep. Someone mentioned the chance that it may be a office chair?? Maybe one of those metal types with 4 tube legs. It looks to be sitting on two wood blocks and I would assume that they are bolted straight through the fender. What is really neat is I really do think that its a M151A2. It definatly has a A2 windshield and it has the marine corps lifting ring at the back and if you zoom in, it looks to have composit lights. Pretty cool pic.

 

[JB]

The first jeep in this thread looks like it has a duece cab cover on it. They fastened the normal bows straight up with duece cab reinforcement bows and the canvas appears to be one piece without added side curtains.

 

[m38inmaine]

It is an A2, look at the rear wheel well.

 

[Driver523]

I think I found were the seat may have come from----Anybody know about the seats in a Cat scraper?-----I think there is a good chance it came out of a Cat 631 from the late 60s---Any heavy equipment guys out there?----------Driver

 

[zout]

like this - this is a model C

 

[Driver523]

I think so------NOW-----to find one--------looks like it would make a great rat rod seat also-----------------Thanks guys----------Driver

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Confirmed Larry. There is a derelict 290m cat scraper that's not far from me. The day I mentioned that it might be a cat loader I want do take a run and see the scraper. It sure as he'll is that seat!!! This scraper was built in 1967. I took pics of the seat from my phone

 

[Driver523]

Sammy and Richard Bowman both said it was a Cat seat and as you can see from the photo from ZOUT there is no doubt, Ron will be out looking for one come first thing Monday------------------Thanks to all for your help, he has the top but yet has to fold it just right, but this seat will now make this replica complete---------Driver