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'66 Headrests

Started by 66 Eldo, October 27, 2013, 01:06:41 AM

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66 Eldo

My '66 Eldorado has the optional headrests. A few questions:

1. Were the headrests all factory installed?

2. Were they covered in leather or vinyl?

3. Were they manufactured by an outside supplier for Cadillac?

The Eldorados came with a full leather interior including the side panels but I'm not so sure about the headrests because of some things I have noticed on my interior.

The Tassie Devil(le)

My books show that the Head Restraints were available on the 1966 models, but didn't become Standard Equipment till the 1969 model year.

All the pictures of Cadillacs in the book, "Cadillacs of the Sixties" makes a point of not showing any cars with the Head Restraints, and only show one illustration of the restraint that is available.

As for the material, this would be vinyl, as vinyl is a lot easier to clean than leather.   In those days, hair care products would be sure to leave marks that required cleaning.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

66 Eldo

Thanks for the reply.

Is the illustration you mention a photo or a drawing? If it is a photo would it be possible to post it?

Forgot to mention I have the bench seat and not the optional bucket seats. From pictures I have seen, those appear to be a molded vinyl construction and would need to be to contour to the seats like they do. The head restraints on the bench seat models are upholstered with soft foam inside.   

Your theory for them being vinyl due to hair products at the time seems practical, however, the Eldos had full leather interiors and not leather trimmed  aka leather seating surfaces only which was found on later Cadillacs.

I am speculating my head restraints were made by an outside outfit for GM and possibly other manufacturers for the few years before 1969 when the government required head restraints. But I could be way off on this. 

The head restraints on my car are covered in vinyl, however , I am not sure if they have been recovered. I am just trying to get a definite answer leather or vinyl so I can either leave them alone or recover with leather.

The Tassie Devil(le)

My '72 Eldo has the Leather trim, but the head restraints are vinyl.

The illustration in the book is a drawing, and on Bucket Seats

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Davidinhartford

Here is Elvis in his 1966 Eldorado convertible, complete with factory installed headrests.    You can tell its a 66 by the steering wheel.


66 Eldo

The photo of Elvis' Eldorado are the bucket seat version head restraints. No doubt Cadillac only and are a very firm/hard molded vinyl. Mine has the bench seat version and are soft. Attached is a photo of my car when i first got it. You can see the two are totally different.

The Tassie Devil(le)

I am sure that they are aftermarket, or from another car and simply slipped into the mounting holes that were in the seat backs.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

66 Eldo

They do look aftermarket and "added on" however I am more than fairly certain they are original and as equipped by the factory. The previous owner is my friend and son of the original owner. He remembers when his Mom bought the car new and he drove it in college in the late 60s. The head restraints have always been there.

I have a 66 Fleetwood parts car that does not have the hole in the seat back for the optional hear restraints which helps to support that my car had them from new.

There WAS a popular aftermarket hear restraint in the mid 60s which was cylindrical in shape and had two chrome mounting brackets that screwed into the seat back. They had thumb screws for adjustment. Mine are not those.

Just wondering if anyone on this forum has seen my style head restraints on another 66 and can confirm with some sort of brochure picture or salesman's data.

As mentioned, they do look aftermarket so everybody just assumes so.