Restoring OEM Seatbelts

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by rustyfive-seven

thank you !! they came out great, I know i didnt give you much to work with! mine are in #372

Hey, your welcome. They turned out better than expected. It would have been better had I had a cover to swap the broken out with.

[HOTFUN]

Nice color!
Hope you have a few extra plastic rivets left for some real seàt belts lol

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HOTFUN

Nice color!
Hope you have a few extra plastic rivets left for some real seàt belts lol

I have all kinds of rivets!

[TKCR]

Another set of belts completely for someone. These are the 81-86 Blue. They got a good through cleaning and rust removal. Mechanisms were cleaned & lubed for better retracting. Same with the buckles, they were disassembled for debris & rust removal.
Here are the Before Pics

[TKCR]

After Pics

[TKCR]

Did a couple of sets of 81-86 Saddle Tan belts. Here’s the first set. Man these things were filthy! So they received a through cleaning and rust removal. Same with the buckles.
Before and After pics.

[HOTFUN]

HMMM.... three more done so quickly. Could it be a 4th black belt set coming soon??????
Or did the walkin set show up this week?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HOTFUN

HMMM.... three more done so quickly. Could it be a 4th black belt set coming soon??????
Or did the walkin set show up this week?

The 2 Saddle Tan belts I pretty much did simultaneously, the one right after the other since they were the same color.
Had quite a few show up recently, that should have been here a few months ago. The belts that were delayed on getting to me, they now want them done before Spring. Been working on them non-stop. You can pretty much say I have a small assembly line going, lol. When working on a set of belts, and one step gets completed, another set ready to take over that spot and so on & so on. At this point, theres 7-8 sets of belts to do. Some of those are belts I’m supplying, so my main focus is getting people’s belts back to them ASAP.

I want to be done by Spring/Summer myself. I don’t have the time like I do in the wintertime. Other things start picking up for me, like mowing grass, and doing a few sets of door panels. Those get done when it gets warmer out, it’s easier to clean them outside.
So now that I made this post and had my coffee, it’s time to get busy!

[1972K20]

Looks great!

Any tips for getting the retractor to work again? My passenger side (blue) is pulled all the way out and will not retract.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 1972K20

Looks great!

Any tips for getting the retractor to work again? My passenger side (blue) is pulled all the way out and will not retract.

It’s best to send them to me.
It would require them to be removed from the truck anyways. The housing removed. If you don’t know what your doing, it can ruin the belt completely. Without seeing it, I’m 95% sure I can get it working again and after a through cleaning & freshening up, retracting good again.
PM me for details.

[TKCR]

Something a little different, and for someone that I have already done some work for. These are for a 1973 ElCamino that’s being restored, and will have a set of Swivel Bucket seats. The upper retractor is different for the swivel seats, so although he had retractors, they need to be swapped to the other style to work with the swivel seats. The retractors that are needed are also tan, so we are sending these to get rewebbed in black. I disassembled everything for through cleaning and rust removal from the mounts. 2 of the lower retractor covers were broken, so some minor plastic welding fixed those. Then cleaned, prepped and freshened them up in black. Buckles were also disassembled for cleaning. The buckle covers were replaced with nicer used covers, and they also received NEW emblems. Right now they are at the point of being sent for the new webbing. Can’t wait to get these back to see how they look. Will update when they are completed.
Now this is all a learning venture for me, because I don’t usually work on anything outside the Squarebodies.
Check out the progress so far. Don’t mind the tape and marked pictures, those were more for me for reference. I also added a picture of the Swivel Seat. They are so cool, I have seen these featured on a few Restoration Shows.

[TKCR]

More pics of the ElCamino belts. Mostly after cleaning pics.

[TKCR]

More After pics, and a picture of the Swivel seats.
1st pic are the retractors that are being rewebbed in Black. So as soon as those are completed, I’ll update with pictures of the entire set assembled.

[HOTFUN]

Seatbelt showcase on a swivel bucket seat arrangement. Can't wait to install them! Awesome!

[TKCR]

Well they came back today. All I can say, is these look awesome!

[TKCR]

Also been working on a set of 78-79 CarmineRed belts for someone. These started about pretty decent for CarmineRed. The Reds seems to fade really bad, but these had hardly any fading.
Before pics

[TKCR]

And the After pics.

[HOTFUN]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Well they came back today. All I can say, is these look awesome!

They are one of a kind for a 1973 SS.
Awesome TKCR!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HOTFUN

They are one of a kind for a 1973 SS.
Awesome TKCR!

Mark, I think I am just going to find me an ElCamino. I already have some nice belts to go on it, lol. Just kidding.
I can’t wait to see it!

[TKCR]

Got a couple more sets done for people. A very nice set of Charcoal and a set of Burgundy Retractors only. A forum member needed a set to make his rear crewcab belts 3 points.

[HOTFUN]

And the replacement spring for my truck buckets is perfect. Sure is nice having brand new parts to replace rusty old ones and be spot on correct. Thanks Tina!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HOTFUN

And the replacement spring for my truck buckets is perfect. Sure is nice having brand new parts to replace rusty old ones and be spot on correct. Thanks Tina!

Your welcome!

[TKCR]

Been slowing getting everything together for a complete front & rear set of belts for a 72 Blazer. This has been quite the learning experience for me, because I don’t normally work on Blazer belts, especially this old. He’s restoring the entire interior and was in need of Parchment belts. He sent me an armrest to be used for color matching of dye and webbing. I had some belts, but had to use other colors because they will all have to be rewebbed anyways. It is just too hard to get belts that light in color completely clean. So here is what I have done so far. I have all the belts layed out for the front & rear. Buckles were disassembled for rust removal . The male ends will get replaced with new, they were pitted. All the buckle covers were dyed in Parchment, and will receive all new emblems.
They are off getting the new webbing. I should get them back this week, so stay turned for the finale. I can’t wait to see them!!
Last pic is the interior he is going for.

[Thealien]

I love looking at your before and after pictures. I just want to point out something regarding Blazer‘s. The passenger side plastic cover that holds the belt out from the retractor is shorter on the passenger side. This is to accommodate getting into the rear seat when the passenger side seat folds forward. I see both of the covers are the same length in your picture and just wanted to point it out in case you’re going for 100% correct. I have always wondered if you would be able to cut one down and have it look correct?

Can’t wait to see the after pictures.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Thealien

I love looking at your before and after pictures. I just want to point out something regarding Blazer‘s. The passenger side plastic cover that holds the belt out from the retractor is shorter on the passenger side. This is to accommodate getting into the rear seat when the passenger side seat folds forward. I see both of the covers are the same length in your picture and just wanted to point it out in case you’re going for 100% correct. I have always wondered if you would be able to cut one down and have it look correct?

Can’t wait to see the after pictures.

Thanks, yes I’m already aware of that. And I also told the guy that is getting the belts that, but he didn’t seem to care. I even have the shorter one, but this is what he wanted.
The cover and retractor are different, so I would say no on cutting them down shorter. And new covers are available, in black, and then they need dyed to match. Which is what I did for another set I did for someone. His little covers were in pretty bad shape.