Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Tonnau and Headrests

OK so here we go at last, my 1995 plus four delivered just in time foR lockdown. After sitting and looking at it for 4 months I am now getting out and about, to the following practical problems.
When I park for a short time, in town centre outside cafe etc, I would like to use tonnau cover for some security. However this means removing headrests which is ok, but they are a pain to refit. Sometimes they drop straight in other times no amount of jiggling bashing or swearing will get them to slot in.
How do all you experienced guys and gals manage?

it's a feature.

I always use the tonnau cover, and have done years. You will find with time they well get easier.

enjoy

If it’s only a friction issue, if you smear your little finger with some 3 in 1 oil, and poke it down the hole as far as you can go, you will touch what feels like a roller of some sort. Rub the oil into it. Also wipe over the headrest stems with some lubricant. Work it in and out a few times. Wipe off any excess and it should have improved.
Beware also of withdrawing tight headrests. Some people have found that following a big tug, the headrest has flown out of the hand and landed on the bodywork!

Hi Colin,
I have two suggestions which might help, one I have already done to mine and the other I'm about to get done.

First is a bit of a bodge but works fine: Inside the seat back is a roller covered in plastic tubing which runs up and down as the headrest is inserted or removed, over time the plastic hardens and becomes becomes square where its been resting on the headrest support, this makes it jam up when it should just roll
I have taken a sharpe knife to mine and removed the plastic covering all together, just leaving the metal roller and now the headrest slide in and out without any resistance.
If you look down the seatback through the headrest opening you can see it quite easily.

The next and more professional step is to have Allon White to add headrest pockets to my tonneau so that I can leave the headrest in place and fit the tonneau over the top.
I'm sure there must a trimmer near you who could do that too

Hope this helps

Err. Might sound a bit daft but it works and costs nothing. If you can adjust your seat backs try putting them both fully forward, that normally drops the head restraint height enough.

Having typed that I did have Shaun at AWSC make head rest ‘pockets’ when he made me a tonneau, worked perfectly but above option has worked on other Morgan’s.

BR
Colin

Re.removal. I was given the advice when I picked up my Morgan always put a hand on top of the head restraint when removing it otherwise, as said, in can fly out of the hand and by sod`s law will always hit the bodywork with the metal tube!

I have head rest pockets

Run a candle over the shafts

Since I can't fit tonneau and easy up hood cover together anyway, I usually fit the former leaving headrests on. It then rests on top of hood cover. Not so much security maybe but there isn't much to be had anyway and it does keep the rain out.

Controversial no doubt, I removed the headrests on taking delivery on each of the 4/4s I've owned since 1992 and have never used them.