How hard is it to install headrests on bucket seats that did not come with them? Reproduction offers them and the brackets.

 

66/67 Were designed for the headrests to be installed after the upholstery, so its not that big a deal.

68-72 they were designed to go on before the covers go on, so you really can't do it the right way on those without removing the upper cover.

 

Thanks, that makes it a go ahead and do deal for me!

 

The hard thing is finding the headrests.

 

And don't buy the headrests from The Parts Place - the spacing of the rods is/was off by a good 1/4", not enough adjustment in the guide plates (in the seat back) to compensate. Ask me how I know....

 

I have been looking at the ones by Restoparts but I bet everyone selling them is from the same source. Did you get yours to work for you? Were you replacing old ones or installing from scratch? Was the quality of the headrest ok?

 

Well, they work, but I had to bend the rods to make them work and when I bent them part of the chrome plating chippied off. I have an original set with but wanted something better.
Here is the my post with helpful info from others:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...adrest-121598/
Hope this helps.

 

Got my new head rests this week. No instructions with them. Can someone that has them take a picture with the head rest in the up position so I can see about where the rods pass thru the seat top. Thanks in advance

 

The rods don't go through the seat top like the later 68 or 69-72 seats. They go just in front of the metal seat back. You need to remove the metal backs to install the mounting hardware.
Here are some pics of a bare 67 seat (notice the notches just above where the top of the metal panel sits) and an original set of 67 passenger reclining seats with head rests. I have a reproduction set of head rests in another set of original 66 reclining/ headrest seats and the spacing on the rods fit in the original brackets just fine.

 

Now I know where those tear drop shaped pcs go

 

What are the 4 rectangular pieces with the slotted holes for?

 

They get hog ringed onto the seat springs, so the headrest post does not rub the springs/ foam when you are sitting in the seat and the headrests are down.
Here is a pic I found online and although these are 69-72 seats, the plastic pieces serve the same purpose.

 

Thanks, I was guessing that was the case but wanted to hear someone else's opinion.

 

Does anybody recognize my seat as being a 67 model. It does not seem to be like the picture above posted by Loaded68W34 of a 67. The bracket I got with the headrests will not fit my seat. Maybe I have a 68 seat? See pics attached.

 

Your seats are 67 seats, no worries there. There is a cardboard insert under the buns over the rectangular opening where the headrest stuff goes, you will have to cut some hogrings in there and stick your fingers in and pull that out... then the metal insert will press in properly.

A friend of mine did this conversion a few years ago with the repop headrests and parts, these are pics from his project... hopefully will make it clear.

 

Thanks a million RAMBOW! I would never have figured it out without the pics. I knew someone had been there and done it.
I was trying to get the bracket under the top metal frame, now it looks easy.

 

Got one side completed today. Everything went fairly well. One tip, when trying to slip the plastic tube down into place stick a drill bit the size of tube ID up from the bottom to guide it and depress the spring steel clip. Also use a pair of needle nose vise grips to hold plate in position as you locate holes with pick.

 

Awesome!!! Nice work!

 

Job complete!