I know Ken (66 Grande Guy) has headrests on his car. Rare option. I was reading the list of dealer options, pricing etc tonight (while I was riding the exercise bike, beats watching TV!) and I stumbled on something I never knew.
Headrests were not an available option in 66 on a Grande Parisienne except with buckets. The Strato Bench seat backs look identical to the bucket seat back but the headrest option was not available on the bench. Anyone have any idea why?
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
After I posted this, I was reading it some more and I see also there was no power bench (Strato) available on Grande Parisienne. If you bought the Strato Bench, you got punished! No power, no headrests. Strange, because other GM models offered both with the Strato.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Well I just flipped through the sales brochure I have and none of the cars pictured have headrests but I do see how the divided seat and buckets backs are near identical.
Yes, the metal trim panel on the back interchanges. If you stand behind the car, unless you can see either the console or armrest, you can't tell if it's bench or bucket.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I've been sitting here trying to picture why it can't be had. What does it matter if the seat back has a headrest or not when the back is identical between the two seats?
I was thinking of different scenarios but none make sense.
-Seat is too heavy with a headrest on it. Nope, the back of the seat has no idea if it's bolted to a bench or bucket.
-Restricted vision. Nope, same height back, both seats.
-Colour/fabric choices maybe? It would be a vinyl headrest on a cloth Strato bench because the bench only came in gold or black cloth, but a vinyl headrest would still look ok. The buckets were only available in vinyl.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars