1965 roadster: Adding seat belts

[tim colleran]

Is there a way, and how difficult is it, to add seatbelts to a 65 convertible

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1965 roadster: Adding seat belts

Tim,

All 1965 Corvettes came with them from the factory, so "adding" them is as simple (?) as buying a set and bolting them in the original factory holes.

Patrick

[Stephen P.]

Re: 1965 roadster: Adding seat belts

Patrick's response is correct, especially the part that has the(?) after simple. If someone removed the seat belts years ago before the bolts had time to rust, it will probably be much easier to get a tap and clean out the threads on the outside hidden nuts than trying to remove rusted pieces. I just went throught this. You can get some good information from the archives on the subject. Good luck on finding origninal seat belts. I think I was fortunate to find an original set in good enough shape to use for my 65 coupe driver for $100.00. Most people have them restored, but I was able to repaint my buckles and clean the belting good enough for my driver. Good luck.

[Jack H.]

Do due diligence!

As others have said, seat belts WERE a standard factory feature in '65 and early cars differ from 'late' cars with the addition of seat belt retractors and retractor pockets (VERY handy). By due diligence reference, I'm advising you to make sure ALL the necessary support assemblies for the belts are present! You wouldn't want to go to the time/trouble to install belts, have them fail in a bona fide accident and later absorb personal liability for improper installation!!!!!

In addition to the inboard and outboard floor anchors with their under body steel reinforcement plates riveted to the car's body panels, there's a critical safety cable that's often worn, frayed, or discarded. It connected the two transmission tunnel floor anchor reinforcement plates to the frame cross member via a steel cable that was plastic coated.

In the event of a severe crash, this cable provided the rigidity to thwart the floor anchors from tearing through the fiberglass body panels with subsequent crash integrity loss. Get your car onto a lift and with AIM (assembly instruction manual) in hand, double check you have all the necessary seat belt support anchor components installed and they're in satisfactory condition!