I think that I have a line on a good set of black '70 442 bucket seats but I was wanting some with headrests. Question; is it possible to "add" headrests to a non-headrest seat or are the frames completely different?

 

I don't think there were any buckets from 70-72 that didn't have headrests.

 

What Kenneth said.

If the buckets were truly from a '70 442 then they'll have the headrest provisions built in. It's possible someone recovered them in the past and wanted the "lower profile" look that non-headrest bucket seats provide. If they did that then they probably just slipped the seatback covers on over the headrest post holes and didn't cut the covers there to install the metal plates and chrome plastic headrest lock escutcheons (the things with the buttons you depress to allow raising/lowering of the actual headrests).

You may have to peel back the cover or cut it away along the top of the seatback. A easier option might be to remove the plastic seatbacks and look for the plastic headrest post tubes that the chrome headrest posts slide into. You should be able to see the bottom of those tubes with the seatbacks removed. Then again, someone may have also removed those tubes....you'll just have to do some further "digging".

By 1970 the headrests were mandatory equipment.

 

Or might they be 68's?

Brett

 

Seat latch location changed in '69, so he needs to see where it's located, on the side or the middle of the seatback.

 

Wasn't the 68 HO the only one that got headrests that year?

I would think that any of the 68/69 bucket seat car donors would create a lot of extra work to install a headrest mount tube. I have never seen a stock 70-72 (even the bench seat cars) that didn't have headrests.

In 1973 the bucket seats were changed to a high back that incorporated the headrest into the seat back. Other than that the bench seats (including the 60/40 splits) still retained the headrest.

 

Quite Right Chris, lower outboard on 68, to middle for 69-72. Correct?

 

Headrests were optional on A-bodies in 1968. All '68 bucket seats should have the metal brackets that the plastic tubes fit into.

I was able to add headrests to my '68. Used donor tubes from what I think were '69 seats. Not too much problem. Had to cut the hog rings and remove the seat cover. Installed the tubes, re-hog ringed the covers, screwed the release buttons in, cut the vinyl and slide the headrests down into the tubes.

***EDIT: I did not have to remove the entire seat cover, just enough to roll it back off the top of the seat foam so I could get the tubes in and screwed in place.

 

Here's the tubes you will need:

IMG_2580_zps117628df.jpg[/URL]

You can see the metal bracket in the upper middle part of the picture.

 

Yep, Dan.

 

Alan,
Great pics. They show exactly the detail that is needed.

 

Sorry Dan.

 

Thanks Allan!

Here's a couple of pics of my car with the headrests installed:

Headrests_zpscca0a590.png

10497950_10202341094429072_8700236927056254348_o_zpsbfcec1d2.jpg

 

Your car is gorgeous! Did your 68 come with the headrest option or did you install it? Either way it looks (my son coined this word and I got hooked on it) awesomer!

 

Sorry, I got carried away. I lost sight of the fact that we were talking about '70 seats. Patton is correct, they should have all the stuff you need already in them. Just take off the plastic backs and you should be able to see the plastic tubes in the metal brackets.

 

Thanks again Allan. It desperately needs a new paint job, but I do love the Jade Gold/Willow Gold combo. No, it did not have headrests when I bought it. I bought a used set off of ebay, new covers from maybe Year One, maybe one of the others, can't really remember, as I mentioned got the tubes from some donor seats as well as the guts of the headrest locks (bought new lock covers from Year One).

 

Two more pics of my car before I put the headrests in (and then I will stop hijacking this thread):

IMG_2088_zpsa4c440f1.jpg

DSC00971_zps7407dabd.jpg

And no, I am not/was not the Lt. Governor of Michigan, he was supposed to be riding in my car during the parade, but like all good politicians he got out and walked along shaking hands with people. I basically just did my best not to run him down by accident.

 

Thanks folks. I am hoping to take a look at them when the person gets back after Christmas. I will keep you posted.

 

What is the purpose of the datatagdecoder link?

 

A couple of corrections to info in this thread. First, headrests were an available option starting with the 1966 model year (my 66 442 has them). Headrests were federally required starting with the 1969 model year and EVERY car built from 1969 on came with headrests from the factory. If they are not installed on a pair of allegedly 1970 buckets, then someone removed them.

Second, the 1968 buckets had a seatback release button that was on the upper outboard side of the seatback, not lower. The 1969-72 buckets used a release button at the top center of the seatback. This allowed GM to use identical bucket seats on both sides, instead of having separate RH/LH seats.

 

WTH? Someone at GM actually was thinking this out???

 

The link is for an online cowl tag decoder that I am developing. Simply put, the user places the tag codes in page and then it renders what the codes mean. Just finishing up the actual site now and will launch the real thing in a couple of weeks. The design is pretty much done all that is left is code cleanup and some testing before release.

Still a work in progress but most people have found it useful.