Ever try finding a half-decent driver's side arm rest?

[bull]

I've got this idea (you can steal it if you want to) to build some type of zero-clearance bracket to adapt a passenger side arm rest to the driver's side on the 2nd gen. B-bodies. Anyone ever heard of this being done or done it themselves? I've never gotten beyond the idea stage with this and don't know if it would work at all but there must be a way. You can find nice passenger side arm rests all day but almost everyone needs the driver side. I wish the mounting holes on the 13" arm rests were centered like the interchangeable rear arm rests. But, like they say, wish in one hand and s**t in the other and see which one fills up first. I've heard nothing good about the reproduction arm rests so don't go there.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Actually the repros that Chris G. got this year at Carlisle were quite nice...

Mopars by Crane was the vendor.... $60 for the pair

[bull]

Actually the repros that Chris G. got this year at Carlisle were quite nice...

Mopars by Crane was the vendor.... $60 for the pair

I looked them up on the Mopars By Crane website and they look the same as the ones I've seen before - too squared off, like a brick of cheese. No offense to anyone who likes them but they just don't look right to me. Chris G., if you're out there and reading this please post some pics.

[8WHEELER]

I can't find a decent pair of repop arm rests anywhere. The first set I bought from YO looked like bricks and had very wrong
looking texture. The next two sets I bought sagged on me like a wet noodle. I sent two sets back after a short time,
telling them the problem, so they got them from another guy that was redoing them but with better re-enforcement
inside the arm rest.

Well they did not work out either, but the texture was right on. You can see in this picture my problems.
The really strange thing is, where its sagging down you can't even put your arm or elbow that far back. So
this is just happening from sitting in a hot car at a car show, I never push on them that far back to get
in and out of the car, nor can I touch that area while driving 

Dan

[bull]

Dan, I know you've been battling this for a while. I don't know why it's such a hard thing to copy since there's half a million arm rests for them to dissect and look at. Oh well, maybe one of these years.

So who sold you the last set?

[8WHEELER]

Edds E-Body parts in cal, I have gone through two set with him, the second set was from a different vendor he said
with better reinforcement inside of it, well that picture is the better set, you like it    I had to put
my original one back on, its in real good shape but it has one little red mark on it I can't get out, but I am
the only one who sees it, I think 

Dan

[Brock Samson]

i went back to my originals too after being very dissapointed at the look and feel of the rebopps,..

[Ghoste]

Hah!  Try finding a front passenger side one for a 67 in good shape.  It has an ashtray in it.  One size, one year, one model... none left (at least in white).

[bull]

Hah!  Try finding a front passenger side one for a 67 in good shape.  It has an ashtray in it.  One size, one year, one model... none left (at least in white).

What size are they? I've seen many 13" arm rests with ash trays, usually in the luxury models.

[Mike DC]

 
God forbid they just build the new pads like the originals. 

It's infuriating.  They probably cut $2 out of their costs by making them cheaper, while everyone in the hobby would probably pay an extra $10 if it'll guarantee the stupid things are made right.

 

[Ghoste]

You sure Bull?  They're the same size as 2nd gen Chargers so you may have just taught me a badly needed 1st gen interchange.

[bull]

You sure Bull?  They're the same size as 2nd gen Chargers so you may have just taught me a badly needed 1st gen interchange.

Yea, I've seen them at wrecking yards and the most recent example was in a big Chrysler or Plymouth, don't recall the model but I know it wasn't a Charger. I almost grabbed them for my '68 before I realized they had ash trays. They weren't white though.

[Ghoste]

Cool, thanks.  You don't recall generally what years you've seen those do you?

[bull]

Cool, thanks.  You don't recall generally what years you've seen those do you?

I'm thinking it was early '70s but the memory is so vague. I'm not one of those guys whith a great memory and I usually remember the wrong things or the things wrong.

[resq302]

Bull,

On ebay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOPAR-68-69-70-DODGE-CHARGER-DRIVERS-ARM-REST_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34206QQihZ012QQitemZ220008042248QQrdZ1

Brian

[bull]

Bull,

On ebay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOPAR-68-69-70-DODGE-CHARGER-DRIVERS-ARM-REST_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34206QQihZ012QQitemZ220008042248QQrdZ1

Brian

Thanks. I'm kind of holding out for a black one since it's on the driver's side and will see a lot of use. I'm not sure how the dyes hold up against the constant flexing. If it were a sunvisor or door pad it probably wouldn't be an issue.

[resq302]

Bull,

I spray dyed mine in my car.  Everything from the upper door pads, arm rests, to the windlace on the door jamb.  The thing you need to do is put adhesion promoter on the part prior to spray dying it.  I have had mine on for about 6 years now with no problems.  The only thing that I have had happen to me is the pass. side arm rest cracked at the back corner.  So far, the driver side is holding up nicely.  I also wipe them down with Meguiar's #40 vinyl cleaner and conditioner almost every show to keep them flexible and prevent the vinyl from drying out and cracking.

Brian

[y3chargerrt]

This are worth a look.    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RARE-NOS-Mopar-68-69-70-Charger-armrest-pads-440-hemi_W0QQitemZ190011280948QQihZ009QQcategoryZ34206QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem