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Seat belt retractors 74'

Forum: C3 Electrical, Body and Interior

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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/21/10 5:37pmMessage 1 of 8
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Germansville, PA - USA
Joined: 1/28/2010
Posts: 866
Vette(s): 1974 Coupe 358ci 4 speed Black w/Medium Saddle interior w/79 custom leather seats. . 1999 C5 Convertible, 6 speed, Atomic orange, Oak interior.
Tried a search on this...didn't come up with anything. I have the seatbelt/shoulder harness setup on my 74 with 2 retractors for each side. Both retractors under the seats will not let me pull the belts out to reach the buckles across my lap. Anybody tried to tackle these with any successQuestion Warning tags on them about springs....dangerousQuestion Replacements are very expensive!!


   

DanT

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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/21/10 6:10pmMessage 2 of 8
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Oak Creek, WI - USA
Joined: 5/21/2008
Posts: 2041
Vette(s): 1981 Great White Shark. Red Interior, 350/190 hp. PS, PB (SS), A/C CC, T-Tops. Served three years in Active Duty Army, then Retired Air Force after 34 years! Badger State Vettes Car Club. 175,000 Original miles!! Now own a 1998 C-5!
A friend of mine has a 74 with the same problem.  The passenger side likes to give you a snug fir but the drivers does not.  We have not fixed it yet, when that retractor gets rusted up it is hard to free it up !!
Dan
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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/22/10 7:51amMessage 3 of 8
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Mounds View, MN - USA
Joined: 5/24/2007
Posts: 1034
Vette(s): 70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe
When we send in seat belts to be re-webbed, they make the retractors work again, so I know it can be done, but I wouldn't work on my own.  Seat belts are too important to leave to an amateur.

Larry
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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/22/10 10:29amMessage 4 of 8
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Montreal, Canada
Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533
Vette(s): Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!
Had the same problem here.  Found one in a wreck yard; but it was a '73; not a '74 so I returned it.  I ended up installing replacement seat belts.  Not as good looking; but working!

As said; I would not tackle this job myself.
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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/22/10 12:28pmMessage 5 of 8
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Summerville, SC - USA
Joined: 8/31/2005
Posts: 660
Vette(s): My 1974 Vette sold last August 2014. I am still willing to show up to events and local gatherings if anything happening No new vette yet.
But don't take it to heart too much, some still work just lovely, like mine for example.  Not a problem yet, knock on wood.
 
Jeremy
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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/26/10 3:33pmMessage 6 of 8
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Cadiz, KY - USA
Joined: 8/26/2002
Posts: 249
Vette(s): 74 Convertible
Google Snake Oil.  They reweb seatbelts but as indicated above they are not cheap.  They may be able to repair yours.  I am certain that yours are either rusted or crudded up.  The hold where they sit under the seat is a great place for mice to nest.  Maybe you can take the belts out and just clean them.  Try it.  I agree, I would not take them apart.
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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/26/10 5:14pmMessage 7 of 8
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Germansville, PA - USA
Joined: 1/28/2010
Posts: 866
Vette(s): 1974 Coupe 358ci 4 speed Black w/Medium Saddle interior w/79 custom leather seats. . 1999 C5 Convertible, 6 speed, Atomic orange, Oak interior.
I'm certain you are right about the rust, OH, since when I purchased the car last year it had about an inch of water on both sides of the floor, which I have had taken care of since then. I did have them out when I replaced the carpet but didn't try them at that time. Guess I'll pull them out again and at least see what I can see.
ThanksSmile 
   

DanT

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Seat belt retractors 74'

Posted: 3/26/10 6:11pmMessage 8 of 8
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Rockland, MA - USA
Joined: 1/30/2003
Posts: 585
Vette(s): 76, L48, 4spd & 09, LS3, 6spd
Many of the vendors now sell a single retractor replacement belt set that is not as expensive as the original dbl retractor sets. Another option I've seen is to use rear belts from a firebird or camaro, not sure of the exact years, but would also be a single retractor style. Hopefully whatever you choose will last another 35-40 years too.

 

 

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