Console shoulder belt buckle retainers painted to match console?

[DeadheadNM]

Were the seat belt retainers affixed to consoles in bucket seat trucks dyed to match the console color? I've swapped the original parchment bench for parchment buckets/console and have OEM black lap belts and now shoulder belts. Anyone have pics of a factory setup? Borrowed pics from 70longhornCST.

[DeadheadNM]

Bump - keep 'em black to match the belts or dye parchment to match the console (maybe I'm thinking too much) - WW GM do?

[FirstOwner69]

I can't say for sure, but I THINK they would have all been black.
Three reasons:
- The buckles fit so tightly that they will scratch any dye or paint off.
- There were very few trucks with both the bucket seat and shoulder belt options. GM probably would not have gone to the expense of having these in all the interior colors for the low volume.
- I've rescued a few sets of these off 69 & 70 GM A-bodies and all were black regardless of interior color. However, these were all mounted on the lower edge of the seats against the upholstery, not on consoles.

That's probably not much help... just my guess.

[BLAZERMAN]

The retainers in the top pic never came from the factory in any vehicle, they were an dealer accessory for cars and only came in black. The retainers shown in the assembly manual were the ones used in trucks and I've only seen a few sets..all were black. I'm with FirstOwner69 and leave them black...I don't think they would last long dyed.
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[leddzepp]

Here is an OEM set that I pulled from a 68 truck with buddy buckets and shoulder belts. The interior was red, and these were not dyed. Note that these are also notched like a buckle so the receiver snaps into them. They are also pictured in the factory assembly manual.
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[DeadheadNM]

Black they'll remain then. Thanks for the help guys! And thanks again Scott for the console. Didn't realize these were dealer accessories but that explains the discordance in appearance vs. the assembly manual.

[DeadheadNM]

So then did most bucket seat trucks just leave the extra female buckle end lying around the cab?

[stomper]

D*mn you B*stards! I didn't know these existed. Now I want a set. I'll put them on my list with '72 only extreme bend tow hooks for my K5.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by BLAZERMAN

The retainers in the top pic never came from the factory in any vehicle, they were an dealer accessory for cars and only came in black.Posted via Mobile Device

I'm not sure of that. As I mentioned in my post above, I've removed a few sets exactly like those shown in post #1 from 69 and 70 A-body cars. They were riveted to steel plates, and the plates were riveted to the lower front edge of the bench seat frame. Both front and back seats. They definitely appeared factory installed. Does anyone know for a fact if the design was changed after the 68 model year? I've also seen the older style in Leddzepp's post shown in the assembly manual, but GM did not always update the pics. It's hard to believe GM would have made both types at the same time.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by BLAZERMAN

The retainers in the top pic never came from the factory in any vehicle, they were an dealer accessory for cars and only came in black. The retainers shown in the assembly manual were the ones used in trucks and I've only seen a few sets..all were black. I'm with FirstOwner69 and leave them black...I don't think they would last long dyed.
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X2, Blazerman is correct. These retainers were only a dealer accessory and black.