Restoring OEM Seatbelts

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by Factory Guy

In the older trucks (my case a 1973) is there an upper mounting point for a 3 point seat belt? I would like to get 3 point seat belts installed in my truck.

My 74 has an upper mounting point. You'll have to cut a hole in the plastic trim.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by rodstored-72

TKCLR, your restoring abilities - seatbelts & seats are really amazing!! I am sooo tempted to send you my belts!! I still need to get my sunvisors & just maybe I might send a shipment your way.... hopefully!

Thank you and I would be happy to do your seatbelts. You can also message me thru my FB Page for my seats. The link is on my Signature.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

My 74 has an upper mounting point. You'll have to cut a hole in the plastic trim.

But where would that black retractor box go? I have to admit I have never seen this style of seatbelt installed in a truck. I’m more familiar with the 78/79-87 style of seatbelt.

[K25alive]

The black retractor hooks then bolts to the rear pillar. Here is a pic of my 1977 C10 retractor. The bolt is a star head bolt.

[TKCR]

Thanks for the pics, that helps a lot

[TKCR]

Just restored a set of 87 Saddle Tan seatbelts for someone. I don’t usually do this, but he wanted his retractor casings done in Dark Saddle. But they will look good in his truck.
First pic is the Before, they were FILTHY! It took a couple of good hot baths, along with several good scrubbings.
2nd pic, is his truck the belts will be going in.
The rest are AFTER!

[StorminNorman]

Nice work. Do you install new webbing ?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by StorminNorman

Nice work. Do you install new webbing ?

No. Through cleaning. Dye if needed, for the fading.

[TKCR]

Got another set done for someone. These are Charcoal.

[TKCR]

Restored a set of 1987 Burgundy belts for someone. These were the typical dirty and faded belts. The metal buckles had a bit more rust on them, causing some pitting. I did replace the buckle cover since there was pitting of the metal. Also sandblasted the mounting tabs of the rust.
I will also be the Blue set for the same customer. So check out the Before and After pics.

[TKCR]

After pics!

[TKCR]

Found a repair method for the badly rusted buckles. I was able to get the rust off, but the metal is still pitted. So I removed the cover, and at this time I touched up the inner emblem piece. Then installed a new metal cover.

[Jeepwm69]

Man those belts look fantastic.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Jeepwm69

Man those belts look fantastic.

Well thank you!

[TKCR]

So I’ve been working on the Blue 87 belts. Didn’t get a really good before pic of them, but what I do have. I just get started on them and the remember, crap I didn’t get any good before pics! So here’s what I have. On the buckles, I changed out the cover and inner GM emblem button. On of those wasn’t even working. Of course i didn’t get a picture of that, but when I took the buckle apart, it had a wad of chewed gum in a wrapper. It was jammed inside the buckle! No wonder I didn’t work.
Pics 1-3 are before
4 & 5 are after

[TKCR]

These here, I restored for a good friend of mine. She is doing the interior of her 1966 Chevy Truck. At the present time, she has aftermarket belts, which are too long, and there’s no retractor. So I restored a set of 73-75 belts. The buckle covers were cracked, so we got some new replacement Buckle Cover kits. They came with new buttons and emblems. I sent her home with one of the cracked buckle covers, that I dyed real quick with Dark Saddle, to check the color match. So the retractor casings & buckles are done in Dark Saddle. The webbings are Camel Tan, so those we’re throughly cleaned and dyed with the original color.

[TKCR]

Here are the AFTER pics

[TKCR]

Here is a set of Lap Belts only. These were common on the 73-75/76. These are the 77-79 Blue. The seats belts were pretty dirty. I bet I soaked them 6 times in hot soapy water, until the water was no longer looking like chocolate milk, that’s how bad they were. Took everything apart and throughly cleaned everything and prepped for dye. So here they are!
First set of pics are BEFORE

[TKCR]

And here is the AFTER

[44th Miss Inf]

Nice work, as usual Tina. Those look great

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 44th Miss Inf

Nice work, as usual Tina. Those look great

Thank you! These took a lot of work!

[TKCR]

Working on another set of Belts for someone, 1987 Blue. This is something that I do when restoring seatbelts. I take apart the buckle, to clean & lube. This would also be the time to replace the cover, if it is pitted with rust. But occasionally I find foreign objects inside the buckles, that keep them from functioning properly.
Pics are what the buckles looked like Before.
2nd pic, is of the paper stuffed in the buckle.
3rd pic, After cleaning and reassembling.

[TKCR]

The belts in the above post are completed. Here are the pics.

[4u2nv]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Thank you! These took a lot of work!

Outstanding workwomenship

[kitsbeach]

Very nice. I have a set of aftermarket lap belts in my '67, but they are not the same.