64 Dodge Bench Seat Center Armrest differences??

[Sixpaksteve]

Can anyone tell me if there were differences in the center arm rests size-wise on bench seat cars between the hardtop and convertible models?

Pics are of my 64 Dodge convertible center arm rest. The foam appears original given the numbers in it, and I believe that the wood frame [rotting] is original too. Unfortunately, previous owners of the car in CA let it sit outside in the rain more than once with the top down. :-(

The approx. measurements on this are: 16" L x 9" W x 6" thick

The red interior pic I included for reference.

Thanks!

 

[Sixpaksteve]

I'm answering my own question here today because I now have information [and pics!] from an Ebay vendor that I didn't have when I posted my question. And I'm also optimistic that I might help out another 64 Polara convertible member down the road by posting what I learned today.

A vendor in Arizona had a 64 Polara 4 door car's front seat arm rest for sale. There were no measurements given for it at the time I saw it, so I wrote the vendor and asked if he would measure its length, width, and thickness so that I could compare it to what was left of my 64 convertible's front arm rest. He emailed me his measurements and he updated his listing to include pics of the measurements he took for me.

Bottom line is that hardtop's and convertible front seat arm rests were the same size....

 

[Dave6T4]

I found that you could take the bolt out of the outside seat hinges of a 4-door Polara front bench seat and use it in a 2-door. Without the bolt in the outside hinge, the seat sections are now able to pivot ahead on centre arm rest hinge.

 

[Sixpaksteve]

I found that you could take the bolt out of the outside seat hinges of a 4-door Polara front bench seat and use it in a 2-door. Without the bolt in the outside hinge, the seat sections are now able to pivot ahead on centre arm rest hinge.

That's good to know Dave, thanks!

Can I assume then that the 2 door hardtop bench seat backs and the 2 door convertible bench seat backs both fold down the same amount? The original front bench seat frame in my convertible isn't in too bad a shape, but if I found a better core from a hardtop car [2 or 4 door] that hasn't had its interior exposed to the weather for decades [like my convertible was] I'd considering buying it after what you just told me about removing those two hinge bolts.

 

[Dave6T4]

That's good to know Dave, thanks!

Can I assume then that the 2 door hardtop bench seat backs and the 2 door convertible bench seat backs both fold down the same amount? The original front bench seat frame in my convertible isn't in too bad a shape, but if I found a better core from a hardtop car [2 or 4 door] that hasn't had its interior exposed to the weather for decades [like my convertible was] I'd considering buying it after what you just told me about removing those two hinge bolts.

I am very sure that convertible and hardtop front seats are the same. Rear seats are a different story. Convertible rear seats are narrower because of folding top mechanisms. When I was restoring my 1964 Polara 500 convertible, I ordered a repro seat set from Legendary Interiors. They mistakenly sent me hardtop rear seat covers, which I had to return. Their mistake, not mine. The 4-door front seat that I took the bolt out of, allowing it to fold actually went into a 2-door hardtop that a guy was restoring. He used the matching rear seat as well. The 4-door rear seat bottom is different, because it rounds over to rear door opening, whereas 2-door rear seat bottom is square. It fit and the guy was OK with it. I live up here in Ontario, but this interior came out of 4-door hardtop originally from Alabama that found its way up here. U.S. Polara interiors are much fancier than Canadian Dodge interiors that more resemble Plymouth Fury. These seats were the optional all vinyl, which this guy was very happy with. He said he had never seen seats like these before. I used the nicer U.S. interior door panels for the Polara 4-door hardtop that I am restoring. They were originally red, but I dyed them black And masked off some custom red accents.

 

[Sixpaksteve]

That's a great looking red/black color combination Dave. I've never seen that before so thanks for posting!

Now that I know that the center arm rests are the same in the 64 cars, I agree with you that the convertible and hardtop seats are the same and that hardtop seats can go into a convertible if those 2 side bolts are removed. That makes sense too from a cost perspective that the factory should have been considering and engineering to as well back in 1964.

I'm in the process now [and have been in the process] of looking for decent 64 convertible rear seat cores. My originals are so bad [especially the bottom back seat] I can't weld on them to attempt to keep/use them. You're correct that the convertible bottom seat has a very tight 'U' in the front frame where it goes over the driveshaft tunnel. I haven't seen this style seat in any other B Body.... the closest seat that looks like it is an early Barracuda 'A' body bottom seat but I'm not sure it would work in the Polara.

I need to find and talk with another Polara vert owner who's 'been there done that' in coming up with a replacement rear seat for his convertible and so far I haven't ran across that individual. Lol

 

[Dave6T4]

I would think that bare rear bottom seat frames would be the same for 1963 to 1965 Polara/Coronet and Fury/ Satellite. I am talking B-body only here, as 1965 Polara and Fury became C-body and are much different.

 

[Sixpaksteve]

I thought the same until I started asking and hunting around. Here's a pic of a 64 Plymouth convertible rear seat bottom, taken by a member here who is currently restoring the car. Notice there is no sharp 'U' like the black back seat which is from my friends 64 Polara Vert.

 

[Dave6T4]

That's weird. It must be because of difference in rear floor pans between Dodge and Plymouth. Plymouth is 3 " shorter wheelbase and it shows up in rear footwell. Plymouth must try to regain this lost room by sitting rear seat up on top of rear floor pan, while Dodge lets it drop down over to floor. I never realized this; learn something new every day.