Hi! Trying to find front seats with factory headrest. Is this very rare? 1968 GS400 Conv. Best Regards Chatarina,Sweden.
Chatarina, 1968 Bucket seats did not normally come with headrests. Headrests did not become standard in the USA until the 69 model year, and even then were optional for Canada. I believe there were optional headrests for the 68 seats (at least they were available for the 67 cars), but they are extremely rare and are usually expensive. I also don't think you can simply add the 69-72 style headrests to your seats. The 69-72 front seat top frames are different then the 68 frames. Good luck with your search. Duane
My ‘68 GS400 convertible has them. They’re a neat conversation item, but not very useful; I wouldn’t pay much extra or go to great lengths to add them. Patrick
I’m not sure I agree with you on that one. I have no reason to believe mine are wrong, and a quick Google search seems to back that up. (Yes, the ‘68 brochures illustrate a ‘66-‘67 style unit, but actual cars look like mine).
The black bucket seats in your 4th picture are out of a 71-72 Fastback, even though they are in a 68 Olds. (You can tell it is a 68 car by the vent window in the door.) So we already know they are wrong. I can’t verify that the 69 style headrests are correct, but there is a way to tell if the ones in your car are. White interiors for 1968 were a pure white. The 69-71 white was a Pearl white, and the 72’s were an off white. If you look at the bottom of one of your headrests you could see if it matches the color of your seats, Also, every 69-72 bucket seat headrest that I have seen is date coded. They etched the date on one of the chrome shafts that slide into the seat. That date would let you know if they were correct for your car. Duane
I don’t see a date code or any other letter or number combo on the shafts. The underside is the same faded non-pearl white as the seats. (I have some pearl armrests from a ‘69 an the difference is distinct). Here’s a few more photos:
The date codes are etched onto one of the shafts. They are often very faint and it often takes you rolling it around a bit in the sunlight until you can find them. The “under pieces” look just like the molded 69-70 parts. The pieces the shafts slide into look different then what I am used to seeing. Are there any notches in the shafts? Duane
I was out in the sun and looked for etchings/stampings, etc. and didn’t see any. The shafts are notched; all four posts look the same-one notch high up faces the right side of the car and three lower down that face forward.
Here is what one of the date codes looks like if you can find it. Like I said some of them are vey faint. I would really like to see some close-up shots of the headrest escutcheons on the seats. They look color coordinated and seem to have a graining embossed on them. They are very different from the 69 & 70-72 style pieces, and they have no mounting screws that I can see. If you could take off the seat back and get a few shots of how the shafts go into the seat, that would also help. The push pins for the headrest under piece look like they are silver plastic. All the later ones were black plastic. Interesting stuff. Duane
The latest project - 68 GS 400 convertible- has buckets with headrests. Obviously covered incorrectly. Here is what I think is the part number.
I have an Oldsmobile headrest from 69 to compare. Like Patrick’s, I could not find a number on the 68 post, and the notches were different. The second post picture is the same area of the post as the 69
And, to add to the knowledge of 69's...the side mounted fold forward button was on some 69's with the optional and rare reclining back, which is an anatomical nightmare for the passengers comfort. The pivot point for correct 90 degree flexion was 4" too high. But...even still, a rare and cool option to have! The "standard" 69 non reclining back bucket seats had the fold forward button on the seat back.
Yes, They did not re-vamp the recliner seat for 1969, as it was a rarely purchased option, so on the 69 cars the seat release was on the back for the driver side, and on the side for the passenger side. Very different mounting pieces on those 68 seats. The plastic escutcheons are full on the one side but have a small slot on the other, and I would bet that slot is to access the spring underneath. The metal pieces do not have a release button, like both the 69's and 70-72's have. It looks like the 68 spring will engage the headrest shafts at those notch points to hold the headrests at several positions, but were made to allow them to be adjusted by pushing them up and down to the various positions. The 68 posts are "stepped" not notched like the 69 and 70-72 headrests. Pretty cool stuff. Are the 68 headrest posts notched on only 1 post or on both? Duane
Maybe Mike Trom have production numbers on the 68 seats w/headrest from factory? Can`t be many made. Easier to find a 68 GTO or Chevelle seat and change cover.
All four posts are notched; all four posts appear to be the same, and yes they raise and lower by lifting or pushing. My escutcheons look just like Ted’s; seat color with texture; slot on the passenger side. Patrick
