What are the differences between the 69 and 70-72 headrests and seats besides the different seat cover patterns ?
69 to 70-72 headrest and seats (differences)
396-325hp
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Well, since no one else answered i will give it a try. As far as I know the headrests are the same. there are I believe differences in the pieces that hold them in to the seats. The seat are the same except for the upholstery . Also the 69 and 70 seats have hog rings that are along both sides of the seat back and seat bottoms that pull down the upholstery on each side of the center of the seats. I think they call these bolsters? The 71 and 72 do not have any hog rings except the ones that hold the upholstery to the seat. 71 and 72 seat bottoms are more or less flat all the way across. I have used 70 seats and put 72 upholstery and foam on them and they look fine. Take a look at a stock 69 or 70 set of buckets next to 71 and 72 and you will see what I am talking about. Also one other difference is the 72's had a seat belt warning light so they had some wires attached to the seat bottoms.
I believe the locks for the headrests are different between the '69 and '70-'72.:yes: I can't think of anything else that would be different besides the grain pattern as well.
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There is a difference in the headrests as well. I'm not positive as its been a while since I messed with headrests but I believe it could be that the 69 headrests have a knockout on a different side of the post than the 70-72 headrests. It could be that the 69 knockout (flat spot to receive the release tab) is on the inside of the posts and the 70-72 knockouts are on the outside of the posts?????
That is right....and`72 passenger seat has the seat belt warning wiring on the bottom seat springs...just got through stripping my seats down to the bare springs...ready to sand blast!!!:hurray:
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You can just flip them around and they will work, but at a car show many will say-that car did not come with buckets. Those buckets are the wrong year and they had to mount the locks incorrectly to make them work. To make them work correctly you can mill a new notch in the headrests posts on the side you need it to be. This way it will not stand out and your locks will be mounted in the correct direction.
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This is true. I had to flip my locks in order for them to lock. I ordered reproduction 1970 headrests as mine were junk, and they had the notches on the posts on the wrong side.
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If you have the headrests all the way down, no one is gonna know one way or the other!
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Brandon the seats are in fact different The 69-70 seats have a built in bolster on the seat foam for the cover to pull down, The 71-72 seat are flat across the foam. You cannot attach 69-70 covers to the 71-72 seat. Also the tracks are different as well as the headrest locks internal and bolt on.
Jim Brady
Jim Brady
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Jim: Just curious. Do you mean one cannot install 69/70 seat covers over 71/72 foam? Or a 69/70 seat cover cannot be installed over a 71/72 seat frame/spring assembly? What is the difference in the tracks? I know some are set up differently as far as the release mechanism goes but other than that they are pretty similar?
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Not an upholstery expert but I've got 2 sets of buckets here, 1 set are 72 seats with original foam and 69 seat covers on them, fit fine. The second set, the passenger is a 70-72 judging by the headrest and the driver's side is a 69, judging again by the headrest. The pass side does indeed have a flat upper, no apparent bolsters, while the 69 does have an obvious bolster in the back. The bottoms appear to both be the same with bolsters. The first pic is the later seat looking down the back while the second pic is the 69 seat looking from the same vantage point. Also threw in the headrest pics. 3rd pic is of the 70-72 headrest and the 4th is the 69 headrest.
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The 71-72 Seats (same for buick & oldsmobile seats, and also monte carlo seats) all do not have the bottom or back bolsters... however you can easily "fix" this, but simply hogringing a listing wire below the spring assembly on the two sides where it starts to angle upwards.
All the bolsters are is a "tuck" from the cover down to the springs that give a little more definition.
So there is NO reason you cannot use 71-72 seats in an earlier car with earlier covers.
All the bolsters are is a "tuck" from the cover down to the springs that give a little more definition.
So there is NO reason you cannot use 71-72 seats in an earlier car with earlier covers.
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