TIE_Pilot

Hi there...

So, after six months of letting it gather dust, I've decided to try to get back to my 73... I bought this car a year ago with a mostly new drive train, but a completely raw and mostly disassembled interior. I'm gutting the interior now so I can rebuild it. I plan to use mostly the original parts and replace stuff as time and money permit... I want the car painted and road-worthy in the short-term; I'll make it perfect later.

So the question is... as I gut the interior... how the HELL do I remove the seat belts? They are obviously original. Right now I'm just trying to remove the outer mount point where the retractor is (lap belts only) - no breaker bar, no impact driver can persuade the bolt to move at all. Any ideas at all?

My other question... I'd love to put shoulder belts in while I'm at it. I can't see the shoulder belt mount points? Also, the seats I have don't have an opening to let the shoulder belt pass through... any ideas short of new seats?

On the plus side, I started the car (me sitting on the floor since the seats were gone already - and it still SOUNDS great.

Any help would be appreciated...

Steve

Tom73

The lap belts bolt through to a bolt under the floor pan. More then likely it is rusted solid. Time for your best rust removal technique.

The seat should have the slots for the shoulder belt, just not cut open. On the front, check the bezel when it would come through, should be vinyl or leather there that you can press in. On the back you should be able to feel the slot through the material. Will need to get a bezel for the back side.

I'm Batman

PB blaster and a cheater pipe on a breaker bar should do it. I had to loosen one of mine that way.

70Yellowbird

For really stubborn rusted bolts that won't budge ...spray the bolts with the PB Blaster, wait a while, and spray again. Then try to loosen them a little. Spray again, tighten the bolts, then loosen a little more than the first time. Keep going back and forth ... loosen a little ... tighten a little. Don't try to loosen a lot all at once ... that's when they break off. That may happen anyway ... if so, you will probably have to drill and re-tap. Sometimes they come out pretty easily after they are initially freed up.

RunningMan373

Can't see why your seats wouldn't have the stock slots in a '73,, I believe they all came with them.
The '73's shoulder retractor bolt up location is the top of the fender wells, the brackets should be there, even if the belts aren't, look at the top of the underside of the rear wheel wells, you should see the brakcets with the threaded hole for the shoulder retractors. The belts pictured are from Andover restraints, about 300 for a complete set, including all the hardware. good investment. C.

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Paul L

Shoulder belts for my 1974 are on my to-do list. Here are the parts you need.

noonie

If there is any head left on the bolt at all, this is the best tool to use along with PB blaster or equivalent. Notice how bad the old bolt was.

70Yellowbird

Please don't keep me in suspense! ... what's the tool called and where can I buy it? I'm sure it's worth the $ but how much? Thanks.

GD70

You need the AIM if you don't have it. It shows the complete assembly. Most of the vendor catalogs also show the assembly and have the parts. The only part I never see available is the little metal retainer which goes through a slot cut in the carpet and holds the retractor cover in place with a screw.
Original shoulder belts are very $$$$. That $300 setup looks pretty nice. Those are on my to-do list as well. The mount bracket in the wheel well on the driver side is missing on mine as well.
Were your seats redone? That might be why the slots are not cut out.
Glenn

noonie

What a deal.


http://www.cvfsupplycompany.com/imdrhaheimdr3.html

I bought mine in 1971 and paid around 40 bucks for it.

TIE_Pilot

Thanks for your replies. I have an impact driver... trust me, I learned the value of that tool long ago, although it didn't budge this bolt. The heads of the bolts look good, so I'm not as worried there, but there's definitely some rust.

I'm leaning towards the late-model Camaro shoulder belts; I'm trying to keep this thing on a reasonble budget.

Yes, my seats were refinished before I got the car. The leather's really nice; I hate to think of cutting it! Is it difficult?

GD70

I don't think it is that difficult, just take your time. Again get the AIM for your year. There's very detailed diagrams showing how to cut the slot for the belt.

72GACRZR

Lots of folks have used the Camaro seats and just loop over the seat.

jnb5101

when you're using that impact wrench on the seat belt bolts, just remember that the metal anchor plate is riveted to fiberglass. i'd hate to see your next post on how to repair large holes in glass.
jeff

TIE_Pilot

Eek. Yeah, thanks for the heads up. So the plate bolts through fiberglass into the frame underneath? Seems rather odd to me... Oh well, time to try some chemical help and see what happens. Of course, I'll have to jack the car up just to get to the bottom...

70Yellowbird

The PB Blaster has a strong odor, and I don't know how long it takes to dissipate if some is absorbed into your carpeting. I sprayed my seat belt bolts from inside and it worked fine without using the PB underneath the car.

I'm replacing my carpet as well ... so it didn't matter in my case.

TIE_Pilot

This car hasn't had carpet since I bought it! Thanks for the advice, all...

TIE_Pilot

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

So I stopped at Home Depot tonight for a can of Miracle Stuff (tm) and a length of copper pipe to add to my breaker bar. Yeah, that did it. I only did the passenger side; I'll finish it this weekend, but I am feeling a lot better about it now.

How sad is it that after nine hours at the office, I count this one bolt removed as my biggest accomplishment of the day?

TIE_Pilot

Oh, and now the obvious follow-on question... any recommendations for a good place to buy new mounting hardware, including whatever bolts I'll need for the shoulder attachments?

I'm Batman

Zip or Paragon would be good places to look.