what is wrong with these seats?

[Paul G]

Brand new covers from Legendary and brand new foam from Classic Industries. I don't know why the panels on the backs are so loose?

[Baldwinvette77]

Let them sit in the heat for a while.. Just somewhere warm or wait for a hot day 

[TUFCAT]

My guess is the cover isn't pulled down far enough on the frame, and probably not hog ringed well into the back and center. Also the side panels aren't wrapped tightly enough around and hogged ringed to the frame. It can be fixed. No worries. Just take it off and try again. The guys I've seen really have to hand work those covers and constantly pull and stretch them around tightly. That bottom listing wire should also be extremely tight to the lower frame...all the listing wires should be that way.  The lower bun looks good.

[Alaskan_TA]

Poor installation.

[HANDM]

I don't think warm is going to help that. In fact my newly reupholstered Challenger seats while not loose, are still wrinkly even after sitting in a 70+ for over a month. I'm probably going to pull a few hogs and pull em a bit more.

Seems more like a pattern or foam size problem or both. Do your seats have the separate backs or full vinyl? If you have the separate backs, have you just tried pulling the sides a bit more?

[1965gp]

I agree with the listing wire. Make sure you have the cover hog ringed to the listing wire to pull the cover against the foam for a tight fit.

You can watch some of their YouTube videos if you want to double check your procedure.

[Paul G]

Some pics from the side. These were done by a pro, not by me. He said he did everything he could to get these tight without pulling the bunting out of place. He did not want to take the cover apart and sew it back together to make it fit until I saw it. I sent these pics to Legendary for some ideas on how to fix it. I question two things. 1) The foam may not be correct, not filling in the panel like it should. 2) The seat back panels are sewn together incorrectly, too much material in the panel. 

The seat foam is brand new from Classic Industries. They are the only source I could find for replacement 3rd gen B body foam. Legendary does not sell it for 3rd gens. The upholsterer said the foam looked right, meaning the rods inside the foam were in all the right places. He also said the covers looked right?

I just watched an episode of Grave Yard Cars, they finished the yellow 72 Rallye Charger. There is good pan of the interior seats. Same seats as mine, just without all the loose fitting panels on the bucket seat backs.

I don't think warm is going to help that. In fact my newly reupholstered Challenger seats while not loose, are still wrinkly even after sitting in a 70+ for over a month. I'm probably going to pull a few hogs and pull em a bit more.

Seems more like a pattern or foam size problem or both. Do your seats have the separate backs or full vinyl? If you have the separate backs, have you just tried pulling the sides a bit more?

They have plastic backs on each seat.

[moparnation74]

My first thought was the install.  Done by a novice at home.  However, that's not the case.  The first pic of the seat back shows a bump in the head rest area along with other mistakes.  I would side that the underlying issue is the install versus foam/covers.  It will be interesting to know what legendary says. BTW that is a beautiful ride sitting in a sweet looking garage.

[tan top]

  go to a upholstery / craft shop , & buy a roll of foam , choose one that is soft / easy to squish , & regains its shape as soon as you let go , but thin enough so when its squished almost flat , get one   may be a 3/4 to a inch thick (  that size needed for mine ) , enough to cover the front of the seat faces & sides , put that over the OEM seat foam  first then fit covers , warm them up first & use a hair dryer as you go to heat up & stretch vinyl &  hog ring as you go ,  don't be in any rush ! experiment  with the extra foam placement , so the faint edge of extra foam is lost on the sides , & or seam of the cover etc , the extra foam takes up any clearance in the cover & oem seat foam , i'm actually making it sound more difficult than it actually is  

done it to both seats bottoms  & backs on mine Rear too , bought the legendary foam , but  never used them in the end ,  the original foam was good to go with the extra foam I mentioned above ,   saving the new seat foam for the correct leather SE covers one day ,  went with vinyl at the time of resto  

[skip68]

My first thought was foam.   

[ODZKing]

Just saw this thread now.
My covers were from Legendary and I had the same issue.  When I sent pictures to Legendary they said the foam needed to be replaced.  When I informed them it had been with new foam, they replied ... we don't sell it so it can't be correct.  AND I had them done by a professional shop. That in addition to the buttons coming off CONSTANTLY make me wish I'd never purchased them from Legendary. But at the time I didn't know anyone else made them.
Their quality on these is not very good I'm sorry to say. And their answer to the buttons was to send me a bag full of more defective buttons.   

Try a hair dryer on them.  After sitting in the sun now for 2 summers mine are a bit better but still not perfect.

[TUFCAT]

Well given the fact its a replacement pad, that could likely be the problem. I was leaving pad issues out of the equation.  Do you still have the old pad for comparison? 

[ODZKing]

The upholstery fellow who did mine said there was nothing wrong with the old ones and everything matched. 
He said before he stripped one off he tried the covers and they were the same.
It's the covers.

[HANDM]

On my Challenger seat covers from legendary, they fit great but there are a few issues that kinda bug me.

There is at least two spots on the rear back where the stitching is too tight and causes a bunched up look on the right side corner.

The inserts on the front seats while they are close, they don't actually line up. Tried switching the bottoms around to no avail.

The grease pencil they used is showing through in five or more different spots way down deep into the grain and the stitching so deep, I will need to possibly remove the covers to really get it all off. Black covers + white grease pencil = pissed off

Of course the front seat buttons on the Charger have popped off too

So here is another strike against "legendary"

[TUFCAT]

So here is another strike against "legendary"

One of many....

Here's another good strike against Legendary.  They will insist that Chrysler used "pearl white" vinyl seats on 1966-1967 Charger and Coronets.  

I've never seen an original 66-67 interior with factory pearl white....ever.  In fact, there's no original documentation to prove pearl white was ever used.  

If you take that one step further,  I've never seen a factory original "pearl white" vinyl top used on any Dodge or Plymouth car either.  

[ODZKing]

One of many....

Here's another good strike against Legendary.  They will insist that Chrysler used "pearl white" vinyl seats on 1966-1967 Charger and Coronets.  

I've never seen an original 66-67 interior with factory pearl white....ever.  In fact, there's no original documentation to prove pearl white was ever used.  

If you take that one step further,  I've never seen a factory original "pearl white" vinyl top used on any Dodge or Plymouth car either.  

I just looked at all the documentation I have, data books, service manual etc.  You're right. all it ever lists is white.   

[TUFCAT]

One of many....

Here's another good strike against Legendary.  They will insist that Chrysler used "pearl white" vinyl seats on 1966-1967 Charger and Coronets.  

I've never seen an original 66-67 interior with factory pearl white....ever.  In fact, there's no original documentation to prove pearl white was ever used.  

If you take that one step further,  I've never seen a factory original "pearl white" vinyl top used on any Dodge or Plymouth car either.  

I just looked at all the documentation I have, data books, service manual etc.  You're right. all it ever lists is white.   

Yup. They have pearl white ...so they sell "pearl white" 

[1973rallye]

My 3rd generation seat covers are from Legendary and installed by a professional over the original foam padding. They fit like a glove which leads me to believe the foam padding is likely the culprit here. Just a thought..

[Paul G]

Well given the fact its a replacement pad, that could likely be the problem. I was leaving pad issues out of the equation.  Do you still have the old pad for comparison? 

The old covers and foam are in a box on the side of the house because they smell so bad. But I still have them.

My 3rd generation seat covers are from Legendary and installed by a professional over the original foam padding. They fit like a glove which leads me to believe the foam padding is likely the culprit here. Just a thought..

Can you post some pics of your seats for me please. I would love to see them for comparison.

go to a upholstery / craft shop , & buy a roll of foam , choose one that is soft / easy to squish , & regains its shape as soon as you let go

That is probably going to be the fix for these. I am going to call Legendary tech guy tomarrow and see if he got my email . I just cant put them in my car like this.

[1973rallye]

Standby Paul. Just looking to see if I have some photos on my photobucket. Ray

[1973rallye]

Here is one, just looking for something better.

[1973rallye]

Paul. Took these tonight in the garage, sorry but I didn't have the room to get full shots of the seats with the cars in the garage. Hope these help. Ray

[Paul G]

This helps a lot. Thanks Ray.

[Dino]

 go to a upholstery / craft shop , & buy a roll of foam , choose one that is soft / easy to squish , & regains its shape as soon as you let go , but thin enough so when its squished almost flat , get one   may be a 3/4 to a inch thick (  that size needed for mine ) , enough to cover the front of the seat faces & sides , put that over the OEM seat foam  first then fit covers , warm them up first & use a hair dryer as you go to heat up & stretch vinyl &  hog ring as you go ,  don't be in any rush ! experiment  with the extra foam placement , so the faint edge of extra foam is lost on the sides , & or seam of the cover etc , the extra foam takes up any clearance in the cover & oem seat foam , i'm actually making it sound more difficult than it actually is  

done it to both seats bottoms  & backs on mine Rear too , bought the legendary foam , but  never used them in the end ,  the original foam was good to go with the extra foam I mentioned above ,   saving the new seat foam for the correct leather SE covers one day ,  went with vinyl at the time of resto  

Nice job!

Your seats are exactly what I need right now.  Black vinyl and looking stock, ie enough foam to support occupants.  Tell you what, I'll ship you my original green worn seats and some cash, and you ship me your seats.  Now you can order the SE covers and use that and your foam on my old seats.  Tadaa!   

[Paul G]

I spoke with the "tech guy" at legendary. He saw the pictures. He strongly feels the foam is the culprit. It needs to be corrected with additional foam to fill out the panels. I am leaning the same way. Looking at the seats in Ray's car (thanks Ray) the seat covers look fuller than in the pics of my seat backs.

I called the upholsterer who did my seats. He is reluctant to add foam in fear that the covers will tear out when over stuffed. He agreed to try to add some soft foam and see how it works out. Legendary said they will refit the covers on the seat backs for me as well. They offer that service for a price. Sometimes I wonder if I would not have been better off sending the whole kit and kaboodle to Legendary?