Part Number Help Needed?

[Don L.]

I'm hoping someone can help me identify the thermal relay that powered the 15 second FASTEN SEAT BELT warning light behind the right lower dash pad of an early 1972 car. This relay was apparently only used from model year SOP to end of calendar '71, when federal regulations drove an engineeering change, requiring the integration of a sensor to the pass seat for the warning system. Because the Assy Manual is based on the car AFTER engineering changes, I cannot seem to find the part in the manual. It is in the service manual and a good dwg is seen on page 12-58

My relay says SYLVANIA 03961500 on it. I'm not sure if it's the GM # or the Sylvania #. Format doesn't seem right for it to be the GM #.

Most importantly, if anyone knows where I can get a replacement/spare part, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks.

[Joe L.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

I'm hoping someone can help me identify the thermal relay that powered the 15 second FASTEN SEAT BELT warning light behind the right lower dash pad of an early 1972 car. This relay was apparently only used from model year SOP to end of calendar '71, when federal regulations drove an engineeering change, requiring the integration of a sensor to the pass seat for the warning system. Because the Assy Manual is based on the car AFTER engineering changes, I cannot seem to find the part in the manual. It is in the service manual and a good dwg is seen on page 12-58

My relay says SYLVANIA 03961500 on it. I'm not sure if it's the GM # or the Sylvania #. Format doesn't seem right for it to be the GM #.

Most importantly, if anyone knows where I can get a replacement/spare part, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks.

Don-----


GM #3961500 is the part number. It once existed in the GM parts system but was discontinued without supercession in March, 1982.

The strange thing is that GM never cataloged this part for a Corvette application. Just what applications it was cataloged for, I have not been able to find.

Obviously, if you have one installed on your car, it must have been used for a Corvette application, but, as I say, while it was once available in SERVICE, it was never cataloged for a Corvette.

[Don L.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

Thanks Joe. So is it fair to say that this part was likely to have been used on all/other GM vehicles built during the period of M.Y. '72 SOP and Dec 31, 1971? Does anyone know where I can get a spare? I feel that mine is waning...

[David L.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

GM may have not cataloged GM # 3961500 in the Corvette parts catalogs but they did catalog the part in the Chevrolet parts catalog.

GM # 3961500 (Gr. 9.765) sold for $2.00 (list) in July 1972 as per my 1972 Chevrolet Price Schedule.

GM # 3961500 is listed in my 1969, 1970, 1971 Chevrolet Parts Catalogs (May 1969, Sept. 1969, Nov. 1969, Jan. 1970, Sept. 1970, and Jan. 1971) for 1969-1971 Passenger cars as a seat belt warning RELAY ASSY.

My 1972 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Jan. 1972) references Gr. 9.765 to the RADIO CALALOG (P & A 5B).

My 1981 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective April 1981) lists GM # 3961500 as a "RELAY ASSY., seat belt warning, door check" for a 69-72 Pass.

GM part #3961500 is NOT listed in my 1969 Corvette or 1972 Corvette Parts Catalogs as there is not a Gr. 9.765 listing.

I have a copy of the 1972 Radio Parts Catalog but it is missing the appropriate page. The last page ends with Gr. 9.762.
I think the page with Gr. 9.765 was lost when the reprinting was done.

[Joe L.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

Thanks Joe. So is it fair to say that this part was likely to have been used on all/other GM vehicles built during the period of M.Y. '72 SOP and Dec 31, 1971? Does anyone know where I can get a spare? I feel that mine is waning...

Don------

It was definitely used on other Chevrolet models since it's a Chevrolet part number. In this case it was a part that was ONLY used for Chevrolet models. It had no other GM carline applications.

David has uncovered the other applications. There is a "gap" in my references for some non-Corvette Chevrolet parts. It only applies to certain parts discontinued without supercession in the 1971-82 period, but this part fell into that category.

[Jack H.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

Interesting query! I'll bet the documentation you're looking for DOES exist in the AIM...

There were four discrete dash harness assy's in '72 (with and without A/C) and (with and without SB warning). So, I'd expect to find notes in the ECR tables of the applicable AIM drawings documenting when the early versions of these harness assy's were replaced by the later versions.

Further, on the AIM page that intially called out the installation of the early seat belt warning system's timer relay, I'd expect to see a 'blank' line representing where the relay was documented by PN along with a footnote to the ECR table below and corresponding text in the ECR table to the effect "XXXXXX part deleted" with a specific AIM date referenced...

[Don L.]

Re: Part Number Help Needed?

Thanks to all of you for your help on this query. With your advice and guidance, I was able to find a beautiful NOS part at a very reasonable price. It arrived today.

Now I have the spare I'll probably need for the coming season.

Thanks again!