New and dumb

[72Chey]

Just bought my first 72 K20 last week and I need a little help here. First with the seat belts. It has none except a tangled ball of webbing on the floorboard. Does this thing use lap belts or the 3 point shoulder?I was just curious. Honestly I've just been driving around with no belts on and nothing has happened yet lol. Also yall will think I'm a tard but I can't get the hood open. Thanks.

[GR8-68]

Well welcome to the board , unfortunately I am not smart enough to answer your question but I will give an uneducated guess, I believe they did or were available with shoulder belts. And last but not least we like to see pics of the rides

[scooterpimp]

Lap belts are most common , shoulder belts were an option.

[mike16]

sort them out because its a 90 dollar fine for driving without seat belts in AZ. probably more in CA.

[Stocker]

Lap belts were standard in your '72...... shoulder belts are claimed to have been a very rare option, and that may be the case, but I have never seen any factory 3-point belts. Supposed to be an easy aftermarket conversion though (I'm researching it for my K20).

Search this site for "3 point belts" and you'll get several helpful hits.

Welcome to the board!

Hood release it at the top center of the grill. Feel for a metal lever and push up on it.

[68bowtie]

you need lap belts. check out the for sale section for a set.

yes we are privileged to live in the land of fruits and nuts (more ways than one).

[hdff]

Originally Posted by scooterpimp

Lap belts are most common , shoulder belts were an option.

^^^^ what he said...

to open the hood go to the center of the hood behind the top square of the top row stick your fingers in and you should feel the latch lever. push up on it and it should open.

also welcome from the great state of TEXAS...... no question is a dumb question here and it is a good thing cause I would be the town idiot...

also we are a bunch of picture whores so..........

[72Chey]

I push on the latch all day and nothing happens. Wasn't sure if I was being dumb or something

[hdff]

Originally Posted by 72Chey

I push on the latch all day and nothing happens. Wasn't sure if I was being dumb or something

......or something is broke.

I sure someone here can help you with an alternate way to get it open.

[mike16]

clean them up with mild diluted dish washing detergent and water.

soak the buckle mechanism in the same solution and flush out what ever might be jamming up the mechanism. repeat until mechanism works. then blow dry with air. I spritz my seat belt buckles mechanism with good quality gun lube. they work really well.

[72Chey]

Quick pics and belts

[72Chey]

It looks like it has the bolt hole for a 3 point. It has the laps on the driver side (pic) but the rest are not attached.

[hdff]

I think they all came with a hole for the 3 point belts and had a plug in the hole if you did not have that option.

[72Chey]

Lap it is then

[swamp rat]

Any vender can get you lap or 3 point belts, i replaced my lap belts with them, made me feel better about driving my truck.

Per the hood if your activating the latch it could be that the hinges are rusted up enough to hold the hood down try to stick something just under the hood and lift while activating the lever, if no go try pushing down on the hood a little. If that don't work you will have to try and figure out how to unlatch it, maybe by removing the grill or reaching up from the bottom.

[joeydurango]

Also, it can be tough to get your fingers through those tube grilles and really get a hold on the latch lever... if the hood is really tight, you could be moving the lever just to the point where it encounters resistance. On some of these hoods you really have to power on that lever.

[hdff]

and maybe push down on the hood as you push up on the lever

[joeydurango]

Originally Posted by hdff

and maybe push down on the hood as you push up on the lever

Good call.

Also, another vote for the shoulder belt upgrade. I've done it on both my '72s and although they're still not the safest thing in a crash, you don't have to picture wrecking your face with the steering wheel so often...