'74 to '70 Dart Bucket Seat Conversion

[Eventer289]

Does any know if bucket seats from a '74 Dart can be converted to fit a '70 Dart? I believe the seat track measurements are the same (12" X 12" square), so is the remainder of the framework the same as well, and can '70 seat cover upholstery, '70 seat foam, and '70 hard seat backs be used on the '74 seat framework without significant modification?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Drivers side inner seat track may be different if the 74 had a floor for a catalytic converter. As far as the early covers and hard backs fitting the later frames ? No

 

[72bluNblu]

'74's didn't have catalytic converters, the seat tracks will fit just fine.

 

[j_anderson]

The 70-71 the seat backs had the springs attached to the frames. 72 they switched to the springs molded into the foam.

 

[1MeanA]

Seat tracks are different after '72

 

[72bluNblu]

Seat tracks are different after '72

What changed?

Because they definitely all interchange up until the inner driver's side track changed in '75 with the addition of the catalytic converter bump in the floor pan.

 

[1MeanA]

What changed?

Because they definitely all interchange up until the inner driver's side track changed in '75 with the addition of the catalytic converter bump in the floor pan.

I think that was a 73 change. There was also a change on how the release mechanism works.

 

[72bluNblu]

I think that was a 73 change. There was also a change on how the release mechanism works.

No, it was not. Catalytic converters didn't get added until '75 when it was "standard on most models".

If they'd been added before then, my California sold '74 would definitely have had one, and it most certainly does not.

From the '75 dealer handbook on Hamtramck-Historical-

https://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1975/75-Dart_0002.jpg

 

[1MeanA]

Look at repro tracks. They are for 70-72 and not beyond.

 

[72bluNblu]

Look at repro tracks. They are for 70-72 and not beyond.

That's like trusting the parts house on an application range, those are never wrong are they?

Like I said, I literally have a '74, California smog equipped car. There's no catalytic converter hump in the floor that required the modified drivers side seat track, and you'd better believe if any '74 had one it would be a California car.

Perhaps the tracks themselves can not interchange parts, but '74 tracks will fit a '70 just fine.

 

[YY1]

FWIW- for a looooong time most repro parts manufacturers thought no one would ever buy parts for a 73 or later.

Some still think that way.

 

[1MeanA]

From what I can tell the tracks changed after '72 in that the latching mechanism was only on the outside track and not the inside track. Perhaps someone can confirm or debunk this? The floor pan looks to be the same up to '74. So there are differences but should work as far as I can tell. I remember when I was looking for my '70 seat tracks I came to the conclusion that '70-72 would work which is true if you want them to be factory correct but not everyone cares about that

 

[j_anderson]

the seat track release lever did change in 72.

70-71 had a wire that strung from the outer to the inner track to release the mechanism when the outer track release lever was activated.

72 only has the track locking mechanism on the outer track.

But you can physically interchange a 72 track (also 73-4) onto a 70-71 seat. The hole spacing to the seat frame is the same