Headrest brackets and thumb screws

[Eric Lenius]

I visited a fellow owner and his cars yesterday. When looking at his very late 65 SC I noticed that the thumbscrews on his headrest brackets had a very pronounced radius to the top surface. The thumb screws on all of mine have flat tops. The bracket base seemed different to me too. The pictures below on the seat are on his car (screws not correct of course). Any ideas?

[Dick Roth]

Aftermarket?

[Eric Lenius]

So, a couple of questions. If one or the other is obviously aftermarket, which one? Most I have seen have flat tops. But it is possible that these are all aftermarket. Are there more than one legitimate type? Early/Late?

[Dick Roth]

While we wait for one of the 356 Gurus to post a photo of the genuine factory item, my recollection is that they were flat.

[Mike Wilson]

Eric, did you notice what the tips of the brackets looked like? Did they have a slight curve to them or straight? The later originals had a slight curve. Did the headrests have a zipper (aftermarket) or sewn (original). I've noticed, as has others, that there are two types of brackets, original vs. aftermarket, with the openings for the brackets different sizes.

Mike

[Eric Lenius]

Mike,

By bracket, to you mean the two "arms" on the headrest themselves that insert into the brackets with the thumbscrews that are on the seats? I am using the term bracket for those as pictured. They too seemed a bit different but maybe you are talking about the part on the headrest itself? I did not look at the one headrest that was in the car as I was focused on the "brackets" (who knows what the terminology really is)

[Mike Wilson]

Hi, Eric: I am referring to the two arms. I can take pics of mine if you think that would be helpful.

Mike

[Brad Ripley]

Is the thread metric or US? Metric original, US by Colgan

[Mike Wilson]

Good catch, Brad.

Mike

[Dick Roth]

The Guru Speaketh...