[Lemans64]

Did the 64 have retractable seat belts?? Were they colour coded to the interior?? my 64 lemans has red interior with black retractable seat belts, was just wondering if someone replaced them with something more modern or is this stock?? Picture is not real good but gets point across.

[b-man]

Yes, they did come with retractable belts (optional) that were matched to the interior color but they didn't look a bit like the ones in your car.

The retractor was built into the belt itself.

[Old Man Taylor]

They were an option. I have an NOS set somewhere for my '64. As I recall they came with a plastic dog house for the cable to roll up in. My original one broke.

[BOB VIDAN]

What you have is not close. The one b-man shows is the only kind of retractor I have ever seen on an original car. I think the plastic covered kind OMT talks about started in 65 when belts were required.

[Old Man Taylor]

Nope, I had the plastic housing on my '64, but it broke into pieces after many years. I believe the NOS set I got also has them, but I'd have to dig them out of storage to be sure. Maybe it was unique to California that year.

[Lemans64]

Not really sure where this car came from, as I live in Canada. Car was imported to Canada in the mid 70's. i kinda suspected they were not correct as color is not correct, but I had to ask to be sure. Also looking for hazard flasher for this car if anybody has an xtra one. posted in wanted as well. Thanks Rick

[Old Man Taylor]

Attached is a picture of one of the seat belts that was sold to me as a '64 GTO NOS piece. You can see the rubber sleeve that fit into the plastic housing. The plastic housing on mine broke a long time ago so I won't be using the rubber insert.

[Andre]

The rubber sleeve is for when you install the NOS belts on a bench seat car. They are not used on the bucket seat GTO.

[Pecosbill]

Originally Posted by Andre

The rubber sleeve is for when you install the NOS belts on a bench seat car. They are not used on the bucket seat GTO.

That's correct. The plastic sleeve fits into the bench seat where you have to cut slits in the upholstery to get the belt through it and down to the anchor bolts in the drive shaft hump.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by Pecosbill

That's correct. The plastic sleeve fits into the bench seat where you have to cut slits in the upholstery to get the belt through it and down to the anchor bolts in the drive shaft hump.

Plastic sleeves on my '64 Tempest bench.

From the rear of the seat:



Looking from the top with the seat back folded forward:

[Lemans64]

Anybody got any correct red seat belts for bucket seats??

Rick

[Andre]

I have a pair, that I would consider selling. I will tell you that the red belts don't age well. However these aer usable for a driver. email me at arayman@aol.com, and I will dig them up and take a picture.

[John V.]

OMT, I also have never known the '64 to ever have had the '65 type Retractors.

I'm hoping you have just confused that memory. I don't think it would have mattered that it was a Fremont build. Even if the housing broke away, you would still have seen the very different retractor mechanism, entirely different from the type commonly seen for '64.

The '64 type Retractors were a separate device that was produced by Borg Warner. The Belts themselves were produced by the Irving Air Chute Co. I'm not aware of any other factory suppliers for '64 Belts, I suppose could have been others depending on where the Assembly Plant was.

If you ordered the Custom Belts in '64, you got the regular color coordinated Belts but with these winders installed on the outboard latch ends. I don't know if Pontiac installed the winders or if Irving Air Chute obtained them from Borg Warner and supplied the belts with the winders pre-installed. My guess would be that Pontiac or Fisher Body put the parts together, but just speculation.

You could purchase the Retractors independently and add them to your Standard Belts if you did not order the Custom Belt option from the factory. This type Retractor was not used with a Plastic Housing. The standard belts in '65 still came without Retractors, so you could still purchase this type winder/retractor separately from the Dealer and add them to the '65 Belts.

The new '65 Custom Seat Belt Option included a new type Retractor mechanism that was installed within a plastic housing. The units were serviced as assemblies and were specific RH & LH. AFAIK, the plastic housings were not separately serviced.

I'm not certain who produced the '65 Retractor Belt assembly, including the Retractor mechanism. Anybody know if these were produced by Irving Air Chute?

Later, other vendors supplied GM with the Retractor type Belts, just not sure about the '65 units.

But if any actually were factory installed in a '64, that is a new one on me.

[BOB VIDAN]

OMT, I agree 100% with John V., but you still can come to Tiger Run again.

[Old Man Taylor]

I can guarantee you that my car came with retractors and the plastic housing. I bought the car brand new and I got it from the dealer as soon as it showed up from the assembly plant. The plastic housing kept the retractor and the exposed end of the seat belt from falling out onto the rocker molding. I still have the original retractor on the passenger side, but both plastic moldings broke over time and I threw them away. I replaced the driver’s side belt with a 3” lap belt, but I have the old piece somewhere. The picture below is the label of the replacement seat belt that I have not yet installed. Note the 4-64 date on the belt. I will have to check my old belt to see what it is, but I’m sure it is the same but with a slightly earlier date.

[gregneun]

They are listed as a dealer installed safty option in my 1964 owners manual.

And the retractors that are posted are the wind up ones that B-W Borg Warner

MOD.100B-W PAT. Pending...B_W also made Role-a-Belt Mod 100 B-W.

I take these off of the cars at junkyards. They sell for about 30 bucks a pair on Ebay. They may still be available new.

Greg

[John V.]

OMT, I am confused.

Your 1st picture is of an absolutely correct '64 Front Belt with the Borg Warner Retractor that was available.

The plastic protector sleeve is an absolutely correct part of the Accessory Package, it is the part that b-man and others pointed out is only used with the Bench Seat. Since the Seat Belt Accessory Package was universal to all applications, it was included but not installed in a Bucket Seat application.

Here is a pic as they were installed. Scroll to the pic with the open door.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...1%7C240%3A1318

It's a big car, but same belt & winder/retractor. The belt rolled up neatly.

Now here is the '65 revised design, integral retractor and plastic housing. Again, scroll down to see the shot of at the open door.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...1%7C240%3A1308

Is this what you are saying you had in your '64? The retractor mechanism inside of the housing in this picture is not at all like the Borg Warner winder type.

Is the original retractor on the passenger side in your car the winder style as in your NOS set or something completely different?

If it is the winder style, and you ALSO had a decorative housing, I can't picture how the two worked together, but for sure, I have never seen anything like that before.

[Old Man Taylor]

Here are pictures of the passenger side seat belt. You can see the wear and tear, and you can see the same tag that was on the NOS set, except the date on mine is 1-64. That is also the original winder. It originally had a plastic housing similar to the one on the '65 GTO, but I don't remember it being that tall or having that much of an angle. I think the retractor stayed outside of the plastic housing, but I don't remember for sure. I liked having the housing as it kept the seat belt from flopping over by the door.

[Pecosbill]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

I liked having the housing as it kept the seat belt from flopping over by the door.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've closed the door on that flopped out seat belt in my 64.

[John V.]

I've never seen these on a Pontiac but the guys who sold them claim they might be correct,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts...1%7C240%3A1318

I know you suggested yours was a "doghouse", but wondered if maybe they were more of a Sleeve like these?

Fremont was a B-O-P Plant but Malibus were built there in '64. I don't know if these were even correct for a Chevy. Two very different shapes in the two auctions, no indication of a p/n, or what vehicle they were pulled from. But I thought perhaps these might ring a bell with you.

I did find an interesting Factory Illustration in the GTO Resto Guide on pg. 180. Doesn't indicate what model year it applies to. But shows the Installation Instructions for three different Outboard Seat Belt Floor Mounting arrangements. The one is the '65 Retractor Type with the Housing. Since your Belt & Retractor is obviously not the '65 type, that is out.

Another is the Standard Floor Mount, simple bolt thru the metal end, this is the one familiar to me. But the 3rd type, shows the "STANDARD FLOOR MOUNT (WITH PLASTIC COVER)", covers look similar to the ones in the 1st link. It is conceivable that some '64s did use the Plastic Cover.

I believe these might be what are called Front Seat Belt Protectors and were separately serviced in the MPC in every interior color. The '63 & '64 shared same p/ns for the available colors. Also listed for '65, but with new p/ns perhaps because of new colors or perhaps the shape changed to accommodate a new belt end shape?

The usage is indicated as 2 per car. I suppose the question is what cars got them and why.

BTW, according to how they are shown to be installed, the bolt goes thru the hole in the back. Presumably, if the bolts have never been off, the remnant of a plastic "ring" should still be under the bolt head.

OMT, if you tell me these look nothing like what you remember, I guess I'll give it up!