It seems the closer I get to actually finishing the car the more difficult it becomes. :lol: I found out today that it's almost impossible to find old style lap belts that work with the shoulder harnesses I have...at least ones I can afford. I called SsnakeOil (very nice people), and I tried every corvette book in my arsenal. I could even get them custom made more affordably, but I can't find the lap belt fastener that has the clip for the shoulder harness. Has anyone come up with something better, even as a temporary fix? I'm thinking I might have to forget about shoulder belts and just go with replacement laps. My next thought is a used set for the hardware, but even the places that advertise used don't have them right now. I'm now down to the wire, looking at a car "almost" ready to be painted, waiting for carpet, one seat covered, and various pieces I'm sure are missing.....and the cruise is the 22nd. I should never have set a deadline. :D But it's now or never after all these years, I've been saying for the last three I was going to make the next one....
Wish I could be of assistance, but I'm having the same problem. You can't find seat belts, except aftermarket lap belts, and when you do find an original style set, you need to take out a second mortgage to finance them. I've been quoted $600 just to refinish my rusted, inoperable old ones and replace the one lap belt Bubba took.
Someone needs to go into the seat belt repro business and reproduce our original style belts and hardware at affordable prices. It can't be that difficult to reproduce them can it?
SSnake Oyl did my belts and they did an excellent job. Try "The collector's Helper" in NJ - (201) 327-8904. Lou is the owner, he has a small parts shop loaded with hard to find parts. If he has what you need I'd definitely go with SSnake Oyl. Good Luck!! :chevy :seeya
There was quite a few threads a while back on using Camaro/Firebird rear belts in the C-3's. Several people use them.. Not exactly original but when you need belts and don't want to take out a loan to buy them..... :D
Thanks everyone. My Grandfather mentioned that he didn't think 72 convertibles originally had shoulder belts, which makes sense I guess.
My brother also said he could install five points, but I would think that would involve a roll bar. I'll try the suggestions mentioned and see what we come up with.
72's did have optional shoulder belts as I too have been looking for them to add to mine. I bought an NOS 73 shoulder belt a while back thinking that if I couldnt come up with two that at least I could have one until another came along. Let me know if I can help.
thumb tack like connection on the top for the other belt?
Yes, that's it exactly, thanks for the description. I've been calling places all day and couldn't seem to describe it that easily. :lol: My Dad also suggested buying the replacement lap belts and getting the upholstery place to sew the shoulder belt directly to it.
Hmmm...I'm surprised that the lap belts are that hard to come by. You have the houlder belt but not the lap belt? Very interesting.
That thumbtack design for the shoulder belts seems to me to have been a pretty common design within GM. I remember my brother's olf '73 Cutlass having that sort of attachment.
Anyway, I was about to say that I thought lap belts were a bit less expensive than shoulder belts. Then I just checked and found them for $334 EACH! That's a bit steep imho.
An alternative, as someone mentioned above is using the belts from a '93 or newer Camaro/Firebird. The REAR seat belts from one of those cars is a direct bolt in replacement for the factory belts. It will replace the separate shoulder and lap belts with a single belt that does both. I can get you some pics of how it looks in my '69 or, better yet, Juliet has some excellent pics of them in her '70 convertible.
An alternative, as someone mentioned above is using the belts from a '93 or newer Camaro/Firebird. The REAR seat belts from one of those cars is a direct bolt in replacement for the factory belts. It will replace the separate shoulder and lap belts with a single belt that does both. I can get you some pics of how it looks in my '69 or, better yet, Juliet has some excellent pics of them in her '70 convertible.
Juliet, if you see this (I'll IM you in any event), I'd be interested in seeing those pics. Did your '70 originally have shoulder belts, or did you install the Camaro/Firebird belts into a car that started with only lapbelts? The reason I ask is that I have only lapbelts in my '74 convertible, and I would want to know that this'll work before I go looking for the replacement belts. Thanks.
I just put in a set of replacement LAP BELTS I ordered from Corvette Central for $50.00 a pair. Mid America also has them (with hardware included, same price) These are not OEM, but with NO shoulder strap replacement, why spend $500.00. :confused:
P.S. Without the shoulder strap, I actually wear it now. :cool:
P.S.S. Soak the bolts with liquid wrench the day before you remove the old ones, and get NEW bolts, THIS WAS A MAJOR BITE IN THE A** :mad
Late model CAMARO REAR belts fit with no mods. My car was originally lap belts only. I got original replacments (complete) from Charlie Santorelli in NJ for about what the other places quote for restoration! Call him - very upfront kinda guy! :)
I'm on travel so have to get offline quickly. Pics above are camaro belts. To put shoulder on '70 when it didn't have them requires extra parts seat trim with pass through in front & back. Supposedly there's a part inside too which guides / supports. I've heard that sometimes the seatsh have 'em sometimes not. I have the orig belts, haven't cracked the seats open to check yet - waiting to get new Al Knock covers and do it all at once. Maybe this fall. All cars have the bolt hole on the rear wheel well for the bolt. Just need to find it. Location moved around. See pic for 1970 location. Floor on 68 and maybe 69 too. Then moved to sideways mount later.. not sure what year. I got lucky w/ 70 though. :) ~Juliet
Here's a great place to get the camaro rear belts: http://www.billygrahamsfirebird.com
$50 for the whole set, and I received mine in three days after I ordered.
Corvette Store
Seat Belts
