The 'E' Type Forum

HI - someone told me once that you can fit headrests from - I believe Triumphs (Spitfires ?) Acclaims? and perhaps it wasn't either. I also believe early XJS's fit?
Does anyone have a definitive list ? These are going on a S2 1970
I've heard you might need to shorten the shaft - I'm fine with that.
thanks
Steve

Dont have definitive list. Just make sure the shafts are straight. You can change the foam to the correct E type shape.

Do 1966 seats have the inner parts to accept headrests ?

Car in Question is my 1966 March 2+2.

Carsten

Aldridge Trimming sell the correct headrests on eBay, I just fitted a set, not cheap at ?357 but what price for safety? Only issue is they are new leather and make the rest of the seat look a little tired.

66 seats have no headrest mounts. They are very easy to feel as a hard tube through the upholstery.

As for safety, they are worse than nothing, sorry.

Unless you are Norman Dewis's height and have the headrests fully extended they will not reach up to the centre height of your skull. Much more likely (universally?) they will reach the base of your neck.

In a rear-end collision this provides the perfect pivot to make the heavy skull rotate backwards under inertia and break or seriously strain the aforementioned neck. In the absence of headrests, the roatation pivot it down at shoulder level and whilst a rear-ender is still no fun, you are slightly less likely to have a serious whiplash injury or worse. To be effective, headrests need to be far taller like on modern cars or racing seats. They didn't really have the data when headrests were introduced so car makers all did the same thing. The morgue post mortens and slow-mo film evidence soon mounted up though, and people like Volvo quickly changed design to what is now probably a madatory standard.
Pete

So I'll best stay with Fitting 2-Point belts only, not 3-Points (shoulder) ?

Carsten

Fit MX5 seats.

Hi Steve,

Despite what Peter says, the Jaguar headrests reach well above the centre of your head. I have a Series 3, in which the seats are very similar, if not identical to Series 2 items. Admittedly early Series 2 cars have no mounts for the rests though they could be modified if you know what you are doing. I am not sure I would try it, but a good metalworker/welder could weld some sockets into dismantled seat backs. My car had no rests, but had the sockets, so I found some rests from a Series 2 XJ12. The stuffing was shot so I bought new cushion foam (for an E-type) and new leather to match - they fit perfectly. When installed, the rests were somewhat reluctant to stay up, a common thing with old BL (etc.) designs. One was not too bad, the other would slip down because of the worn retaining spring. I solved the problem with wedges of wood, jammed down the stem hole. It sounds jury rigged, but in fact is invisible and the rests are now secure and have been for some time now. I check from time to time and they do not move. They are not really "adjustable", but then they don't need to be once secure at the correct height.

The rests are similar to those in Spitfires and GT6s - my previous cars, but these have less foam, being thinner, the Jaguar/Daimler rests are quite thickly upholstered. The Triumph headrests stayed up in exactly the same manner and to be at the correct height, had to be pulled up fairly high - like the E-type, the seats have a fairly low back, but the rests will certainly lift and stay up well when in good condition. The slipping of the rest is well known and various solutions have been used, including tape which can be wrapped around the stem, which effectively jams the stems, or when wound tight and thick enough, physically prevents the movement. I tried tape and wasn't happy, the wooden wedges (made from lollipop sticks!) hold the rest very secure and they are very difficult to push down. There is sufficient stem to allow the rest to raise quite high, safely; they were designed to be adjustable, it is only time weakening the springs which makes them slowly sink back. I am a shade under 6 foot and the top of the rest is about level with the top of my head - there is no pivot point. What Peter says about the rest needing to be high and being worse then nothing if too low IS correct, but the point is it is easily possible to adjust the correct, Jaguar rest, to the correct height. As I said, they can slip down and this needs to be prevented but is perfectly possible and safe. My rests are as high as most modern cars and I am certain they are safer than having no rests.

I hope this helps, I can send photos to prove the position if needed.

Regards,

Simon

Have a word with Stan at GB Classic Trim in Nuneaton (02476 325928) - I've just left my standard seats from my 1.5 with him, and he is going to install new headrests with all the necessary bracketary (is that a word?) inside. Judging by the XKs, E-Types and a beautiful Mk V in his workshop, he knows what he is doing!

Having read Simon's post re-wedges, I've just wedged mine with a cable tie, works great & can be removed in seconds, that will do fine for now.

vee12eman wrote:Hi Steve,

Despite what Peter says, the Jaguar headrests reach well above the centre of your head. I have a Series 3, in which the seats are very similar, if not identical to Series 2 items.

I am a shade under 6 foot and the top of the rest is about level with the top of my head - there is no pivot point. What Peter says about the rest needing to be high and being worse then nothing if too low IS correct, but the point is it is easily possible to adjust the correct, Jaguar rest, to the correct height.

We're all different I guess. The top edge of my headrests remain about 9" below the headliner at maximum extension (AKA minimum rigidity in a crash). Given that my head brushes the headliner that puts the top of the rests at full extension squarely in the nape of my neck, but that's just the edge of the leather and foam. The central part of the headrest with the restraint inside is at shoulder level on me. I'm only 6' 1" but do have a slightly longer than average back so my spine is probably that of a 6'2" or so and my legs the length of a 6' or 5' 11" person.

Bear in mind, I only fit in the FHC comfortably because the seat foam has largely squashed, which improves placement by putting me lower/the headrest higher than if all was new, but backrest angle is a key issue for measurements.

Modern Mazda seats would be the ultimate E-type safety aid for me. Judging by Angus's car and one other I've tried, they sit me so high I would never, ever, have an accident in the FHC because I couldn't get in it. Even in Angus's OTS with the top down I get nervous under low bridges...

PeterCrespin wrote: We're all different I guess. Given that my head brushes the headliner that puts the top of the rests at full extension squarely in the nape of my neck, Even in Angus's OTS with the top down I get nervous under low bridges...

David, you swore they were the only negatives when I burnt them! :-)