67 headrest question for FXT

[LouieM]

FXT, I just posted a question about adding headrests to my 67 seats in the C1 & C2 general area. 67HEAVEN recalls that you dealt with headrests while putting your 67 back to original and suggested I contact you. Are there any tricks to doing this or is it as straightforward as it looks? New horizontal cross bars need to be welded into each seat back, and not bolted in, I assume. Also, I'm assuming all the seatback upholstery has to come out to install the cross bars, but I'd be happily surprised to learn otherwise. Did you find a regular welder around where you live, or did some Corvette specialty vendor add the headrests for you. I'd appreciate any insights into adding the HRs. I had a set of them, plus sets of black and saddle seat covers, that I moved from 67 to 67 to 67 years ago. Now that I have a 67 again it feels funny not to have the HRs (and shoulder harnesses). Anyone else out there added HRs? Louie

Louie, adding headrests is pretty straightforward, but not cheap. I bought the headrest supports, the chrome bezels and headrest assemblies from Zip. The headrests themselves are all stitched up, ready to go. When you get the supports, you can see they really only can go on one way.

There is no way you can weld the supports in without taking all the seat material off. After I took the leather covers and foam off mine, I painted the frames and took them to the Chevy dealer who MIG welded the supports to the frame, took a half hour.

After that, I bought new Al Knoch vinyl seat covers, which was correct for my car and using the old foam, had them upholstered on by a pro. I guess the important item is to be sure the welder knows exactly where he is supposed to weld the supports to the frame. The four weld locations are shown in the '67 AIM.

When a '67 was ordered from the factory with optional headrests and leather seats, the headrests were still vinyl, they never had leather headrest from the factory. Good luck, Patrick :D

[LouieM]

Patrick,
Thanks for the speedy and informative reply. I supposed that positioning the new supports in the right spots was the critical part, and it's nice to have that confirmed. I hadn't thought of looking in my 67 AIM to position the supports, so thanks for that tip. I'll be sure to get the stock vinyl headrests ? the leather ones would not look right and would probably stain anyhow.

Yeah, headrest kits really are overpriced, but I guess it's worth it to maybe keep my head attached at the right angle to my neck! I'll be adding shoulder harnesses too ?- another hugely overpriced item.

Thanks again for your help! :seeya

Louie