71 Charger Front Seat Options

[RockyPat]

I am reposting my thread in this forum as well because I do not know where the interior experts are yet!

Hello everyone,

I am looking to replace my 1971 Charger's regular bench seat with a split/buddy bench seat or bucket seats.

I have read that bucket seat cars came with some sort of reinforcement in their floor board for the inner seat bolts by the transmission tunnel, and that I would have to install some myself if I wanted to go bucket seats to prevent floor board damage.

I am also looking at buddy/split bench front seats because they can look like buckets when the center arm rest is folded down, but still retain the bench capabilities and they seem cheaper to get than buckets.

My problem: I see that some split/buddy bench seats come with a buddy seat that needs to be bolted in to the floor. (71 seems to be this way and the seats themselves are thinner and look like two bucket seats with a buddy seat)

This would be the same as installing bucket seats right? Would I have to add floor reinforcements?

OR

I have seen these split bench seats:

That are in later year cars 73/74. They are thicker and seem to be one whole seat without a buddy seat. Just the arm rest comes down.

Would this be a direct bolt in to my existing regular 71 bench seat holes? Seems like a much easier install. Would there be any problems installing this seat besides not being year correct?

Thanks!

 

[Outlaw525]

To my knowledge, the floor pans are basically the same from '71-74. The '73 seat should bolt up in the '71 no problem.

I have a split high back bench from a '73 Charger like the ones in your picture in Central Oregon. If you are interested PM me. Good luck on the project.

 

[T2R9]

The first picture is buckets with a buddy seat and was available 71-74 and the inner tracks for the seats do need reinforcements, these are readily available or easily made. The buddy seat uses different brackets as pictured on my 71 floor. The bench with a fold down arm rest was also available 71 -74 and is what my car originally came with. They are comfy seats.

 

[RockyPat]

To my knowledge, the floor pans are basically the same from '71-74. The '73 seat should bolt up in the '71 no problem.

I have a split high back bench from a '73 Charger like the ones in your picture in Central Oregon. If you are interested PM me. Good luck on the project.

Thanks for confirming! It can be hard to find good information about seat fitments! I will PM you about the seat.

 

[RockyPat]

The first picture is buckets with a buddy seat and was available 71-74 and the inner tracks for the seats do need reinforcements, these are readily available or easily made. The buddy seat uses different brackets as pictured on my 71 floor. The bench with a fold down arm rest was also available 71 -74 and is what my car originally came with. They are comfy seats.

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Thanks for this post! I did not know that both style seats were offered from 71-74. The seats do seem comfortable! Thanks for the floor pan picture, as I can now see what the reinforcements look like for bucket seats.