My question is, are there any long term effects on the rear seat or where it rests?

If there is my Shelby is screwed as the seat has been in the folded down position since the day I bought it 40 years ago except the couple times I folded it up to work or it or use it as an actual seat...which was probably only a couple times.

 

Not a dumb question at all. Depends on what your seat contacts when folded down, and if it's just as quiet driving with it folded down as up. Mine is slightly louder with more rattles down, so I leave mine up.

 

Mine has stayed down since the 80's. I only fold it up when the seat needs to be used.

 

The seat folds up?

 

Fold-down seats in fastbacks were optional. Some years they were more common. That said, keeping them up is quieter in mine. But I personally think the car looks better with them down. So they stay down.

 

Fold-down seats in fastbacks were optional.

They were not optional in 65/66, they were the only option. After that I cannot speak as I have never owned anything but 66s. I know they were optional in 69/70 because a buddy in high school had a 69 fastback with a fixed rear seat. As for 67/68 I really don't know.

 

I’m not planning on putting the seat parts back in when I do mine. Will use the space for extra storage underneath.

 

I’ve slept in my ‘66 Shelby’s and ‘65 K code. It’s easier to do that with the seat folded down.

The main down side is when I wake up and forget where I’m at and I raise my head up and bang it into the rear glass. Yes, I’ve done that more than once.

Z

 

I’ve slept in my ‘66 Shelby’s and ‘65 K code. It’s easier to do that with the seat folded down.

The main down side is when I wake up and forget where I’m at and I raise my head up and bang it into the rear glass. Yes, I’ve done that more than once.

Z

That would explain a lot…

 

The rear seat in my 66fb has been down going on 25 years. That’s where I keep my spare tire.

 

Fold down or keep up? Meh....

 

Other than having passengers , mine has been folded down since June 1984

 

I removed mine when I installed the roll bar. I only have one friend anyway, so...

 

I leave mine down. As far as a seat, you would have to be a pretty small person to fit back there. I know I used to ride back there in high school, but I don't know anybody that would sit in the back seat of my mustang now. (Maybe grandchildren if the parents could live with lap belts only).

 

I leave mine up. I like the look of the upholstery.

 

The carpet will fade over time.
That's if you take it out of the garage a lot.

 

Since we've owned our 67 fastback I've never left the rear seats folded down. I like the cleaner look with it folded down.

So you like the cleaner look of the seat folded down but you've never left the seat folded down? I'm confused.

 

Yes, because I was concerned with long term effects of leaving it down.... hence the start of this thread....

In saying that, I folded it down to make sure it functions correctly.

 

I've traditionally always had the seat down in the two 1970's I've had. But since I put all new upholstery in a few months ago, I've been leaving it up.

 

I like the look of it down; so, before kids it stayed down all the time. Now my kids ride back there regularly so I usually leave it up. I’ve never noticed any damaged from leaving it down though I am careful in making sure the seatbelts aren’t somewhere they’re going to make an impression.

When I was in high school I would put my 2x12 guitar amp back there to go to my friends house for band practice. Looking at it now I’m not sure how I finagled it back there.

 

I leave mine folded down, but if I'm going to a car show, etc., where the sun will be out all day I cover the carpet with a beach towel.

 

I bought my 66 from the original owner 52 years ago. The seat is only up when someone is actually sitting in it. It still has the original upholstery, in perfect condition.

 

It may rub on the side panels and it may leave indents in the seat from the belts or something else.

 

What seat? I made my own rear seat delete.....

 

please tell me more with pictures

 

Another vote for down

 

Up 99%.
Only time down is if im carrying extra junk for a show

 

I put the seat up when I need it up and I put it down when I need it down. The seat stays in whatever potion it's in until it needs to be moved for whatever reason. So I guess I don't pay much attention until it's required.

 

Down. Not worried about the carpet the louvres that keep me from seeing a whole lot out the back also keep the sun from getting in......