Seat Identification

Hi all!

I am trying to identify a set of seats I obtained with a Dart Sport several years ago. I drug them out of a shed recently, and thought I'd try to sell them to someone who could use them rather than let them sit in storage indefinitely.

Although they were included with the Dart when purchased, and were able to be installed for a time in the Dart, I keep thinking that they may have came from an F body or something. They just don't look like A Body seats, and I'm not aware of any 70s A body that had a power seat. The rear seat installed without a problem in an A Body, but the front seats required new holes and a spacer, I believe (not surprising, as the car cam with a bench seat originally). Another thing: they don't look quite like the seats from my 79 Volare, but it didn't have a power seat, either.

The number on the motor assembly for the driver's seat is "3861722". I can't find much regarding that number, but what I did find does seem to point towards use in a B or F body. However......

The tag on the back part of the rear seat appears to read:
3689043 B
LS1-M13685 2973

I haven't been able to find much information on how to decipher the tag, but one post I found suggested that the last four digits on the second line were a date code, where 297 would be the 297th date of the year, and 3 would point towards 73.

So, I've thoroughly confused myself trying to find out what these seats may have came out of! If anyone happens to recognize these, I would greatly appreciate any information you may have. Thanks in advance!

Chrysler used several date code systems over the years and in many cases, several during the same year.

The most common (I think) is the 10,000-day calendar they used.
I entered that date code, 2973, and it gave me September 17, 1969 – so that one is not it.

The second more common date code is first three digits are “day of the year” then last digit of year, so 2973 could be 297th day (October 24) of ’73 (Wednesday), or ’83 (Monday).

A third option is 29th week of ’73.

A forth option is “2973” is a vender code number (which is what I think it is, in this case).


- The only power seats Chrysler used in '73 or '74 was C and Y-body's (Imperial). Those two years, no A, B, E body's had power seats. F and M body's were still on the drawing board, at that time.

- Your seats are out of a 2-door car. 2-door Seats made in October 1983 would be for a front wheel drive car (which is possible) but not likely with a 3.6 or 3.8 million series part number.

- The power seat motor part number 3861722 is from a ’77 (only) B, F or M body with 60/40 or 40/40 (with console) seats.
These three facts (above) indicate the "2973" is not the date code


I have no information to look up seat part numbers – but looking at these two pictures (from ’77 Volare Color and Trim book) the seat frames look like is from an F-body – but the pattern/layout doesn’t look right.



I don’t have access to B-body or M-body trim books to say about them – but it is very likely the front seat frames are the same.

My guess is if the seat covers are original, the seats are either from a ’77 B or M-body 2-door. The front seats will fit a huge number of Chrysler vehicles over the years. The rear seats – not so much (body specific).
BudW

BudW,

Thank you for your very informative reply! Lots of good information there.

I was leaning towards thinking that the seats may have originally come out of an F body, but didn't think the pattern looked similar enough to anything else I had seen. It certainly doesn't match the images you provided.

Are F body and A body rear seats interchangeable? You mentioned that the rear seats are body specific, which makes sense. We finally got a break in the rain here, so I pulled out an extra rear seat that I pulled from one of my Dart Sports (either 73 or 74). The dimensions are nearly identical, with the only difference being a different width cutout at the bottom rear of the seat. I'm attaching pictures comparing the two.

The tag from the Dart's rear seat reads:
3689369
SIM-136850-0153

I know that this set did go into my 73 Dart at one time without issue. Surely a B body would have a slightly wider rear seat than the A or F body? I am unsure of the M body....

We know the motor was 1977 specific. It looks like the only M bodies in 1977 were the Dodge Diplomat and the Chrysler LeBaron? Images I have been able to find of those vehicles don't seem to match the seats at all, either.

The upholstery looks like it could be original, but I suppose it's possible someone reupholstered the seats at some point.

I do appreciate the time and help you've given!

The floor pan is the same for F and M-body (maybe even for the J – not looked to know). Generally, the rear seats are for floor pan more than anything else. There is a difference between 2 and 4-door cars (rear seat bottoms) because 4-door cars, are bent different to allow people into car – but generally the seat backs are the same.

Pretty much all front seats will interchange in most all body types – except hole spacing is slightly off between bench seats and 50/50, 60/40, 40/20/40 or 40/40 seats with console. The exception to that is FMJ vehicles without a bench seat – the passenger side seat inner seat track is shorter because of the cat converter hump – whereas all other Body types don’t have that hump. Front wheel drive seats – I can’t comment on.
Also, convertible seats are way narrower than anything else out there.

Will a rear F-body seats interchange with an A-body? I’ve never tried so can’t say for sure. I would doubt it but not really sure.
If the metal frame has the same basic shape and bottom side shares the same measurements – then you might have a winner.
BudW