[gtobird]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

I recovered a set of 68 seats for a friends gto. I'm not sure if they were "true" 68 seats or modified 69+'s because they had factory 69 headrests and he bought the seats loose at a swap meet. They were a matched set of a power left and a reclining right. The recliner seat cars got 68 style side button releases for 69-72 as well as 68. this is because the recliner left seat can only work with the 68 side button setup so they put a matching side button left seat in the car when the recliner was ordered. Starting in 69 headrests were DOT safety required. I don't believe there was an actual physical difference between a 68 side button seat and a 69-72 side button seat aside from the additional headrest hardware.

They did make an internal change to the seatback framework in 1970 through 72 non recliner seats to accommodate the power seat back release option. That has a different latch mechanism mounting area that's widened so the solenoid body can fit down in there. outwardly they are the same.

Anyways, friends car has 68 interior pattern with the 69 factory headrests in there and it looks and fits fine. We put a Legendary interior in it and the fit was much tighter (and looked better) than the PUI interior I put in my 71 back in 1997. I will say that PUI interior has held up great as the car's been on the road continuously as a summer daily driver and only real flaw is the hook tear on the side panel common on the original interiors is just starting on the driver's seat. I'd say not bad considering it's now 25 years old. the original seats were already torn in 78 after only 7 years.

I can't speak for PUI of the current age. One consideration is the lead time though. No clue on PUI, but Legendary's pretty far out on lead time. I ordered a seat cover for a 68 cutlass supreme from them back in June of 2021 and it just got delivered first week of February this year. they quoted me 30 wk lead time and it was pretty close. (and unfortunately I'm in the midst of some customer service frustration with them because they sewed the seat backs together incorrectly which I'm struggling getting them to deal with!) but I've used them twice prior and had great results and satisfaction with the quality that was much better than that PUI interior, but for a daily driver, PUI was just fine.

I'm hoping you can clarify a couple of things for me. I'm a bit confused by your left side / right side conversation as you refer to the reclining seat being on the right side in one sentence and then being on the left side in another sentence. If I understand correctly, the recliner had to get the 68 side button release even if it was a 69 to 72 seat and the recliner was on the right (passenger side). So then, the left (drivers side seat) also got the side button so it matches. Did I state that correctly? Also, would that have been true even if the drivers side seat would have been either a standard seat, or a power seat all the way from 69 to 72? If that is correct, then I have to believe there would be no issues putting 69 seat covers on a 68 seat frame.

With repect to the seats you covered for you friend, you mention the headrests were 69 vintage. Do you know that for sure they weren't 68 headrests? If so, what is the difference between 68 and 69 headrests? Thanks for sticking with this.

Old Joe