Topic: 68 Headrests

[ruppstang]

This past weekend I was at the Concord MCA national and judged a 1968 GT-CS that had factory headrests. I had never seen the leveling wedges under the bezels. None of the Ford drawings I have show them. Have any of you seen these before? Marty

[Andrew@MagMustangs]

Marty, I personally have never seen them, but I haven't seen them all. I have had about ten or less 68 head rest cars over the years and none of them had the wedges. Also, none of the other head rest cars I have seen had them. Did the owner have any documentation proving Originality, like Ford Engineering numbers? How did you judge them? Dock Points or Give Points?

From what I understand, 68 Cougar XR7 had a longer Trim shaft then Mustang because the XR7 Seat Padding was 'Taller' then Mustang. Could these wedges have been added by the owner to fit some XR7 Trim Bezels?

[J_Speegle]

Thing I have but can't be certain. Was this a late car?

Checked my pictures for a clear shot but with the head rest installed and adjusted down (like most people have them) its a detail that is impossible to see. Guess we need to keep an eye open for Torino's with headrests also.



BTW the unrestored blue coupe that was at the show was also at the Los Angeles show a few years ago - I thought it looked familiar but once I saw the writting on the seat I knew I had seen it before

[krelboyne]

I have seen the wedges. Have removed several sets of dual post headrests from 1968 Thunderbirds and 1968-69 Lincoln MKIII's. As I recall they came from one or the other.

[ruppstang]

Marty, I personally have never seen them, but I haven't seen them all. I have had about ten or less 68 head rest cars over the years and none of them had the wedges. Also, none of the other head rest cars I have seen had them. Did the owner have any documentation proving Originality, like Ford Engineering numbers? How did you judge them? Dock Points or Give Points?

From what I understand, 68 Cougar XR7 had a longer Trim shaft then Mustang because the XR7 Seat Padding was 'Taller' then Mustang. Could these wedges have been added by the owner to fit some XR7 Trim Bezels?

This was the Highland Green GT-CS and he had the Marti report showing the head rest option. He said it has never been changed and he has owned it many years. It was a late car I can't remember the build date. I had enough reasonable doubt that I made no deduction. This car had some other strange things about it. It's interior is 2G Lt. Ivy Gold/DK. Ivy Gold vinyl but all the painted surfaces are Med. Ivy Gold. Also the buttons in the horn pad had the Med. Ivy gold in the bottom insted of the normal black. The owner has documentation.
Marty

[CharlesTurner]

You did the right thing not deducting.  About all you can do is make a note on the judging sheets and try to learn more so next time you will know for sure.

The lt. blue unrestored '68 is a neat car.  Think it had a bunch of repaint on it though.  Cool trunk mat in that car.

[ruppstang]

We judged the 68 blue URA car is a very cool car. Too bad the whole front clip was repainted. It has a ton of documentation, it had painted rims but full  wheel covers. We found a note on dealer invoice that noted full wheel covers were installed. The owner had installed a after market trunk mat, but we found the original felt mat under it. He thought it was a underlayment. Boy is he lucky to have it. Marty

[CharlesTurner]

I judged the car at the Van Nuys MCA show a few years ago.  Not sure if he got an award, the repainted areas were a significant deduction.  Going from memory, I believe some of the engine and engine bay had been touched up.

Yes, I remember the wheels, it was a topic of debate with an MCA member.  They felt the rulebook was wrong in this regard as they had a car still in the family since new that had full covers or wire covers with painted wheels.  We went back and forth on the subject, but I could not find any significant proof to change the rule that required dog-dish caps with painted wheels.  In my opinion, this lt. blue car proved the point since it was noted specifically on dealer paperwork that the full covers were added.

Ok, sorry, getting off topic now... 

[TLea]

Although they were listed as optional earlier in the year I think the headrests werent available till around may. There actually is one 68 shelby that got them

[stillboardin]

my 68 J Code Coupe was built on January 23rd 1968 and the Marti Report has them on it.  Did not have the wedges though.

[ruppstang]

My dads 68 S code was ordered on 10/30/67 and built on 12/15/67. It has the head rest option listed on it's Marti report. But it has no wedges on it either.
Marty