Camaro Belts - Disassembly?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton, OR
Camaro Belts - Disassembly?
Okay, so I admit, I bought a set of Camaro belts to install in my '74 about two or three years ago and I haven't done it yet. Lazy me. I decided to go and tinker with it today, only to find that I have no idea how to transfer the shoulder mount from my old belt (I can just cut those, I don't care about the webbing on them, it's crap) to the new Camero belt. The problem is that it would seem that the only way to attack this problem is to remove the belt from the retractor, slip off the Camaro shoulder harness mount and then slip on the Corvette one. Otherwise I would have to undo the stitches on the webbing and have it resewn, which I've heard you cannot do.
So, how did you all do it? I really do want the shoulder attach point, I don't want the belts just coming around the seat with no shoulder attach.
TIA,
-dath
So, how did you all do it? I really do want the shoulder attach point, I don't want the belts just coming around the seat with no shoulder attach.
TIA,
-dath
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,606
Likes: 5
There's an article floating around somewhere. Couldn't find it myself, but this one may answer some questions:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001...p/bucklep1.asp
I believe the "Camaro conversion" uses all the hardware from the Camaro belts.
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001...p/bucklep1.asp
I believe the "Camaro conversion" uses all the hardware from the Camaro belts.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton, OR
I've read that one before. It's just a plug for the Ssnake-Oyl belt restoration. I didn't want to go that route because of cost. I'll eventually be putting in harnesses anyhow, but I need belts for now and to keep it street legal since harnesses aren't. . .
I've searched the archives and read everything I could find (I read a lot of it years ago when I decided to do the conversion in the first place), but I only found one mention of using the shoulder hangers and they didn't say how they did it. I think most folks just omit that piece (they cut the shoulder hanger off of the Camaro belt) and then the belts kind of wrap around the seat. I'd much rather not do that if I don't have to. I'd probably just pick up some repro belts before doing that, but like I said, I don't want to spend much money on this
-dath
I've searched the archives and read everything I could find (I read a lot of it years ago when I decided to do the conversion in the first place), but I only found one mention of using the shoulder hangers and they didn't say how they did it. I think most folks just omit that piece (they cut the shoulder hanger off of the Camaro belt) and then the belts kind of wrap around the seat. I'd much rather not do that if I don't have to. I'd probably just pick up some repro belts before doing that, but like I said, I don't want to spend much money on this
-dath
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 3
From: belle plaine ks
It's a big secret! not............
To get the hanger off, carefully pry plastic cover off the buckle. Take two adjustible [crescent] wrenches and pry the case apart just a little to remove the roller that has webbing caught on buckle. Once buckle is off remove camaro hanger and replace with the one out of your car. Put webbing loop back into buckle, install roller, close sides of buckle back together to trap roller and place cover back on buckle. I learned this trick from some poster a few months back myself. After reading it I realized I didn't know everything and there was other intelligent life in the universe. [In that order too.] 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton, OR
Hey, thanks a bunch! I'll give that a try. I was actually prying on the case of the buckle a little bit wondering to myself if I would discover something magic if I got it off, but then I started looking more carefully from the bottom and decided that it was slipped over the belt before the webbing was sewn and decided that wouldn't fly. . . Didn't consider just prying it apart a bit, that's clever
I think I'll put some duct tape over a couple of wrenchs and start prying
-dath
I think I'll put some duct tape over a couple of wrenchs and start prying
-dath
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
From: Grand Forks North Dakota
If you find the right upholstery shop they will re-sew the webbing. The place I went to cut the belts, installed the shoulder harness hangers and then re-sewed the webbing, good as new and the belt length maybe went down by about 1-2", and there is plenty of belt there for anyone that would fit in a Corvette anyways. They didn't write up a receipt or anything since they didn't want to be liable, but I'm pretty sure it's stronger than GM sewed it.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton, OR
using a couple of Crescent wrenches worked like a charm and made short work of the job. I have one belt all reassembled with the Corvette hanger in place and have the other apart. Probably only took 30 minutes to get that far if you don't count how long it took me to give up looking for my hacksaw and just go buy another The Camaro brackets won't just slip off, they need to be cut off, but they are really easy to cut off with just a hack saw.
Thanks again!
The Camaro brackets won't just slip off, they need to be cut off, but they are really easy to cut off with just a hack saw.Thanks again!
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 3
From: belle plaine ks
agreement
Originally Posted by dath
using a couple of Crescent wrenches worked like a charm and made short work of the job. I have one belt all reassembled with the Corvette hanger in place and have the other apart. Probably only took 30 minutes to get that far if you don't count how long it took me to give up looking for my hacksaw and just go buy another The Camaro brackets won't just slip off, they need to be cut off, but they are really easy to cut off with just a hack saw.
Thanks again!
The Camaro brackets won't just slip off, they need to be cut off, but they are really easy to cut off with just a hack saw.Thanks again!