68 seat belts.....

[Terry F.]

Well...I used to think there were only two types of 68 seat belt. Early style that looked like 67 corvette and had a spring retractor and later style that had the black vinyl boot that had no retractor. This later style looked as though it had other applications and could have a retractor spring fashioned to it.

I have pulled a couple lap belts out of 68 corvettes in the junk yard years ago and never found one that actually had a retractor spring attached to it. I even purchased a NOS set of lap belts for 68 and they didn't have any retractor spring attached to them either. So, I assume there were only two types.

Now, I have talked to seatbelt restorers and they informed me that they would put the retractor on the later style belts assuming they were just missing (that was years ago). They would take passenger car springs and fashion them onto the anchor/retractor.

Now, I bought a partial set of used original 68 seatbelts and low and behold they are the later style and they have a spring retractor that is definitely original to the seatbelts. But, I must say the retractor is practically functionless because the webbing is too stiff to retract and it roles up too thick??? But, I am confident it is original.

It was always my assumption that GM did away with the lap belt retractor because people were not fully extending the retractor side of the belt before latching it. In an accident, they would not be restrained. Terry

[Rich G.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Terry

I have a 68 coupe built July 18. The entire interior is original. It has the original belts with no retractors.

Rich

[Terry F.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

I totally believe you and I am certain your interior is 100%. But, there was a transition somewhere along the line with this later style retractor/anchor. You can't call them a retractor because the part that should have the spring is not there in the later cars. This later style belt has a date of 38E67. Sort of early in production. I have no idea what the lag time would be between the label and the build date of the car. Bottom line. This is the first time I have seen this. I have preached against this in the past an now know I was wrong. Oh well, live and learn something new about a 68 every day. Terry

[Rich G.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Hi Terry

The labels on my belts are 23E68.

I guess there's always something new to find. If I understand what you're saying, there was a period between introduction and the end of production when retractors were used for a short period of time, or was it only the first cars?

Rich 38594

[Dick W.]

Re: '68 seat belts.....

When we were researching the last edition of the 1968-69 JG, we could not find a date or VIN to indicate a break point. We do know that early cars had retractors, but not later ones. Whether it was all or some is another question.

Any new information would be helpful toward the next edition.

[Terry F.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Yes, there are two styles of under seat anchors/retractors. The early 68 production cars used something that look very similar to the 67 corvette and it had a retractor. I think this early design was essentially the same as 67 but had a different looking buckle. But, don't quote me on this because it has been a while since I had all this stuff in front of me to compare things. Then, a totally new design of 68 seat belt came along. It has the black vinyl covering over the retractor/anchor. I always assumed this version never had a retractor spring installed in it. My personal observations led me to that conclusion after removing a few tattered belts from wrecked 68 in junk yards. Plus, my May car and other original cars I looked at didn't have retractors either. Then came along this set that I purchased from a fella. They are like the second design but they have a spring retractor attached to the anchor mechanism. Truly a rare bird to find! I know for a fact that some seatbelt rebuilders will routinely install a retro fitted return spring to 68 belts thinking they were removed. This makes it hard to tell reliably where the cut off is for this variation in production. Thanks, Terry

[Terry F.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

I guess the main difference for me in thinking is that I thought the retractors had to do with the style of the seatbelt. I now know the style (early vs late) 68 seatbelt had nothing to do with it. I hope more people chime in to state what their cars have. But, they need to be very careful in determining this because the springs are easily stuck in the full open position and It will feel as though there is no retractor. Terry

[Anthony S.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Terry,

My late January '68 (#9736) has seat belts tagged "3 E 68."

I do not have the retractors.

Hope this helps,

Anthony

[John C.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Terry

My mid April built car has seat belts with a date of 13E68 and no retractors.

John

[Bryan K. Montford]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

#4888 has the retractors.
Bryan

[Terry F.]

Re: '68 seat belts.....

Reba, you might grab the date and belt tag information from the people that posted below me. You might have already. It would be nice to narrow it down a bit on the seatbelt retractor. But, I am always cautious with 68 corvettes since I have seen so much incongruity.

Tell Dick Hi for me. I talked with him up here in Washington State at a car show. It was nice to have a face put to a name. Take care, Terry

[Terry F.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Bryan, if you get a chance, let me know the date info on your seat tags and/or the build date of the car. Thanks for responding! Terry

[Terry F.]

Thanks! Terrry *NM*

[Henry J.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Terry:

My mid-February built car (#11552) had seat belt tags "6 E 68". The under-seat belts had the black plastic boots but there was NO EVIDENCE of any sort of retracting mechanism.

[Terry F.]

Re: 68 seat belts.....

Thanks for the responce. Terry