Mustang seats in a Bronco

[valveamp]

Hi. I recently came across a pair of front seats out of a 1969 Mustang. They look, to me, identical to the seats in my '71 Bronco, except the mustang seats have headrests. Will these seats bolt directly into the seat mounts on the Bronco, or does it need a modification to work? The owner is trying to decide if he wants to sell them or not. They came out of his '69 Mustang.

 

[tatersalad]

Broncos used two mustang driver side seats . I don't see why they won't work. I believe it was a pretty common swap although the passenger side won't fold forwards as far.

 

[markw]

The passenger side seat will need the two mounts at the back welded on as well as the articulating leg at the right front which will need another hole drilled where it mounts to the seat frame. I just went through this. Luckily I had old ruined seat frame to steal the parts from.

 

[omureebe]

I'm on the process of doing this. The Bronco passenger seat has a riser on the bottom back of the seat to raise it about 2". The Mustang/Cougar seat does not. So best to use the Bronco seat bottom with the Mustang/Cougar seat top. I didn't notice a difference on the driver seats. Also make sure you re-use the Bronco tracks, as they're different than the Mustang/Cougar tracks.

 

[ericwilkison]

I ran into this same project a couple of years ago. The stock bronco seat frames (from 73 at least, and I'd suspect most other years) have the mounting holes for the head rest already in place. I was able to bolt in the head rests from a pair of '69 mustang seats. I did have to mostly remove the upholstery to get access, but it was a fairly easy project.

Here is a quick picture of the results. Sorry I could not find the pics I took while doing the work.

 

[markw]

The earlier Bronco seats did not have the reinforcement for the headrest brackets. I found later Mustang seat frames with this structure. It would be good to know what year Ford started putting that headrest seat in the Bronco.

 

[fordguy]

I ran into this same project a couple of years ago. The stock bronco seat frames (from 73 at least, and I'd suspect most other years) have the mounting holes for the head rest already in place. I was able to bolt in the head rests from a pair of '69 mustang seats. I did have to mostly remove the upholstery to get access, but it was a fairly easy project.

Here is a quick picture of the results. Sorry I could not find the pics I took while doing the work.

i think the bronco/mustang seats look much better in the bronco than the aftermarket stuff. nice color btw

 

[broncodriver99]

The earlier Bronco seats did not have the reinforcement for the headrest brackets. I found later Mustang seat frames with this structure. It would be good to know what year Ford started putting that headrest seat in the Bronco.

'66-'67 Broncos use '66-'67 Mustang seats. '68-'77 Broncos use '68 Mustang seats. Since headrests were optional in '68 Mustangs and I think included in all '69 Mustangs the headrest brackets should be there from '68 on, if not I would imagine in '69 at the latest.

IIRC '66-'67 Mustangs had headrests available but it was a different type of headrest which didn't use the later style single post.

 

[markw]

Reason I was wondering, my 68 did not have the headrests so I sourced some later Mustang seatbacks with the reinforcement. Then the headrest search, headrest recover and now I have some nice seats with headrests. It was a journey.

 

[valveamp]

thanks for all of the responses, guys. Would it be easier to just buy a set of aftermarket Mustang headrests and install them in my current seats? I'm happy with my seats, just want to add the headrests. From what I'm reading, I have a '71 with original seats, the brackets or mounting h/w for the headrests should already be in my seat backs. Correct? Maybe I'm under estimating how difficult it is to add the headrests.

 

[sykanr0ng]

Ford like most car companies usually does not put hardware in a car that is never going to be used.
You will most likely need to buy the head rest mounting brackets.

Ford used the same single flat bar mount head rest in Mustangs through 2004, these were also used in many other Ford cars, you should be able to get some from a junkyard for a few hundred dollars less than buying new ones.

If you can't find genuine Ford hardware these will work, but the holes may be off a little like many aftermarket parts:

https://www.cjponyparts.com/headrest-guide-and-retainer-kit-1969/p/HRGR/

 

[Rustytruck]

The hardware will not be there but the threaded mounting plate will be there as part of the seat structure. You will have to attached the seat rest hardware and get the headrests. I used Torino headrests as they are a little shorter and rectangular shape. When down they clear the flip and fold function of the seat. I found the headrests in original forest green color and used forest green seat upholstery from Made for You and forest green dash pad from Bronco hut and couldn't believe how close they matched.

 

[Hultzger]

I picked up some mustang seats for my Bronco to replace some rugged ridge seats that never fit me right.

Here’s a shot of

the driver’s side with dozen or so existing holes.

Does anyone have any idea what the hole layout should be?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hultzger]

The passenger side has the WH seat storage platform. Suggestions for the bolt layout and should I put spacers under the slides to match the OEM height? If so, how high?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jckkys]

The headrests include a plastic sleeve that will simply slide into the '71 EB frames. You only have to cut a hole in the upholstery. I've used the '69 headrests in my '77 for about 25 yrs. The pass. side seat still folds up to the dash too.

 

[Hultzger]

I guess I was trying to avoid drilling additional holes, I didn’t realize the slides/supports are different between the Mustang and the Bronco.

If I use the Mustang brackets both seats will slide. And since I have the WH seat storage https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Passenger_Seat_Storage/Bronco_Storage I realize the passenger seat won’t tumble forward.

Any tips on how far forward and to the sides the seats should be mounted would be appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DirtDonk]

The pass. side seat still folds up to the dash too.

That's a great feature!
I love my high-back buckets, but hate that they no longer fold up enough to "tumble" too.

Paul

 

[BroncoJimbo]

So along these lines, can i use 68 Mustang foam and upholstery on my worn out , stock, '76 Bronco seats?

 

[omureebe]

So along these lines, can i use 68 Mustang foam and upholstery on my worn out , stock, '76 Bronco seats?

YEP! The upholstery may be slightly different. I say this as my driver and passenger seats look a lil different, and that's because I bought Bronco upholstery, screwed up the pass seat, then bought Mustang upholstery to redo that passenger seat. You'd never know unless it was pointed out. But it all fits perfectly.

 

[jckkys]

The Mustang sliders won't work in an EB pass. seat. I'm not sure I see a reason to try it. The EB pass. seat is already in the full rearward position and the only reason to move a seat forward is to reach peddles and there are none. The OP's initial question and his follow up in post #10 make it clear his desire is simply having headrests on his EB seats. That's easy. Just take them off the '69 Mustang seats and put then on the '71 Bronco seats.