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Veteran
Posts: 104
Location: Bruceville,Texas | I have a few question about swivel seats that you all can help answer. What years were they opitional? Which cars could have them and which cars could not? Are they rare? Are they expensive? Would they depriciate a car's value if they were installed on a car that didn't originally have them or they were not available for it? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 558
 
Location: Central Ohio | 1959 and 1960 were the years they were offered. I know 1961 Chrysler 300s had them also. They were standard in Chrysler 300-E, F, and G models, and also in 1959 Plymouth Sport Furys. There may be a few others they were standard in, I'm not sure. They were optional equipment on most other higher price models Are they rare? They are now thats for sure, but when new I'm sure it was a fairly common option. Also, 1960 seats were automatically operated by a cable hooked to them door. Would they depreciate a car that isn't supposed to have them? Probably not much unless it is a high dollar car like a 57 300 C or a 58 Fury. |
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Expert
Posts: 1287
| I understand some 5767 1960 Plymouths were equipped with swivel seats, but I don't know the breakdown by bodystyle or model. I don't have any idea as to the numbers on the other MoPar brands, but I suspect this particular option would become more apt to be found on the higher priced cars than on the lowly Plymouth.
I have also been told that the automatic feature on the '60 models was retrofitted with manual controls after the wife of a Chrysler Corp. bigwig was ejected from her seat (or subjected to some undue embarassment or both) when the door on her side was suddenly opened by a doorman. I never did see one of the fully automatic models in real life, so I suppose if some slipped past recall and are still in existance, they are rare indeed. Daven Anderson can probably provide further illumination on this.
Joe |
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Veteran
Posts: 209
Location: Denton , Texas | I had a 1960 DeSoto Adventure 2 dr HT ,IT HAD SWIVEL SEATS You had to move a lever to swivel  |
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Expert
Posts: 1309
Location: Comox,British Columbia | My 60 new yorker has them as well as my windsor parts cars.They're great,far better than the bench seats that you slide sideways on when cornering.I really like the fold down console for your arm.
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Location: Colorado, Pike's Peak | As far as I know they were avalable on all Mopar brands int he top model as long as the car was intermediate or "full" size. they were an option on my 1969 Dart Phoenix.
Slim
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Location: Colorado, Pike's Peak | 1960! Dart Phoenix |
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | They were also standard equipment on '59 Adventurers.
If my memory serves correct, I don't think they were available on pillared sedans.
I installed a set in a '62 Imperial convertible I had. Not officially correct - but it looked nice.
A dealer would do about anything a customer requested if the price was right.
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Expert
Posts: 1309
Location: Comox,British Columbia | Re pillared sedans not having swivel seats.That is wrong as my 4dr sedan 60 windsor not only had them but the cable mechanisms as well! I think you could order swivel seats in any big to full size car.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 640
Location: Falcon, CO | I'm parting a second '59 Fury 4-door hardtop and both had swivel seats. I sold the first to a '59 Dodge station wagon owner in Phoenix for about $240 on Ebay 14 months ago. The present set is going into the owner's '58 Belvedere. Four doors had a piece of steel in the frame at the seat back joint to keep the seat backs upright. They're easy to remove when the swivel seats go into a 2-door.
Tony |
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | OK, so the finned cars are gone & the memory might be a little fuzzy – but I still have a killer literature collection.
Here’s what’s documented about the swivel seat option in Ross Roy Salesman’s Data Books for each year and model:
1959 Plymouth – Standard on Sport Fury only; extra on Fury 2dr Hardtop & 4dr Hardtop, Belvedere Convertible & Sport Suburban; not available on other models.
1960 Plymouth – extra on Fury Hardtop & Convertible models only. N.A. for others.
1961 Plymouth – N.A.
1959 Dodge – Extra on Custom Royal and Royal. For Coronet, available on custom trim & Convertible models only, not available on 2dr Sedans. N.A. for Sierra Wagons.
1960 Dodge – Extra on Phoenix, Pioneer and Pioneer Wagon; N.A. for Seneca and Seneca Wagon.
1959 DeSoto – Standard on Adventurer; Extra on Fireflite but N.A. on Wagons; Extra on Firedome but N.A. on 4dr Sedan; Extra on Firesweep with custom or plaid trim, N.A. all others.
1960 DeSoto – Extra on Adventuer and Fireflite.
1959 Chrysler & Imperial – Standard on 300E; Extra on all others except station wagons. Only 6-way power available on Imperial, Crown and LeBaron.
1960 Chrysler & Imperial – “Custom Swivel Bucket Seats” on 300F; Extra on Windsor, Saratoga and New Yorker, N.A. on T&C Wagon; Extra on Imperial Custom (6-way power only), Crown and LeBaron.
1961 Chrysler & Imperial - “Custom Swivel Bucket Seats” on 300G; Extra on Newport Convertible only; N.A. on Windsor; Extra on New Yorker, N.A. on T&C Wagon; Extra on Imperial Custom (6-way power only), Crown and LeBaron.
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3591
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | Brett, the old man bought a left over '60 Fury 4 Door Sedan, that had the swivel seat. |
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | Like I said before - almost anything's possible at the dealer level.
But if you want to know "Company Policy," the factory's intentions were listed in the Data Books.
A little money, influence or special promotion could bend the rules.
It seems a set of swivel seats could make a sedan sell a little faster 45 years ago just like today. |
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Account Inactive by Request
Posts: 1601
| I have seen so many '59 and '60 Mopar 4-door sedans with swivel seats, that I find it hard to believe that this was not a factory option. A "few" examples would be plausible by the "dealer would do anything for money theory", but the seats were just too common in the sedans to be explained that way. It would seem that it is more likely a case where the data books were in error--it happenned frequently!
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | Jeeeez! If you read the list, there were plenty of sedans where swivels were available at extra cost.
But, the original message asked which cars had them and which ones did not... and unless you can come up with a dealer service or sales bulletin announcing a mid-year change of equipment, the Ross Roy Data Book is going to be about as good a reference as anyone can get. |
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Veteran
Posts: 104
Location: Bruceville,Texas | How often would these thing show up in swap meets, ebay etc. What does a decent set of swivel seats go for? I have my eye on a rust free 2Dr 60 Plymouth and was considering putting some swivel seats in it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | I think the biggest challenge in getting a set of swivels is location. After all, they're big and heavy... so packing and shipping them won't be cheap. For the same reasons, not everyone can bring them to a swap meet. (Chryslers at Carlisle is probably the best single swap event to find them.)
The swivels I put in my '62 Imp Convertible came out of a parts car I bought. I'd guess this is the most common method people get them. After all, you can ship a whole car a long way for the price of crating and shipping an entire front seat assembly.
It would be interesting to hear stories about how folks acquired their swivel seats (if they didn't come the car to begin with). |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 709
Location: Poznan, Poland, Europe | carjock - 2005-02-11 2:04 AM
I have seen so many '59 and '60 Mopar 4-door sedans with swivel seats, that I find it hard to believe that this was not a factory option. A "few" examples would be plausible by the "dealer would do anything for money theory", but the seats were just too common in the sedans to be explained that way. It would seem that it is more likely a case where the data books were in error--it happenned frequently!
That's interesting...when I discovered that there was such a thing as swivel seats, I was browsing the Web in an amok to find some more pics of it, and the results were very poor...guess all those who have cars with swivels don't have internet access  |
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Expert
Posts: 4036
Location: Connecticut | ... and unless you can come up with a dealer service or sales bulletin announcing a mid-year change of equipment, the Ross Roy Data Book is going to be about as good a reference as anyone can get. Can't speak for other years/makes, but for 59 Dodge they became available for sedans and wagons late in '58. I have the dealer information bulletins documenting this. Ron |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | I have never seen swivel seats in any model of the 58 or earlier Desoto. Has anybody? Sounds like '59 was the first year as an option.
Edited by Gidman 2005-02-11 3:07 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | ronbo97 - 2005-02-11 8:56 AM
... for 59 Dodge they became available for sedans and wagons late in '58. I have the dealer information bulletins documenting this. Ron
Does it say ALL models? The Data Books acknowledge availablity on Custom Royal, Royal on some special Coronets... N.A. on Sierra Wagons, which means available on Custom Sierra Wagons. Later in the year they show swivels in a bulletin comparing Dodge Wagons with the competition. The Dodge Wagons Sales Catalog doesn't mention swivels at all. In the Large Full Line catalog, swivels are said to be available on ALL models (on the Custom Royal page ) but later says MOST models on the features page. The Catalog Saver says MOST models. |
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Member
Posts: 35
Location: stony point,ny | This may be blasphemy but I'm in the middle of getting my hands on a set of mid-70's GM swivel seat mechanisms--I'm going to see if I can't get them to fit/work in my '57.All I need now is a set of comfortable red bucket seats to mount to them,hopefully something that looks somewhat period correct. |
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Veteran
Posts: 205
Location: Delray Beach, FL | 57belvyboy - 2005-02-11 10:41 PM
This may be blasphemy but I'm in the middle of getting my hands on a set of mid-70's GM swivel seat mechanisms--I'm going to see if I can't get them to fit/work in my '57.All I need now is a set of comfortable red bucket seats to mount to them,hopefully something that looks somewhat period correct.
Blasphemy! Blasphemy!
Seriously though - I understand your point. Finding somethig cool that matches the period of the car is a nice add-on. The buckets might look a bit odd for a 50's car though. Maybe they could modified to look more "period." Good luck in you hunt. |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3591
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | John, Brett. I wouldn't call that blasphemy by using a GM part of make a period correct item. (keyword 'period') By modifying a later part item to fit, or work better than OM would be easier than trying to modify a period correct part (for another model MoPar) to fit a Mopar that wasn't intended to have that part orginally.
What I would call pure blasphemy, is using a small GM power plant in a FwdLk MoPar!! |
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Member
Posts: 35
Location: stony point,ny | If I'm right about it nobody will really notice the swivel mechanism,just the seat that's sitting on it.Now I'm looking for a set of early bucket seats,bright red in color.My best chances would be at Carlisle,I guess. |
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Expert
Posts: 4036
Location: Connecticut | Ex-finlover Does it say ALL models? All models except 2dr sedans. Available for Coronet with 'Custom Trim' as of 9/11/58 and Sierra wagons as of 10/29/58. |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3591
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | John, would a pr of old A-100, or Dodge van bucket seats work?
I got a pr out of a van that wasn't all tore up about 20 years ago. They were stored up in the old shed. Wife and her sister are gonna tear the shed down and build a bigger one.
Seats are free if anybody wants them. Along with a pr of '70 NYer 2 D power bucket seats.
Wife or sister probably wind up throwing them away. |
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Member
Posts: 35
Location: stony point,ny | I really don't know what would work at this point.After I get the swivel bases I guess I'll have to get a measurement of what would fit right.I'll definitely call on you if they'll work,thanks for the offer. |
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Swivel Seats
