Advice please: point deduct estimate for '65 seats with headrests

[Gary W.]

Gents - two questions please:
1: Any idea roughly what point deduct I could expect if I presented my '65 for Flight judging fitted with '66-style headrests? Car currently (and correctly) isn't fitted with any, but I'm seriously considering installing them. Why? you may ask......well those of you who have been unfortunate to have been hit hard from the rear in a motor vehicle accident will appreciate the significant safety bonus of having headrests. Many years ago my wife and I suffered severe whiplash from a rear-ender in a modern vehicle fitted with headrests, I'd hate to imagine the conequences if we'd been in the '65!
2: If I installed a set of '66-style headrests for the 99.9% of the time I'm driving, would it be an easy/invisible reversal for the 0.01% time it's being Flight judged? I asume I'd need 2-sets of seat backs for zero-deduct, 1 set 'slotted' for the headrest support and the other not.....or take a point-hit for the 'slotted' back if I just have one set without the headrests intalled.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate your feedback.
Cheers,
Gary (Perth, Australia)

[Louis T.]

[Ridge K.]

Re: Advice please: point deduct estimate for '65 seats with headrests

Having spent 29 years responding to car crashes in the fire service, i just simply respectfully disagree with Louis' comments.

In my former career, I can't begin to give you a count of how many serious injuries I've seen involving serious cervical injury. Sadly, I witnessed too many broken necks which also led to fatality in higher speed crashes. There isn't a first response vehicle in America (fire apparatus, ambulances, paramedic units, etc.) that doesn't carry cervical collars for this very reason. Every single accident victim is evaluated for cervical trauma, period..... no exceptions. That's also why head restraints, or head rests were federally mandated in all American automobiles manufactured after January 1st of 1969.

But my approach to judging has been a little different that yours. I bought a second set of seats for my '67 convertible. The originals are kept original for the show, and the second set will be wrapped in leather with headrests for driving trips. I did get very lucky in buying that second set at a great price, as they were pulled out of a '67 coupe going pro-street.
The seats can be very, very pricey. But, regardless of cost, I will no longer ride in cars without headrests. It's all about are you driving your car, .......or trailering it to shows?

Good luck, ....Ridge.

[Louis T.]

[Gary W.]

Re: Advice please: point deduct estimate for '65 seats with headrests

Thanks Louis & Ridge, great feedback.
Prior to our rear-end accident (we guetimate that the vehicle which hit us, a Honda sedan, was doing around 50mph whilst we were doing around 10mph) I would never have imagined the force involved nor the amount of physical damage that would be inflicted (and I'm an engineer, go figure!). Although VERY fortunate to have walked away, we were pretty much out of action for 2-weeks and litterally couldn't move our heads up/down/sideways. Fortunately the Honda's airbags and modern design/crumple-zones (the Honda's motor was shunted under the car and ended up near the rear axle) protected it's occupants.
For a 2-point deduct I'm fitting headrests and making our '65 a little less of a 'death trap'.
Cheers, Gary.