How to Make Head Rests for a 66 Satellite

[66 Sat]

If anyone is interested in making headrests for their 66 Satellite with Bucket Seats - I've just done the job.


Manufacture
I started by buying a couple of head rests off a modern car from the scrapyard. I stripped the material covers and split the polystyrene inners apart. I then cut the chrome frame in half and widened it to approx 10.25" using some threaded rod, JB Welded both ends.

 

[66 Sat]

Then I drew up the dimensions of what I wanted, using a photo as a reference and trying to scale it from there. I took my drawing to a local polystyrene supplier and they made up 2 for me.

I then had to file out the shape of the frame and glue the 2 halves together, using PVA glue.

Installation
First step is to remove the hard seat back (2 small screws underneath), then slide the seat back down and off.

Then you need to cut or open up the top hog rings, and a few down either side, so you can gently pull the vinyl forward and over the top of seat to expose the seat frame.

Next step is to drill the holes where you want to mount your headrest. I chose the center of the scroll pattern.

 

[66 Sat]

Man, writing these threads is hard! Especially on the phone.
So I didn't know how I was going to attach the head rest to the seat until I started drilling. The original plan was to slide the whole head rest frame down through the holes into the seat structure but that idea changed.
The seat frame on the '66 consists of a squarish tube folded over another piece of metal and that piece angles in to the front of the car...it's hard to describe but suffice to say the drilling was difficult and I could realistically only drill a hole about an inch deep.
I then decided to cut the head rest frame down and use part of that to mount some more threaded rod into the seat, to form a stud. I JB Welded the threaded rod into the small piece of head rest frame pulled the vinyl back over, made corresponding holes in the vinyl, and then JB Welded the stud into the hole (pushing it through the vinyl).

 

[kiwigtx]

Ados makes a glue that doesn't harm the polystyrene if that's any help to you.....maybe glue some lighter fabric to the poly before the actual cover - less likely to damage the poly in the process of finishing.

Looking good so far.

 

[66 Sat]

Following all that I trial fitted the headrest on the passenger side - it seemed to be ok but the frame had become loose in the polystyrene as they'd made them out of low density stuff for some reason and I was yanking on them trying to get them onto the studs. I went back to see them and they re-made them for me out of the better high density stuff. These photos are of the weaker stuff.

 

[66 Sat]

Last step was to get them covered.
A local upholstery guy did them for me and I collected them today. I haven't installed them fully yet as I'm flat out working but I'll get to it after Easter.

This is what I had before, horrible slip on head rests:

This is what I wanted to achieve:

This is what I have now:

 

[ayeayemate]

I'd have to say you done a real impressive job here.
I've got a good friend who has restored a 65 Fury Sport. (1st car he owned as a young teenager) He'd be all about this.
Thank You for putting up step-by-step fabrication & installation with pictures.
All the BEST!! Tim

 

[66 Sat]

There's a few things I forgot to mention. The chrome from the scrap yard head rests I used for the frame looks dirty in the first few photos because it was. It was a combination of dirt and glue from the original foam and fabric. It's polished up lovely now with a bit of metal polish.
Also I have some chrome saddle washers to put over the studs to finish off. I've also made the driver's side studs slightly longer. The passenger side was the first side I did and although they engage fine with the head rest I went about 1/2" longer for the driver's side. I may just push them on for a friction fit, or JB Weld them on.
Total cost was $40 for the scrap yard headrests, $80 for the polystyrene ($70 for the CAD drawing & cutting, $10 for the polystyrene), $170 for the upholsterer and $1 for the saddle washers.
So $291 Australian Dollars. I had the JB Weld and the threaded rod already.
It's also a bit daunting making holes in the vinyl but you just have to measure a few times and go for it.
They aren't exactly in the center of the scroll band - that's my poor workmanship. The issue is once the vinyl is pulled over the seat you can't see exactly where it was. To get it 100% perfect you would have to drill through the vinyl first with a small bit to make a mark in the steel frame below. Then pull the vinyl over the frame and do the main drilling. I would be prepared to do that now (as I know the whole system will work), but at the time I drilled the first set of holes I was happy that if it didn't work out I could pull the intact vinyl back over the seat frame and nobody would be any the wiser that I had drilled into my seat frame.

 

[patrick66]

Very impressive! If a person didn't know what a stock '66 headrest looks like, they'd think yours are originals. Nice!

 

[Billccm]

Thanks for the excellent step by step write up.

 

[440 4 speed]

That is very nice work.

 

[1MYTGTX]

Looks great and will help some getting the ball rolling if they want to tackle a project like this. Not sure if you mentioned it but the headrests are fixed & non adjustable correct?

 

[0DegreeEngineer]

Last step was to get them covered.
A local upholstery guy did them for me and I collected them today. I haven't installed them fully yet as I'm flat out working but I'll get to it after Easter.
View attachment 1635823
This is what I had before, horrible slip on head rests:
View attachment 1635840
View attachment 1635841

This is what I wanted to achieve:
View attachment 1635825

This is what I have now:
View attachment 1635824

If you had not told me you made them i would have figured they where OE from the pictures. Nice Job!!

 

[66 Sat]

Looks great and will help some getting the ball rolling if they want to tackle a project like this. Not sure if you mentioned it but the headrests are fixed & non adjustable correct?

Yes that's correct, non-adjustable. I could have set them to any height I wanted though.
To have them adjustable on these seats would either require a custom seat frame be made, or have a mechanism in the head rest support arms.

I'll do up a dimensioned drawing when I get time - the polystyrene guy kept the one I did and has probably chucked it out now.

I'm really pleased how they turned out and am excited to mount them up properly after Easter.