1970 models WITHOUT headrests?

[torredcuda]

"Effective January 1, 1969, each passenger car manufactured on or after that date had to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 202 [9]. The standard required a head restraint for the driver position and right front seating position to reduce the frequency and severity of neck injury in rear-end and other collisions. The restraint was intended to limit rearward motion of an occupant's head in a rear impact crash, thereby preventing whiplash or neck sprain injury due to hyperextension of the neck." Off the NHTSA site. So did all the `70 models get headrests or were supposed to get headrests, as i see a number of them with bench seats and NO headrests? If there were how did Chrysler get away with that, was there some way around the law or did they just slip thru the cracks?

 

[4mulas]

They all got head rests. Doesn’t mean someone restored a car without them? I can’t recall seeing any 70’s without. Cars with a high back bucket would not have separate head rests.

 

[dadsbee]

All '70s bench got headrests. All '69's built after Jan 1st got, or where at least supposed to get headrests. Many pre Jan 1st '69's got headrests as well..

 

[Dave6T4]

I bought my '69 SuperBee in February, and it had headrests. All '70's should have them.

 

[R413]

Many cars are restored and the headrest get "lost".

 

[torredcuda]

I agree all `70`s should have them but can anyone document/verify any that didn`t have them?

 

[torredcuda]

BF Auction: 1970 Dodge Super Bee

 

[torredcuda]

1970 Dodge Super Bee survivor car | Rare Car Network

 

[YY1]

Until recently, those 69 and 70 headrests were "unobtanium", and OEM ones were very frequently cracked or missing the piping trim.

I went through this back in the 90's with my 70, and it was so difficult to find them, that I still have a pair that I kept just in case.

 

[YY1]

That seat upholstery in the referenced link looks awfully nice to be the same age as the paint on the car.

In 90, mine was already trashed.

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that front seat got reupholstered around that time, and because of the situation mentioned above, didn't get the HR put back on.

 

[torredcuda]

Ya those cars are not really survivors and probably had new seat covers installed at some point.

 

[WileERobby]

They all got head rests. Doesn’t mean someone restored a car without them? I can’t recall seeing any 70’s without. Cars with a high back bucket would have head rests.

Many cars are restored and the headrest get "lost".

Precisely, as equipped from the factory, all headrests. When I restored my 70, did not install the headrests. Why ? Because they're UGLY.