'62 CS-5000 seatbelt buckle marking?

[Rob Edwards]

In my quest for some correct seatbelts for the '62-340, I took a chance and bought a pair of buckles based on the description I could get over the phone. They sounded right for our VIN, #7646. In any case, as the picture shows, there is a PRC marking to the upper left of the CS-5000 stamp on the back of each buckle. The male tongues that came with these are unstamped (no #235) and have the rectangular holes. They have a bit of chrome pitting and surface rust on them. The buckle release handles are pretty tarnished as well. So my questions are:

1. What the heck is PRC? (was GM sourcing from China in 1962?)
2. Does this preclude them from being A) ok for this VIN, or B) ok for a corvette? (If they're wrong, wrong wrong, they were $50 for the set, so either it was a deal or I'm 'only' out 50 beans......)

3. There is a little external snap ring that holds the rod retaining the buckle release. I would like to clean these up after disassembly, does anyone have pointers on cleaning/buffing these so I don't trash 'em? (If I have to ask, I'm at risk of trashing 'em....)

I also contacted a common seatbelt vendor that adverts in Driveline. They say that the right 4 panel red webbing is hard to come by, and if I supply all the hardware, it's still $250 per seat to get a complete set of belts with the correct irving air chute labels and stiching, etc. Does this sound right? Thanks for any and all responses!

[Donald L.]

62 Seatbelt Buckle

It appears the buckle you have is correct for your VIN. This buckle was used from approx. VIN 2200 to 12000. It has 2 patent #s and had the letters PRC & CS on the inside boxes. Good Find.

Donald #31176

[Terry D.]

Re: '62 CS-5000 seatbelt buckle marking?

Rob
No mention of the PRC in the Judging manual. Why don't you contact Dave Heitzman at vettes6162@msn.com he is the National Judging Team leader for 62's
Terry

[Jack H.]

Sounds like you 'done' good!

I saw a pair of CS-5000 buckles at a major swap meet over the weekend. Condition was similar to what you described and the seller was FIRM on his $200 price....

On turning what you have into ready-to-bolt-on finished assys, you'll have to consider dismantling the buckles and sending various components out for de-chrome/re-chrome. Then, you have to find correct fabric.

Beware--there's a difference between the nylon that was used then vs. now regardless of weave pattern. In the 'good ol days' the nylon was appreciably thicker to meet the 5000-lb tensile strength rating (that's what the 5000 in CS-5000 means). Today, improved polymerization techniques allow the nylon to be thinner (less material/less cost) and still meet/beat the same strength rating. Savvy judges can squeeze the belt fabric between thumb and forefinger and tell the difference QUICKLY!

There are several sources for the 4-weave material. One is the Dr. Rebuild catalog. Another is from individuals who've found and purchased original bulk material (the same weave was used on Navy/Coast Guard life jackets of the era). Last, if you have scrap yards locally with vintage cars in them, go look for luxury vehicles (Caddy/Buick/Olds) and check out what's under the back seat! Often, it's the identical material NICELY protected from the sun having been 'stuffed' away!

Last, you have to get repro (or cleaned up original ID labels) and then you're ready to assemble. To put it all together, you'll need belt webbing length specs, label placement specs, and a stitch pattern guide. Most of these are catalog items from Dr. Rebuild. Then, all you need is an industrial strength sewing machine.

Don't have one? Shop for a professional seamstress in your neck of the woods OR go find a cobbler (their machines can stitch leather shoe uppers to/through leather soles!).

Or, if all this work sounds like TOO MUCH...then go shop prices from 'turn key' professional belt restoration shops who advertize in Driveline. You might find you can 'wack' that $250 figure down to $175 or so by comparison shopping....

[Gerard F.]

Re: Sounds like you 'done' good!

You don't need an industrial strength sewing machine to stitch the belts up. Just use a 110/18 needle with heavy upholstery thread if the machine will take that needle size.

I stitched up the buckle end of 67 belts with an old 50's vintage Singer and went through a tri-fold (three layers) of original belt material, as well as restitching the labels correctly after a cobbler screwed them up.

Luckily, I didn't have to do the other end with the zig-zag stitch across the end. I would have had to borrow my wife's fancier machine, which I know she won't let me touch with my greasy hands.

You can get the stitching pattern, instructions, belt lengths for your year, and probably the original belt material from Dr. Rebuild.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179