Skipple

Can someone shoot me a picture of the proper routing of the lower seat belt as it passes under the seat and up to the rider?

I don't have my original belts .. the previous owner did the Camaro refit. He had the belts simply running underneath the seat tracks (on top of the carpeting) and up to the rider. I believe there was some originally some sort of trim and/or bar that guided the belt underneath the carpeting and out/up to the rider on the sill. But .. I don't know exactly how.

Can someone shoot a quick pic for me?

Thanks!

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

JJ Deuce

You can't see the whole thing in this pic, but the belt is attached to the floor near the back of the seat on the left, and runs along the floor to the front of the seat, and is held in place by a metal clip when you're not wearing it. You can see my belt on the floor, just ahead of the seat. I'll try to get a better shot of it this afternoon.

James

Both of the lap belts on the inside connect to 2 different bolts that are on both sides of the drive train tunnel at the far back of the cockpit.
Both outside belts are connected the floor via a bolt that is under the carpet and then they run towards the doors and pass under metal brackets that are held in place with 3 bolts.
I might have a pic tonight.

Skipple

James-

I've seen brackets that look like they route the belt and turn it up at the sill. How does the belt come thru the carpet? Is there a trim piece? I've seen a "bar" with a 7 or 8 inch spread that seems like it would match up with threaded holes under the carpet at the sill. Is that where they belts "turn up" to the rider? Whatever the mechanism, it would have to be fairly sturdy for safety reasons. It would be a point of "high load" in the event of an accident.

:confused:

James

That is a good question and one I hope someone else can explain to us.
I'm just in the process of installing new belts and carpeting after a 5 year restoration process.
I can see how the belts get routed like I explained in the previous post but I can't give you this last answer that you are looking for.
Anyone else?

Edzred72

Under the seat is a valley molded into the floor pan. The underside of this valley has a reinforcing plate with a weld nut. The lap retractor gets bolted to this plate with a shoulder bolt. This bolt has no threads under the head, so the retractor can swivel when tightened down. The lap belt then runs under that 6-8" bar, and sticks up between the bar and sill. That bar keeps the belt in an accessable position, and from retracting under the seat. A plastic cover is installed over the whole assembly. Cut the carpet out for the valley, but leave enough to go under the plastic cover. If your using replacement belts without a retractor, you can leave that portion of carpet between the belt buckel and sill. A retractor may bind with that carpet strip, so remove the small portion between the bar & sill. Wish I could post pics for you. My 72 belt system is exposed righ now and that would clarify all....
Good Luck
Eddie

Chuck Gongloff

Original seat belts for 69's mount as follows: The inner belt...with the female buckle...simply bolts to a nut plate on the transmission tunnel.

The outer belt...with the tongue....bolts under the seat. It passes posteriorly and laterally and goes under a relatively large metal bracket. That metal bracket is secured with 2 or 3 bolts on each side. The carpet is slit a length of about 8 or so inches. The belt comes up through the carpet at the rear of the sill plate and goes through a plastic/vinyl color coded grommet. A pic of the grommet is attached.

Nobody repro's the grommets. Most originals got tossed the first time the carpet was changed.



Hope this helps. Chuck

Skipple

VERY helpful, Chuck. Thanks. :seeya

As I don't have the grommets .. but I do have some of the hardware, I'll just have to try to make as elegant of a job of it as I can.

Anyone have a couple of these grommets knocking the bottom of a box somewhere?? Never hurts to ask! :thumbs:

Chuck Gongloff

You can find the grommets at flea markets. You gotta look hard. You can pick up nice ones for $10-$20 each. They're BIG. The part that shows above the carpet is about 8 inches long x 2 inches wide. The part under the carpet is about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. They come in colors that match the standard carpet. You can buy any color grommet you find and simply spray vinyl dye it to match your carpet.

The brackets that "guide" the seat belt under the seat are also large stamped metal items. They're about 12-14 inches long and 4 inches wide.

I've seen brackets that are "green phosphate" coated...like your male and female hood latches, and I've seen some that are chrome. I've seen enough of both to say that they're both "correct" for something. My 69 has the green phosphate ones. Chuck

LemansBlue68

My '68 has the chrome brackets with retractors on the inboard side near the trans tunnel.

Ditto on the grommets!!! What dope I was. I threw out my old carpet thinking that I could find new grommets as repros or with new carpet. No sirree! Finally found a pair on Ebay. Seems like it would be a simple part to repro. Don't know why no one has done it. Do the later years (post '69) have them??

Chuck Gongloff

You have to remember too that 68 is different. You've got the big female buckles the go into the pockets on the brake console. I've never seen retractors on 68 belts. Chuck

James

Thanks for the great info Chuck.
One more question on these gromments because I'm working on this exact same thing to.
I take it after you make the slits in the carpeting you then either glue or slide these gromments into place in the slits you made and these gromments just kind of free float on the carpet?
They don't connect into the metal bracket that the belts route under on both sides some how do they?
Also the tops of the metal brackets that bolt in on both sides do not come through the carpet do they? Reason I ask is in your pick that is kind of what it looks like.




[Modified by James, 7:34 AM 3/22/2004]

LemansBlue68

Yup, my retractors were bolted on the inboard side to the bracket near the trans tunnel. They were under the carpet (which is a great place for them to sit in all the moisture should the carpet ever get wet--mine did at some point, thus lots of rust and non-functioning retractors). The seat belt was then routed under the seats and around the bracket you mentioned. I'm going to rebuild the retractors but need to find a suitable recoil spring. Everything else is there and in decent shape for replating.

My carpet grommets appear to have been installed in a slit in the carpet, the grommet inserted and then sewn in place.

Chuck Gongloff

When you slit the carpet, the grommet is pressed in. No glue needed. It's larger on the underside, smaller on the carpet side that you see. It's not connected in any way to the belt guide...it just sits there. Most original's I've seen have been stapled in on the underside so the staples don't show.

The metal brackets do not come through the carpet. They're completely underneath. I think you're seeing the sill plate, and/or the seat chrome hinge in the picture. Chuck


[Modified by Chuck Gongloff, 4:05 PM 3/22/2004]

James

Thats what I wanted to know Chuck.
Thanks for all of the helpful information.
The search for the gromments has begun.

mr357magnum

I found the gromments for $10.00 each online at Paragon Corvette.
They have some good prices.

Easy Mike

No retractors on 69 lap belts either. Big discussion going on in General.