71 lap belt question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,132
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71 lap belt question
How exactly do the lap belts on a '71 - more specifically the side opposite the buckle, bolt on? Does the connector lie flat or upright?
Last edited by majic1984; Nov 15, 2004 at 08:32 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Smile, it's just the internet.
The outboard belt, correct? Assuming it's the same as '68, it bolts to the floor under the seat, about 12" inboard from the door sill. The webbing is then routed under a steel guide plate that is bolted in three or four places to the rear bulkhead, door sill, and floor. The guidplate directs the belt upwards. The belt then exits through a slit in the carpet.
Last edited by CGGorman; Nov 16, 2004 at 11:39 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Port Orchard Washington
Not sure what you mean by connector? The buckle side (inboard) has a plastic sheath and bolts directly to the welded nut plate on the transmission tunnel. The belt (outboard) bolts directly to the welded nut plate down on the side of the seat (not underneath as in later models). There is no retractor. The excess belt rests in a chrome clip on the front of the seat.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
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I guess this is what I should be asking. I was told that later year corvette retractors will not work in a 71 because there is not enough space on the side of the seat, and the bolting is different. Is there any way that these might be used: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ayphotohosting ? I already have the buckles from a 72 corvette and just need some sort of retractor - I REALLY don't want to go with the late model F-body belts because, in my oppinion, they are ugly.
Thanks for all your replies,
Michael
Thanks for all your replies,
Michael
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 242
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From: Port Orchard Washington
If all you are looking for is a device to retract excess seat belt, there are aftermarket devices that will do it (ex. all 60's Mopars had belt retractors that clipped onto the belt. They sell for about $12)
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: College Station TX
Originally Posted by majic1984
I guess this is what I should be asking. I was told that later year corvette retractors will not work in a 71 because there is not enough space on the side of the seat, and the bolting is different. Is there any way that these might be used: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ayphotohosting ? I already have the buckles from a 72 corvette and just need some sort of retractor - I REALLY don't want to go with the late model F-body belts because, in my oppinion, they are ugly.
Thanks for all your replies,
Michael
Thanks for all your replies,
Michael
I have a 1970, and IIRC, the belts are the same. I was going to try what you are describing and even went so far as to get some aftermarket replacement retractors from Andover and 1972 buckles and latches from ebay to do the retrofit. The problem is that the 1970 (and I'm assuming the 1971) lap belt anchor bolts to the boddy right by the door with no retractor. In 1972, a retractor was used, but installed under the seat (my 1970 bady has no mount for this). I considered mounting the retractor on the original anchor by the door, but there is not enough room between the body and the seat. The retractor would have damaged the seat if I had mounted it there.
Reluctantly, I went with the F-body belts, but in the end I decided a good set of unoriginal seatbelts were better than the rotten originals in my car.
Here are some pictures.
Jammed latch on passenger side
Buckles that had been brazed back together.
Lots of rust and pitting on buckles
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Budizzo
I considered mounting the retractor on the original anchor by the door, but there is not enough room between the body and the seat. The retractor would have damaged the seat if I had mounted it there.
Do you know how much space is in between the seat and door when the door is closed?
Last edited by majic1984; Nov 16, 2004 at 08:34 PM.
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