Have a factory bench seat/column shift '71 442. Original motor but not original TH400.

Would it lessen the value of the car by changing to buckets and either console AT or 4 speed?

Or since not original trans anyway, would it not affect value ?

 

IMO yes it would increase its appeal and possibly value unless its a mint show car. anytime i see a 442 w either bench or column shift i SMH and wonder who , why ?

 

I agree, it would not hurt and increase the value.

 

I agree, bench seat, column shift, and open diff on a muscle car is, well, just wrong. It may have come from the factory that way but I see no reason to perpetuate the original purchaser's mistake.

 

Sorry, I don't like seeing the bench seats go away. Yes, it does make it more driveable, but remembering the days of one hand on the wheel and one on my gal makes me miss them. Many cars had bench seats and manual transmissions and the first thing done is installing buckets.
But it is your car. I just like different.

 

I myself hate my swivel bucket seats, would any day change them to bench. I cant understand the hype behind them. But thats just me.

 

It's been about ten years since you could buy a new car in the US with a bench seat.

 

One more thing the youths of today lost out on.

 

My drink holder prefers the bench seat...

 

My gals leg was 5th gear in a 4 speed trans.

 

Since it's not the original transmission, it would not hurt the value.

If it were the original transmission, I would say to save the parts. Anytime someone makes a bolt on change to their car, save the original parts so that a new owner can have their options.

I see no performance enhancing capability to bucket seats and console over a bench, other than maybe butt comfort over a long run. Bear in mind the 4 on the floor was available with a bench seat.

I prefer floor shifted manual transmissions, although there is some charm and extra skill in running a column shift manual trans that is a Skill A Man Should Have.

Now, and here's time for me to spark disagreement, I think the whole dual-gate, lightning rod, automatic floor shifter of any kind, is just hype. A properly set up automatic transmission will shift better than you will, so I have no problems with column shift automatics. I will say that the aftermarket controllers for the switch pitch torque converters have some appeal. I suppose that a heavily raced car should be set up with a good manually shifted valve body and a ratchet shifter, but the vast majority of street driven musclecars are not hindered by a column shifted automatic in my judgment.

My 442, although it's getting a lot of stock options added, came with a bench seat and column shift, and it will stay along with its included romantic perks.

 

I personally prefer the look of the bucket seats and console. Changing to them can easily be undone if you save all the parts. The only body mod i can think of is making a bigger hole for the shifter. Cut it out and save that too, it or another patch panel can always be welded back in. Pretty much everything else is bolt on, easy to change back. Again just keep all the parts removed in case you sell the car or want to change it back.

 

If the younger generation knew how much more fun it was to have a bench seat when you were out with your girlfriend, I'll bet they would make a come back.

Nothing like driving around the neighborhood on a sofa bed.

 

Hey, how'd the Toronado get into this conversation?

 

Ohh man...


JK, to each their own I suppose. My car is bench seat, column shift & was 3.23 non-posi. One of the 1st thing I changed was to add a ltd slip. I feel like I righted a wrong that carried on for 46 years. As far as the bench, it's grown on me. I still prefer buckets & console but the bench isn't killing me the way the one wheel peel was. Considering the cost involved in changing it over properly I don't think I'd ever do it. By the time you get done you are into it for a lot of $$.
It hasn't really been mentioned & may be off topic but I'd take the bench seat column shift over the buckets & column shift that was standard. Drove one once & I thought it was an uncomfortable set up.