I have the wrong seats in my car, suggestions? 1965 Fury III

[65Fury440]

Can anyone tell just by looking what my seats may be from? The rear seat is where I have a problem, the back of the seat sticks up about 3" higher than the package tray shelf.I don't think this is right?

I want to get new covers, but want them to be correct for the car.

I tried looking through some old brochures to ID my seats, with no luck.

I'm thinking I need to start with the proper Fury seat frame for the rear, but I'm not sure if the new cover will fit the front seat frame either. Any thoughts on this?

 

[fury fan]

Hard to tell from the pics what these seats are, esp with the generic covers on them.

Based on the doorpanels, is this a 66 Sport Fury, or the car in your avatar?

If an SF, should be buckets in front of course, and a divot in the top of the rear seat for the sculpted package shelf cover.

If not an SF -
Is the front seat a split-back for a 2dr? Can't quite tell in the pic. If not, it's gotta be wrong.

As for sticking up 3" at the back window - I presume you had it pushed down fully in the tabs at the package shelf, and the bottom ears if the seatback bolted properly to the car?

You may need to remove them and look for a number stamped into the frame to X-ref.

EDIT - saw your title of 65 F3, so ignore the SF comments...

 

[65Fury440]

I am assuming the cover are OEM. I have not had the opportunity to look at a stock Fury III, but am fairly certain the pattern would not be like mine, not what I've seen on the net anyhow.

You may need to remove them and look for a number stamped into the frame to X-ref.

That is a great idea. I looked under the rear seat sitting on the garage floor, only found a tag that said "3-65 production date". So that narrows it down to a 65 model something.

 

[fury fan]

The big clue is the very generic straight stitching on the covers. Factory covers always have more pattern to them, a more interesting design, and/or some cloth thrown in. (except for copcar seats, though)

 

[65Fury440]

The big clue is the very generic straight stitching on the covers. Factory covers always have more pattern to them, a more interesting design, and/or some cloth thrown in. (except for copcar seats, though)

Ok thanks for that, I had no idea. Back to square 1, finding seat frames.

 

[fury fan]

Keep in mind that the lower part of the rear seat may be OK?

Also, didn't see you respond on this -
Are you sure the upper rear seat is installed correctly? I've not seen one (a C-body seat that is) that would sit tall and also be straight across the top. Ones that are tall usually have a divot in them, such as for a SF or a 300. (those are sometimes narrower by a few inches/side in 65-66 also, maybe other years, due to some filler pieces that the standard F1-F3 don't have)

Another thought - there may be original fabric hiding under those covers to verify vs a 65 brochure? Although that's hard to evaluate without 'losing' whatever life is left in these covers.

PS - If you ever head up to central-IN I might be able to rustle up a set of 66-68 bench seat cores for cheap.

 

[65Fury440]

Are you sure the upper rear seat is installed correctly?

The upper seat cushion sits on top of the lower seat cushion, which keeps it positioned too high up.

there may be original fabric hiding under those covers to verify vs a 65 brochure? Although that's hard to evaluate without 'losing' whatever life is left in these covers.

I don't see any other fabric from the bottom.
I believe the seat frames are Mopar, as the front seat studs line up with all the factory holes.

The hook in the seat that engages in the floor is 16 1/2" to the rear of the seat.

The back of the bottom seat is riding up on the 'bump' in the floor.It's hard to see from the picture. The measurement is 16 1/2". If you look closely, there is an indent in the foil.

The seat back is actually being held up by the bottom cushion, riding up on the bump. My guess would be that the seats are from a larger C body,that had more room before the bump protrudes up.
I think I'll try welding some extensions on the rear seat bottom and move it forward. At this point, it isn't going to hurt anything.

Thanks for the frame offer. If I was in the hemisphere I'd take you up! Thanks for your help as well-Doug

 

[fury fan]

The top of the seat usually sits on the bottom, so that's not unusual. I would think that a larger C-body (meaning a Fusey) would be larger in other dimensions also, but I don't really know. Seems possible that a Fusey upper seat might be taller. I think you're on to something there.

 

[Big_John]

The seat back shouldn't sit on top of the bottom seat. It goes in first and then the bottom pushes up against it.

 

[65Fury440]

The top of the seat usually sits on the bottom, so that's not unusual. I would think that a larger C-body (meaning a Fusey) would be larger in other dimensions also, but I don't really know. Seems possible that a Fusey upper seat might be taller. I think you're on to something there.

There's a tag that was on the seat frame saying Date 3-65 though. Maybe a 2 door 300 would be likely?

The seat back shouldn't sit on top of the bottom seat. It goes in first and then the bottom pushes up against it.

Yea if that's the case, this seat bottom is about 3-4 inches too deep. It barely fits without the seat back in.
I don't even know if trying to rework the frame will make it fit right. Or more accurately, would it be worth the work to make it fit, then hope a Fury seat cover will fit.

 

[Big_John]

Every Mopar I've ever owned has the seat back going in before the seat base.

Put it together like that and try it. The base may be fine too. You do have to push on it to get it in.

 

[65Fury440]

Thanks for all the help, I'm gonna try jamming the bottom with the back in place. I have my doubts but, I seem to recall your advice is always solid John. I'll report back. -Doug

 

[Big_John]

I wouldn't say it's always solid... LOL. I make my share of mistakes.

 

[mr. fix it]

My Polara has 2 sets of brackets from the factory.
I had to transplant a pair from the original floor pan into the new to me floor pan
I'm posting this in case you are trying to connect the wire frame to the wrong bracket.
The set I had to transplant were just behind the edge of the vertical pan.

 

[65Fury440]

My Polara has 2 sets of brackets from the factory.

Wow that's odd. So I just went out and measured my bracket, it is 4" from the most forward edge to the floor drop off. Your most forward looks closer than that. Go figure.

 

[mr. fix it]

Wow that's odd. So I just went out and measured my bracket, it is 4" from the most forward edge to the floor drop off. Your most forward looks closer than that. Go figure.

that is true.
the floor for my current installation came out of a 65 Fury and it only had a pair of brackets like you have.

 

[65Fury440]

So which bracket do you use, the forward one correct? So that would mean Polara seats are deeper than the Fury's? Am I understanding that correctly?

 

[mr. fix it]

So which bracket do you use, the forward one correct? So that would mean Polara seats are deeper than the Fury's? Am I understanding that correctly?

not sure, I had to use the forward brackets to hold my seat down.

I'm not sure about measurements.. I can get that though tonight.

 

[fury fan]

Isn't the Dodge wheelbase longer than the Fury, and that was created in the rear floorpan area somewhere?

And not to be argumentative, but the bottom seat will push in/under the seat back. Every seat I've seen has a witness mark where the seat back has compressed the bottom's foam, usually 2-3" front-rear. If we think about it, the only things holding the bottom in place are the front hooks, so the seat back must hold it down at the rear edge. Agreed, the seat back has to install first.

I've always found if I don't push the seat bottom in/under the back first, it is much harder to push the bottom down/rear into the front hooks.

 

[mr. fix it]

This is true that the Polara is longer than the Fury by 3"
- at least in wheel base.
The floor pans are identical other than the filler panel between the rear frame section(where the rear passenger sits their butt down on) and the main floor pan is longer by 3".

The rear frame rails, trunk pan and hump are identical with a few brackets being spot welded into slightly different locations or a different bracket is used.
I had to choose between moving the front spring pockets forward on the new rails up by 3 " because the Polara springs are 3" longer than the Fury
I could have used Fury leaf springs but I didn't want to buy new shorter springs
I just discovered the other day that the lower brackets where the back of the seat bolts up to was shorter in depth by about 1&1/2" so I had to transplant my original brackets into the floor hump to fix this problem
If I had no then I would have had a big gap between the passenger seat and back rest
In fact I left the original Fury brackets in place ans imply riveted the Polara brackets over top since they were in the correct position in the floor pan already.