'67 BUCKET SEAT HEADREST FABRICATION.
I still don't know how that odd third hole on the large black plastic part is oriented when installed. Does anyone know? I am about to install the seat kit this weekend and that would be good to know, but hey, it's a 50 - 50 chance right?
Meanwhile, I did hack off the long rods from my brand new '68 PG headrests, made the 3/16" X 1" X 10" flat bar base, shaped it to fit the base of the headrests, and drilled it with two 1/2" holes at 8-1/2" apart for the '68 rod stubs and two 1/2" holes at 7-1/2" apart for the '67 bucket seat rod location.
I then drilled the same hole pattern into two 1" X 1" X (about) 10" pieces of angle iron, placed them onto the head rest rods while still attached in thier original 8 - 1/2" location on the head rest, and welded them together with a couple more angle iron pieces. This made a jig for retaining the rod orientation to the headrests.
Next, I cut the rods off of the headrests using a die grinder with cut-off wheel, leaving about a 3/16" stub on each one, which I hoped to drill and tap to 5/16" - 18 NC.
It was after mounting the headrests on my drill press and trying to drill the pilot holes (lest you think I am "too full of myself") and finding that the bit just kept bending and deflecting that the rods are made of stainless steel, doh!!! I don't know how I missed that, but I did. I can be dumb sh*t! I continued, as I was able, but only managed to completely butcher the hole. This left only one option as I saw it...weld!
I was very tempted to do the welding myself, but decided to hand it off to an "expert" with a TIG machine, as opposed to my MIG in order to try and keep the temp below the vinyl head rest melting point. Not an easy task, but I found a guy who was willing to try. He plug welded the rods to the back of the flat bar using the jig, and then attached the head rest using only the most minimal tacks with the TIG as his assistant immediately threw water on after each tack.
Attached are pics of the process so far. Not perfect, presently kind of ugly, but I think t will turn out fairly decent?
I still don't know how that odd third hole on the large black plastic part is oriented when installed. Does anyone know? I am about to install the seat kit this weekend and that would be good to know, but hey, it's a 50 - 50 chance right?
Meanwhile, I did hack off the long rods from my brand new '68 PG headrests, made the 3/16" X 1" X 10" flat bar base, shaped it to fit the base of the headrests, and drilled it with two 1/2" holes at 8-1/2" apart for the '68 rod stubs and two 1/2" holes at 7-1/2" apart for the '67 bucket seat rod location.
I then drilled the same hole pattern into two 1" X 1" X (about) 10" pieces of angle iron, placed them onto the head rest rods while still attached in thier original 8 - 1/2" location on the head rest, and welded them together with a couple more angle iron pieces. This made a jig for retaining the rod orientation to the headrests.
Next, I cut the rods off of the headrests using a die grinder with cut-off wheel, leaving about a 3/16" stub on each one, which I hoped to drill and tap to 5/16" - 18 NC.
It was after mounting the headrests on my drill press and trying to drill the pilot holes (lest you think I am "too full of myself") and finding that the bit just kept bending and deflecting that the rods are made of stainless steel, doh!!! I don't know how I missed that, but I did. I can be dumb sh*t! I continued, as I was able, but only managed to completely butcher the hole. This left only one option as I saw it...weld!
I was very tempted to do the welding myself, but decided to hand it off to an "expert" with a TIG machine, as opposed to my MIG in order to try and keep the temp below the vinyl head rest melting point. Not an easy task, but I found a guy who was willing to try. He plug welded the rods to the back of the flat bar using the jig, and then attached the head rest using only the most minimal tacks with the TIG as his assistant immediately threw water on after each tack.
Attached are pics of the process so far. Not perfect, presently kind of ugly, but I think t will turn out fairly decent?