My car has repro (true red) belts but it "may" have the original buckles. I bought a pair of original belts (scarlet in color with the correct material) which came with refurbished buckles which are much darker in color than the ones I had I would appreciate anyone who has a picture of what they believe to be original color buckles (and belts for that matter) to post it back so I can put this question I have to bed. Pics of what I have are attached.
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
These are the original seat belts (webbing) from my January '64 built convertible with solid red vinyl interior. I know the belt buckle finish is not correct since it does not have the rough texture. Charlie Santorelli steam cleaned the webbing replated the buckle components and I painted the buckles and sent them back to him to assemble. Car was judged at a regional and took a 1 point deduct for the incorrect finish (rough texture) on the buckles.
Hope this helps.
James West
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
James, thanks a lot. Lighting makes a big difference when showing color. Your closest up shot of the stitching looks a lot like the belt color in my pic. Interestingly, the guy who painted my buckles got the "original" sample buckle from Charlie Santorelli to match the paint. He is very confident it it right including the metallic flake and texture but the color is clearly different from what you used. Did you match the paint before you stripped the buckles for replate?Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Larry,
I matched the color of the buckles to the rest of my interior painted surfaces, radio side panels, center console, etc. I first restored the car back on 1980 and can't remember what the buckles looked like back then. It does make sense that they would be close in color to the scarlet colored seat belt webbing. Any chance I could get the paint code that was used on your buckles?
Thanks,
James West
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
James -- here's a buckle (tongue lifted) to show ink stamp [10-2x-64, I think], and what's left of the Irving tag (hard to say if it's '63 or '64 year). I've got a shot of the buckle face somewhere (found it; see thumbnail under big pic). This is a single (one seat) belt set I got at a swap meet around 1990. Shows the textured finish.
c
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
James/Wayne - Wayne's buckle looks a lot like my original buckle in the blury pic I attached. This is from a 38000 mile car and I'm still thinking the buckles may be original. I'm going to go take a pic of the underside of one and see how it compares. As an aside, if Wayne is right about his date this is for a 65 car. 10-2X-62 or 63 would be for a 63/64 car. But this belt color combo might be the same in 65 - I don't know. In any case I'll post a better pic. Both my "original" and refinished buckles have similar texture to what he shows.
Secondly, I don't have the paint code for the dark buckles I posted but this guy paints buckles for Charlie. Again, he thinks it is right...I'd like to see some evidence.Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
OK - as promised attached are pics of my "may be original" buckles. I can tell you that when you look at these sometimes they have a purple component. If you look at the new ones I bought they have a very purple component. The texture seems to be mostly on the top surface of both buckles I have while the underside is fairly smooth.
These buckles have all the marking of the one Wayne pictured but no date. This is the first I've seen of a stamped date.
I just noticed and Wayne may have done a modification but he has a second pic showing a ragged blue and ragged red buckle. The red one may be a very good match to the ones I bought.
Wouldn't it be great if someone who has owned their car since delivery would post a pic.Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Larry -- you're right; the buckle on the right is dark blue. I have only one (console) side of a seat, with a dark blue belt. The Chevrolet / Irving tag is dated '64. Both the red and the dark blue buckles have the "early" model stampings on the chrome; ie. without the four numbered instructions that begin in the "later" '65 design. The "patina" / texture on the blue is not as pronounced as the red one.
I just realized I've got the blue buckle on a black belt in one car, and a black buckle on the blue belt in the other.
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
OK Wayne, but you know I don't care too much about blue or black....the question is....what is the origin or the red buckle in your pic? It looks A LOT like the ones I bought refinished.Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Wayne - another news flash....the tag cannot have a 64 date for a 64 car....I can't remember (it is in prior posts) but if it is a late 64 date it might be for a 65 car....but I've been convinced by experts on this forum and by Charlie Santorelli than no 64 cars had dated belts - period. This was the start of my realizing that my belts were not original...they have very readable dates....and the ones I bought don't have dates all be it that they also have replaced labels.Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
So I'm sitting here waiting on taco soup and did some research on date codes. Charlie Santorelli told me there were no date codes until 66 model year....so any 64 dates you have would be wrong. I don't know anything but Charlie is an acknowledged expert and is likely correct. But that's not the point of this post. I'm really intrigued by the color of the red buckle in Wayne's post.Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Larry -- Tomorrow, I'll take a better pic of the face of my red buckle. Unfortunately the shot alongside the dark blue one was taken in indirect light so it looks darker. Also, that under-tongue shot of the red buckle used the camera flash, so the color balance might be off.
Just checked the '65 TIM&JG (5th ed.) and it definitely talks about dated Chev/Irving tags, saying that "many '65 cars have been observed with a tag date of 1964".
I'll take a few tag pics, although difficult to get a good photo when they're installed. It's below freezing in my garage, so I won't be R & R ing
.
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Wayne, don't worry about date cope pics but the pics of the red buckle would be great. And give me clarity here. Are you saying you only have one red buckle and that the one next to the blue one is the same one as where you posted the underside?Comment
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Larry,
The picture you posted of your belts appears to have been taken in a marginally lit room with no flash. Flash was used in this picture and it makes a big difference in how colors appear. These belts belong to a member with a membership number below 20. He has been around these cars for a very long time. His only comment upon recieving them was "The Belts are Beautiful".
Tracy
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Re: 64 Red Seat Belt Buckle Color - Need Info
Larry -- OK, the sun finally came out, so I took these 3 pics with natural light. The red buckle is definitely darker, although not quite so much on the sides shielded from the elements by the chrome. I don't know the origin of the red buckle/belts (I have 2 belts but on one the Irving tag is completely gone; only the white stitching remains) Bought them at a Portland OR swap meet decades ago. IIRC, I paid around $5 for the reds.
I also include the blue belt with the '64 date. This dark blue interior not a valid interior color for the 65 MY, so it HAS to be 1964.Comment
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