65-70 Mustang Fastback Fold Down Seats

As seen in June 2006 Mustang Monthly (page 76)

This is for information only.  You cannot purchase anything via this page.

65-70 Mustang Fold Down Seat Trim

67-70 Mustang Trap Doors

65 fold down seats are easily identified by the rectangular shaped seat support on the rear panel, and has a corresponding short round stop bumper that rests against it. 65 fold down seats also have only one latch, and as such have only one cutout for the latch in the seat on the passenger side. The latch guide is plastic and mounts with one screw.

66 seats have the oval seat support and the rubber stop bumper that looks like a small rubber shoe. They also have only one latch, with the latch mounted on the passenger side, and the latch guide is plastic.

67-mid 68 fold down seats are identical to 66 with the exception of having two latches and the latch guides were metal and mount with 3 screws.
mid 68-70 fold down seats are nearly identical to the previous models but the chrome trim around the latch opening was changed. Starting in mid 68 the trim around the latch is recessed but it has the same metal latch guide as was used starting in 67.

Of particular note, I have yet to determine when the chrome trim panel that went on the rear side of the rear panel was no longer included in production cars. I know that 65-66 fold down seats included this panel, along with a small latch catch plate to catch the trap door latch. By late 68, the chrome trim panel was no longer used, and just the latch catch plate was installed. Of particular importance is that if the trim panel was used, the carpet was of course cut to fit the rear fold down panel, and if the trim piece was not used, then the carpet was not cut to fit, the extra carpet on the back side was folded down over the panel.
I have no concrete evidence of this, but anecdotal evidence leads me to believe that all 65-66 Fastbacks came with a fold down seat. In fact, I have never heard of one without it. (If you have one of these let me know). Some 67-68’s came with the fold down seat but Ford began cutting back on including them in regular production and they began to be a special order item only. By 69-70, if you came upon a Sportsroof on the dealer lot, chances are it did not have a fold down seat. If you wanted one, you had to order it.
 

As already noted, all three of the main fold down panels are basically the same. What you may not know is that the middle panel is identical, not only between years, but between fold down set-ups and non fold down set-ups. So, if you want to do a conversion, all you really need is the front panel, the back panel, and use the middle panel you already have. I’ll show below how they are indeed the same, and that the only difference is that the fold down seats got chrome trim, and the non fold down seats got painted trim, ie, it was the same exact trim only one was painted and the other chromed

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As for fiberglass panels, 67-68 is all the same regardless of fold down or non fold down. All you do is remove the fixed door, put in the trap door, add your fold down panels, latches and latch covers, and your done. 69-70 is more complicated. All of the fiberglass panels behind the inner quarter need to be changed out. If you are going to buy a fold down seat for 69-70, be sure to buy the fiberglass too.

As for the seats, they are all the same too. If you have non-fold down seat now, don’t pay shipping to buy fold down seat cushions, the ones you have now will fit just fine.

Trap doors… 65-66 trap doors are the same. 67-70 trap doors are the same with minor differences. The 67-68 trap door has a trim panel that goes across the top. 69-70 does not have that trim panel. Also, the trunk access prop handle is different starting in 69.  See my 67-70 reproduction/original trap door comparison.

Pictures of all particular items follow...

Identifying features

All of these pictures are thumbnailed so that you can see the full resolution picture if you so choose.
 

65 with rectangular seat support.

65 with short round seat stop bumper. This fits against the seat support, picture below

This is the 65-66 latch, passenger side, plastic latch guide.

1965

1965

66 with oval shaped seat support. This seat support will be the same from 66-70.

67 – mid 68 style flush molding with metal latch guide.

67-68 trap door with molding across the top.

68 fold down, you can barely see the trim panel over the trap door.

68 with no chrome trim on rear panel. Note the prop handle.

This is the recessed trim with metal latch guide. This was used from mid-68-70.

70 Fold down seat installed in 68 Fastback.

70 trap door installed in 68 fastback. Notice no trim across top of door.

70 without the chrome trim on rear panel.

Note the prop handle and the bracket for it mounted to the trunk lid hinge.

69-70 trap door without trim molding at the top.

Conversions
 

One trim panel chrome, other painted, same size, shape, even the same screw holes.

Both are middle panels, one on top is original fold down, one on bottom is original non fold down.

Black is 1970, red is 1965. Same size, shape and contours except for the area around the hole for the latch.  The 1970 is recessed and has one extra screw hole for the metal latch guide. As pictured, the left screw hole for the latch guide replaces the left most trim screw.

Close up.
 

View of edge that is pointed down in down position. All screw holes line up except for the stop bumpers.

Stop bumper used from 66-70 (actually 73!!)

Top is threaded 5/16-18 for the stop bumper pictured previously. Bottom (red) is regular screw hole for the 65 style round stop bumper.

Hole is the 5/16-18 nut welded inside the frame for the stop bumper.

Using a 65 seat in a 66 or later? There is enough room in the gap for you to weld in a flat square 5/16-18 nut, be sure to drill the hole first so you line up the nut correctly before welding.

Rear panels are identical except for these mounting holes for the support plates. Top (blue) is for 65. Note the screw holes to the left edge for the rectangular shaped support plate. Bottom (brown) is for 66-70. Note the holes are moved inboard about two inches, and there is a triangle cut-out for the recess in the oval shaped support plate. You can also see on the carpet how the 65 had chrome trim across the back while the 70 this particular panel came from had just the trapdoor latch catch plate.

Close up of holes you would have to cut to use a 65 rear panel in 66-70. Notice that if you made this mod there would be no visible evidence that it had previously been a 65 panel once the carpet and oval plate is installed.

Rear side of both the 65 and 70 are literally identical. The same brackets are used to hold them in place (pictured to the right of the panels), and they both have the rubber bumper glued to the center of the panel (brown one has lost the rubber, but glue residue remains indicating its presence at some time).

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