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  1. #1
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    Default Sport Wheel and Halo Headrest - HELP!

    I posted about these question about my 1983 Mexican Mustang in the Mexican Mustang section, but got no replies. Maybe it does not get a lot of visitors? Search here and on the Web did not produce the answers. Apologies for posting twice. TIA for any useful info on these issues!

    PROBLEM #1: The seats have "halo" headrests with webbing in the middle. They are attached with a single flat steel bar that goes into the top of the seat back. One of them will slide out about 1/4 inch. The other won't move at all.
    I need to take the headrests off to install slipcovers, but they won't budge. Other forums have said there is a lever or button inside that must be pressed or lifted. I found nothing like this in my seats. Unzipped the bottom of one and reached up, but run into stitching that holds the fabric to the foam on both front and back, so can't reach all the way up. Tried silicone spray on the headrest bar, but still completely stuck.


    PROBLEM #2: I have a 4-spoke wheel exactly like this one:
    http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/q...ng4sale018.jpg.
    The horn button is off and in two pieces. No sign of a spring or anything to make the horn circuit work. Where is the horn on these wheels, what pieces do I need, and how to I get this back together?


  2. #2
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    The horn on my 83 Capri is on the turn signal stalk.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  3. #3

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    My '81 had the horn on the turn signal stalk also.

    The headrest attaches the same on most of these fox mustangs. Sometimes they will pull out straight up with force, sometimes not so much. If I recall correctly there is a metal tab that keeps them locked in the guide. If you get find the guide and run a flathead screwdriver up it from inside you might be able to release the tab. I think it is best to remove the seat from the car before attempting this. It's been a while since I've had them apart so I may not have this exactly right but, it's better than no reply at all.

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    Thanks for the replies. Was starting to wonder... ;-}

    The turn signal stalk, huh? The owner's manual is in Spanish. Sez "Palanca de luces direccionales, cambio de luz (alta-baja); claxon y bocina optica (opcional)", which translates to "Turn signal lever, shift light (high-low) optical horn and horn (optional)". Does not say WHAT TO DO do to honk the horn. Guess I'll have to go fiddle with it.

    So, how about the center button/bezel for this steering wheel? Did the ears on the plastic ring used to have clippies on them that a P.O. (true to form) broke off for no reason? Geez, they broke just about every plastic part on this car. I wonder which would to a better job of gluing the steel part to the plast, a) Epoxy, or b) Black RTV?

    Guess I'll tie one end of a rope to the headrest, the other end to the receiver on my truck and give it the old heave-ho!

  5. #5

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    A slim jim works best on sliding into the headrest slot and keeping the button back in place while you lift out the headrest.

    As for the horn button (steering wheel center badge), one of my family members broke mine about 15 years ago by trying to honk the horn that isn't there too.

    Just clean off the rust real well, and use JB Weld or a good epoxy to hold it together, I think I cut some slots in those plastic nubs so that the epoxy could wrap around everything real well and grip both sides of the metal plate, and so far it has worked great. Let it get good and dry before trying to twist it onto the wheel though. Maybe a couple of days would be best.

    I think I might have roughed up the plastic a little bit too. Just enough to give the epoxy a little more grip.
    Last edited by bosscar; 01-10-2012 at 12:04 AM.
    JK
    1983 Capri RS Turbo (since new)
    1970 Boss 302 (since 1980)
    1965 Mustang Coupe (since 1976)

  6. #6
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    Default Headrest

    Which side of the headrest does the slip jim go on, and how far down?

    I sanded the button parts and used 527 glue and clamps. If that doesn't hold, I'll try epoxy.

    Much obliged!

  7. #7

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    Yes horn was on the stalk on early year cars but for steering wheel horns foam works great in between the metal...It looks like that is what was used from the factory...at least on my dads 87 Lx anyway. The button was so worn it was beeping itself all the time...the last straw was it beeped itself so long one day when he was out the horns fried! LOL.

    I took it apart and put new foam in between the metal and it's like new...

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    To honk the horn on a stalk mounted button you push the stalk in towards the steering column.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  9. #9
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    I just saw your thread, I´m from Mexico so I´m used to these Mexican Mustangs... As mentioned the horn is on the turn signal lever, and you just push it inwards to activate the horn.

    As for the headrests, as far as I know they are not adjustable in any way and come fixed to the back seat. I really never fiddled with them in my old 84...

    BTW I still have pending to check on the carb specs... tomorrow when I visit my 81 I´ll check out the specific model of motorcraft carb.

  10. #10
    FEP Power Member Mustang Marty's Avatar
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    Here is a photo of the headrest mount in a bare seat back frame. A spring clip is riveted to the mount and keeps the headrest attached to the frame. It is the flat piece with the silver rivet. The ends are 'U' shaped and the post of the headrest has a groove that catches on the 'U' portion of the clip.

    There are two ways to remove it; from the top or bottom. Run a flat piece of metal, about 18" long, down the front of the post. When it get all the way down, pull up on the headrest while preventing the metal you slid down from coming with it. What you are trying to do is stop the clip from catching in the notch of headrest post. This works well for many people and is the least intrusive

    From the bottom, fold the seat foward and unhook/unzip the seat upholstry from the seat back. With a flat screwdriver (or similar) reach up and place it under the tab of the clip (in the photo you can see a small tab below the 'U' on the clip). Grab the headrest with your free hand and just before you yank it up, lift the tab with your screwdriver. It will slide right out. This is how I usually remove them. The draw back is you have to rezip/rehook the seat upholstery. A 30yo zipper can be hard to put back together.


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  11. #11
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    Thanks, blueandsilver and Mustang Marty!

    MM, can you verify which type of headrest the seat in your photo had? I'm guessing it's the non-halo type, which are adjustable. From my efforts to even MOVE the headrests up and getting no movement at all on one, and only 1/4 inch on the other, I suspect that B&S is correct about the headrests being fixed and unmoving (they are so tall that making them adjustable does not make much sense).

    Looks like I'll have to remove the upholstery from the seat back, far enough to see how the headrest is attached (may be welded on) OR give up on removing the rests and cut a slit in the new slipcovers, then sew them back together.

    I already unzipped one of them, with great difficulty, and they are really tight against the frame. I'm afraid a seam will rip or the fabric will tear. The inserts are a thin fabric that is rotten and torn. Maybe later I can afford to take them to an upholsterer and have the inserts replaced. The vinyl seems to be in good enough shape.

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member sowaxeman's Avatar
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    Default

    All the headrests are removable. Your's is probably just corroded in place, or already "latched" in the highest position. Either way...the first few times you do this it is a PITA. After that it becomes second nature. I use the srew driver from the the underside...but now I am going to invest in a slim-jim type of piece of metal and try that as the last time I reach in I damn near sliced my thumb tip off on a sharp edge of the seat frame!!
    Jason Smith
    MCA #65481

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  13. #13
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    Very interesting seat configuration!
    1986 Saleen #26 - Saugus Pace Car
    1988 Range Rover Classic - The Shop Truck

  14. #14
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    Default Immovable Headrests

    Quote Originally Posted by sowaxeman View Post
    All the headrests are removable. Your's is probably just corroded in place, or already "latched" in the highest position. Either way...the first few times you do this it is a PITA. After that it becomes second nature. I use the srew driver from the the underside...but now I am going to invest in a slim-jim type of piece of metal and try that as the last time I reach in I damn near sliced my thumb tip off on a sharp edge of the seat frame!!
    These headrests are in the LOWEST position. Took another shot at removing them today. Sprayed silicone lube all around and slid a fish wire down the front. It hit bottom about 3 inches down. Tried to twist it and pull headrest up at the same time. No good after about ten tries, then had to stop, too many old injuries. Dang.

  15. #15
    FEP Senior Member tcruise's Avatar
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    I ended up cutting a slit in the top of the cover to get them on over the headrests. These area super low-quality covers. Will be surprised if they last longer than a month. Still, big improvement. Also installed a massage/heat cushion (heated seat!) and bought a 2-into-1 12v adapter so i can run the seat heater and the dash-top defrost heater at the same time until I get a new heater core in. Got a little snow/sleet today, so just in time!

    One of my two interior trim repairs worked and the other did not. The piece that the e-brake handle sticks out of worked. The trim around the shift boot did not. Back to the drawing board on that one!

  16. #16
    FEP Member javdog's Avatar
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    I have tried everything and no success getting the headrest out.

  17. #17

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    coat hanger from the top will get them out

  18. #18
    FEP Super Member Gemini1999's Avatar
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    I had problems removing both headrests from the seats in my Turbo GT when I redid the seats. One came off fine, but the second one...not so much. Basically, what I did was to remove the seat back cover as far as I could after cutting the hog rings. At that point, I had a clear shot at the headrest setup. I used a long, flat tipped screwdriver and released the adjusting clip from the bottom, instead of the top. Since you're removing the upholstery, it doesn't matter if you remove it partway in order to unlock the headrest.
    Bryan

    1983 Mustang GLX Convertible

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