Replacement Express Cruiser seats

MinnesotaJim

MinnesotaJim

New Member
Sep 12, 2012
14
St. Paul, MN
Boat Info
1988 390 express cruiser
Engines
Twin 7.4 liter mercruisers
Hello all! I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me where I might find an original stock seat for a 1988 390 E.C. (drivers seat). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I purchased the boat this summer and the previous owner had replaced the original stock seat with a much shorter, odd looking one. The colors don't need to match as I am recovering all of the seats this winter. Not sure where to start looking. Thanks again!
 
I have a 1990 390 EC. I am working on the Port side passenger seat. Not the seat that looks towards the bow but the stern. The wood is rotted out so I have been searching for seats also. Frusterating!!!! no luck at all. A friend of mine are going to make one ourselfs. Good luck.
 
Hi, just replied to another thread about this. I'm doing my own. I didn't like the pricing I got from some custom shops in the area, so decided to buy a sewing machine and learn the trade myself. I've done the interior cusions and dinette seating, and the stern corner seat so far. The plywood was shot so made new plywood base using old piece as pattern. Same with the fabric, detreaded all the seams and used pieces for patterns to cut out new. The hardest part was sewing the piping into the seams to match the OEM design.I will post photos in spring once everything is back on the boat. I plan to redo the other exterior seats this next winter, they aren't in as bad shape, but the new cushion is going to make the rest look quite old.
 
1990-270-da-lover said:
Hi, just replied to another thread about this. I'm doing my own. I didn't like the pricing I got from some custom shops in the area, so decided to buy a sewing machine and learn the trade myself. I've done the interior cusions and dinette seating, and the stern corner seat so far. The plywood was shot so made new plywood base using old piece as pattern. Same with the fabric, detreaded all the seams and used pieces for patterns to cut out new. The hardest part was sewing the piping into the seams to match the OEM design.I will post photos in spring once everything is back on the boat. I plan to redo the other exterior seats this next winter, they aren't in as bad shape, but the new cushion is going to make the rest look quite old.
Click to expand...


Can you send pictures would love to see your before and after.
 

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very impressive - I like the fabric Sunbrella?

Are you going to tackle the exterior seats? I have always thought Sunbrella would be great on my 240 Sundeck exterior seat cushions...............
 
For the original poster, the sewing and vinyl skins are the easy part.

The 1988 captains seat is made from a cast plastic shell that is then padded and covered. The plastic nearly always cracks and breaks where the bottom of the seat meets the back, so finding an original seat is going to be very difficult; finding a useable one will be nearly impossible. The only suggestion I can make is to try starting at the beginning, i.e. figure out who makes and sells the plastic shells, for without one to base the reconstruction on, the seat isn't going to have the same sculptured shape and appearance.

Given enough time and talent, the seat could be fabricated out of wood/plywood steamed and formed to get the curves. It could be done but will entail building a steam chamber, a bending jig and a lot of time, wood and epoxy.

I think I would consider a redesign using fabricated seating............for example, the new larger Sundancers have 2 individual buckets facing forward instead of a bench and several aftermarket makers offer nice captains chairs....its a thought becasue you are in a pickle trying to get original seating for this one.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I may just end up reupholstering the seats myself like some of you suggested. I've been getting estimates from local custom shops ranging anywhere from 4 to 7 thousand for reupholstering.
 
Thanks Frank, the base on mine must have cracked because I can't imagine why they would have removed it otherwise. I've researched aftermarket captains chairs but with the wide beam on the 390 all of the aftermarkets have all been too small. Thanks for the suggestion about the dual bucket seats, perhaps that would be the way to go.
 
I have a good friend who is in the canvas and upholstery business and replacing the entire cockpit vinyl on a stock 390EC would cost about $2500 in our area.....he also had no clue about where to get the original cast plastic form to start with.
 
fwebster said:
I have a good friend who is in the canvas and upholstery business and replacing the entire cockpit vinyl on a stock 390EC would cost about $2500 in our area.....he also had no clue about where to get the original cast plastic form to start with.
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And I just had professionals redo the entire cockpit on my 290 including some structural repairs...it was only $2,100 combined. $7,000 seems crazy
 
The OEM plastic helm seat shells can be purchased at Karcor.com. They still have the molds and can remake the helm seats for the 390 EC
 
fwebster said:
For the original poster, the sewing and vinyl skins are the easy part.

The 1988 captains seat is made from a cast plastic shell that is then padded and covered. The plastic nearly always cracks and breaks where the bottom of the seat meets the back, so finding an original seat is going to be very difficult; finding a useable one will be nearly impossible. The only suggestion I can make is to try starting at the beginning, i.e. figure out who makes and sells the plastic shells, for without one to base the reconstruction on, the seat isn't going to have the same sculptured shape and appearance.

Given enough time and talent, the seat could be fabricated out of wood/plywood steamed and formed to get the curves. It could be done but will entail building a steam chamber, a bending jig and a lot of time, wood and epoxy.

I think I would consider a redesign using fabricated seating............for example, the new larger Sundancers have 2 individual buckets facing forward instead of a bench and several aftermarket makers offer nice captains chairs....its a thought becasue you are in a pickle trying to get original seating for this one.
Click to expand...
 
The seat shell is probably made by Krakor out of Milwaukee Wisconsin I have a 45 inch shell it is brand new never been used. Their part number is 80–8531 that I am willing to sell. My cost on it was $519.43 (including $103.72) shipping believe it or not. Make me an offer. call me at 678-591-7025 or email me at s1magruder@comcast.net
 
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