Bucket Seat Head Rests

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Bluecuda340

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I have a 68 Formula S that has 69 Buckets in it. Its a street strip car and I need to add a headrest setup to be NHRA legal and its just safer.

Did all cars come with head rests? These buckets were recovered ages and ages ago and do not have headrests but I would like to add them if it is something that all bucket seats should have. It feels like there might be some hardware under the cover to support this. I don't want to dig into it further until I had an idea. Thanks

Clark

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IIRC Jan 1, 1969 was the date headrests were mandated for all cars. Prior to then headrests were an option. If that is incorrect, I’m sure someone will have the correct answer- @slantsixdan ?
 
I know my 69 is original in side when I got it, it has the basic interior,no head rest... however when I rebuilt the seats the seat frames had the holes in the upper frame brackets for them.... I would like to get a pair eventually but I have only seen them in the deluxe interior (chrome band) and never seen them in blue ..
Jan 69 ?? I should get a Hamtramck report done..

I had an issue with a 66 impala at a inspection (that issue was the driver side mirror) and I know that law took effect in June of 66..my car was a March build... Funny I beat the inspection issue with the paperwork but almost swiped someone and later put the drivers and passenger one on.. was a rebel kid
 
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Yep 1-1-69, head restraints became mandatory, prior to that, they were optional.
I always thought it was morbidly ironic that the '69 Barracuda brochure (naturally made before the new year's cars came out) listed "Head Restraints-left AND/OR right" as extra options on all three versions.
Can you imagine a person ordering one back then, and adds the head restraint on his (left) side, but doesn't get the passenger (right) side? If they had a spouse, what did they tell them? "Sorry babe, but I couldn't order a safety feature for you because then I couldn't afford the AM AND FM radio, and FM radio is going to be the best car radios will ever get". Lol
 
Buy a high back or race seat for race day. You got a cage so why not a good seat?

I get that, but I really like these and I need the rear access of the folding stock seats. My Dad and I usually do Drag week in it and we pile loads of stuff back there. The fastback provides room but poor access. I have mocked up a couple of different seats and just can't pull the trigger because these fold over far enough and are comfortable. If I don't go down the stock headrest road I will make something that attaches to the cage.
 
:BangHead:Nascar/indy with the helmet straps
 
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OOOHHHHHH KAAAYYYY whats up with my car ??? never had head rests !!! no holes in the seats when I recovered them ether/// real early build ??
 
IIRC Jan 1, 1969 was the date headrests were mandated for all cars. Prior to then headrests were an option. If that is incorrect, I’m sure someone will have the correct answer- @slantsixdan ?

They're not headrests, they're head restraints. A safety item, not a comfort feature. Your dates are correct.
 
They're not headrests, they're head restraints. A safety item, not a comfort feature. Your dates are correct.

Thanks for the clarification on the terminology- head restraints vs head rests! Seems like everyone who posted called them “head rests”, as I suspect probably 99% of the general population will do as well!
 
OOOHHHHHH KAAAYYYY whats up with my car ??? never had head rests !!! no holes in the seats when I recovered them ether/// real early build ??
They started making '69s in the Summer of '68. There were at least 3-4 months of '69 production that got no head restraints. I do believe that the metal inside the seats was made to accommodate the installation, because prior to 1-1-69 they could be optionally installed at the factory or by the dealer.
 
Thanks for the clarification on the terminology- head restraints vs head rests! Seems like everyone who posted called them “head rests”, as I suspect probably 99% of the general population will do as well!
from Wikipedia, lol :
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Head_restraint
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Head_restraint
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Head restraints (also called headrests) are an automotive safety feature, attached or integrated ... and were mandated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in all new cars sold in the U.S. after 1 January 1969.
 
My early OCT build 68 for 69 had none. I purchased a set and all the hardware but did not install them. If interested send me a PM.
 
Did these just friction fit into the seat? If my seat has a spot for the headrest to go what else is needed to make the head rest function properly?
 
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