Hi,
I'm re-doing the interior in my '71 and need new seat belts. Originals seem very difficult to find. Are there good original looking reproduction bets that anyone recommends? Anyone have these....if so what do you think?
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050G

My interior is red so also concerned about color match.

Paul

 

You may want to try Seat Belt Solutions - I used them for the belts in my '69 and they have the GM symbol on the push button
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...post1574592308

They were very helpful and will do custom configs and very reasonable pricing.

 

Another Vendor is Snake Oyl. The replacements are pricey.. they will also refurbish your original seatbelts too.

Another choice, it to get the backseat belts from a firebird or camaro.

 

I found mine on ebay. Not OEM but new and safe. You can't really tell a differenence since the retractors are hidden

 

The Corvette vendors sell reproduction style single retractor belts without the GM logo. I installed them on my 1974 Corvette recently and they are great! Juts like a new car. IIRC, Seatbelt Solutions are the manufacturer

Will

 

Hey Paul:

Sounds like your objective is to improve the functionality of seat belts rather than secure a set that will pass tests of "originality?" If so, I think you're on the right track.

Consider this past fall I had my Pace Car original seat belts cleaned and the buckles spruced up for $150. They came out very nice but...hey what else could I have done with $150.00. Another Corvette pal had his 66 belts restored and believe the cost was $400 plus. But he was seeking originality along with restoration of the buckles. So those are the dollar ranges you must balance so your objectives drive what you'll spend on those belts. We both used Seat Belt Sity.

 

Thanks guys. Sounds like seatbelt solutions is the way to go (or through one of the vendors since it sounds like that's what they sell). Sounds like i'll get the best of both worlds.... improve functionality and also have something that looks stock, which is what i want. Not going to shell out the cash for restored originals. I'll probably keep the lapbelt buckles from the old set in the car and then i'll have the GM logo too....just replace everything else.

 

ZIP sells a set that are somewhat close looking to originals. Part # I-2272. Page 145 in their catalog.
The buckles have the stud for the shoulder retractors to hook onto like the original set up. A reasonable alternative to pricy originals.
Glenn

 

Mine have the GM logo on them - they came that way from Seat Belt Solutions. If you check out the after pictures in the link you'll see the logo.

 

Got my 72 back on the road this summer, took it out for one final fall drive to my sons PeeWee football practice. Found out none of the interior lights worked. While I buckled him in and got his hat on (No top as of yet very cold ride home in late Oct). I forgot to buckle myself in. Driving out of the parking lot, WHAM. Sounded like the drivers rear locked up then broke free, WTF??? I drove over my seatbelt and snapped it off, went back and picked it up, gave son an education in four letter words. OH well needed to redo entire interior + seatbelts now.

 

I got mine from seatbelt solutions.
Shipped them my old red set and rec'd my newer oyster set in return!......
Refurbed the single retractors, new webbing and new latches, where required. look awsome, now if I could just get the old seat belt anchor bolts out, I'd be all set!

I believe, and correct me if im wrong, SS is a supplier to some of the various vette vendors, we've all come to love (or hate).

dodosmike

 

I ended up buying from corvette central...the belts they sell (link i posted above) are made by seatbelt solutions. I'm happy with the quality, but unfortunately when i went to install the passenger side did not mount properly. driver's side was a perfect fit, but passenger side could not be mounted straight because the left side of the retractor stuck out too much. i could mount it at an angle, but i'm afraid the constant rub of the belt against the housing will cause premature fraying.

i called seatbelt solutions and they said both retractors are identical for the '69-'71 seatbelt sets....there is no difference between left and right side. He said the '72 and later seat belt sets have a "left" and a "right", and we were speculating that perhaps later '71's require a left and right like '72+ cars. My car was built in march of '71 and the set I took out of the car (perhaps the originals) do in fact have a "left" and "right" (i.e. retractor housing protrudes more on opposite sides). Long story short...seatbelt solutions side they'd be happy to send me a left and right if i send them the ones i just bought. I just shipped them back so can't I comment yet on whether or not what they send me will work, but so far i must say i'm very impressed with their customer service

I'll report back once i get the replacement belts.

 

Seatbelt Solutions is a supplier to some of the vendors. I didn't order them originally from SS - but had to contact SS as I had to have the webbing redone after I cut them and installed the receivers in the sleeves and discovered that the buckle end (outboard belt) was too short to reach the receivers after I cut them! If I had bolted them in without the sleeves, they would have fit perfect, but would not have looked stock.

Make sure you keep this in mind if you want it to look stock, you will need a longer length on the receiver (inboard) side.

Benefit from my stupidity and lack of measuring twice and cutting once. (I didn't even bother to measure, I assumed and we know what that does!)

FYI - SS supplies to Corvette Central. (I didn't have any issues with them and would order from them again as well)

 

SS helped me on mine--had 2 rh assys and they corrected one and everything worked out great. Would work with them again in a heart beat!!!! Mine are double retractor OEM type--

 

I bought these single retractor belts from Mid- America. I think most vendors have these or similar...they worked out well on my 73.

 

Some confusion on my part...
Mine are single retractor style, so I don't believe (??) I'd have an issue.

OLD BELTS:



From SS, new oyster belts and thsy refurbed my existing retractors and one new latch....$225 if memory serves

I just can't the old seatbelt anchor bolts out.....some wierd head on the bolts....

dodosmike

 

I got mine from Andover and was happy with them and they even came with the GM logo on the latch ends.
The only thing is they don't have the switch for the seat belt light. I don't think anyone other than nos has the switch's for the lights.

 

I've used Ssnake Oyl (to renew the seat belts on my 68 and 70. They are pricey, but what you get looks like factory original.

My 68: It came from the factory with medium bright blue lapbelts ( no shoulder belts). For starters, I sent all the lap belts and hardware to them. They sent me back a big quote, a pricey part of the quote was to rebuild the belt retractors. WHAT! I didn't have retractors...I called them up and they explained that I DID have retractors. On the 68, the lap retractors are underneath the carpet on the floor. I just assume that this big clump of something was part of the way of attaching the belts. Turns out it was a seat belt retractor! I had owned the car since 1972 or 1973 and never knew the lap belts had retractors. (!!!!!!!) Anyhow, I now have lapbelt retractors. Next the shoulder belts........Later I decided I wanted 68 shoulder belts for my 68. My 68 did not have shoulder belts. Only 35, 1968 Convertibles had been manufactured with shoulder belts. Snake Oyl built my 68 shoulder belts for me and as far as I know, they are exact factory duplicates. .... will discuss price later.

My 70: I wanted to change the color of the belts. Black to Red. The 70 came with lap belts and shoulder belts and of course retractors for the shoulder belts. Sent everything off. .......

Ssnake Oyl replaces the webbing with factory original duplicate colors and textures (for my two rebuilds). The fittings are re-chrom plated. The retractors are re-built. Even specialty plastic parts of the retractors are replaced.

Customer Service. The send you fabric samples of your seat belts to make sure you're happy with the color/appearance. If you call them, they are very responsive (..I challenged them as to whether I had retractors on my 68 on and I got an immediate response.). You can also get to talk to the person who is working to rebuild or re-sewing your part. I talked to the lady who was going to actually re-sew my belts.
The Downside: They are very expensive for services I requested. For both cars, although different things were done, the bottom lines both added up to a little less than $1000.

However, if you just want them to renew the fabric in your seat belts, they are very reasonable and nowhere as expensive as I've related to.

If you want them to restore retractor reels, or make you a duplicate belt assembly from scratch, or need to have re-chroming, or providing new looking seat belt buckles that matches the year of you car, the cash register starts spinning up.

...........Just wanted to describe this. It appears you can get very satisfactory seat belts for much less from the Vendors mentioned above. For NCRS judging, Ssnake Oyl will provide repro belts that will give you a most favorable response. But you will get knocked down a little. The labels Ssnake Oyl sews on their belts don't exactly look like factory original..