Topic: 68 Seatbelt Discussion/Question

[don.piotrek]

Deluxe seat belts.

So I have the deluxe interior listed in the Marti report. As you might remember, when I bought the car it was repainted black from the original sunlit gold and also was the interior painted black. The only item kept in the original color were the belts. The retractor mechanism is a little rusted and does not work very smooth, the belts themselves are stained and dirty and the chromed bezels need rechroming or at least a good polish.

Looking through the pics on the internet and this forum in particular, I couldn't find similar ones with chromed bezels. Does it mean I am missing some parts - like a plastic casting that would go around the bezel? Or what is more likely the belts I have are actually not original to the car and are from the 1970 model?

[67gtasanjose]

Deluxe seat belts.

So I have the deluxe interior listed in the Marti report...

...Looking through the pics on the internet and this forum in particular, I couldn't find similar ones with chromed bezels. Does it mean I am missing some parts - like a plastic casting that would go around the bezel? Or what is more likely the belts I have are actually not original to the car and are from the 1970 model?

Those belts (the ones you have) are WAY WRONG for a 68 and look 100% out of place on a 68 Deluxe.

Used STANDARD 68 belts are available in most instances and the STANDARD style is easy to convert to DELUXE style.

Sure, you will likely need to have the webbing replaced but if the rest of the interior is restored correctly, why would you compromise on the belts?

[don.piotrek]

Thanks Richard for confirming my doubts about the wrong belts.

To convert the STANDARD ones into the DELUXE, I would need just to change these parts:



And obviously keep the correct color of the black plastic insert to match my nugget gold interior?

By the way, the strap didn't come in nugget gold, or did it? I shall choose something bright like for example saddle or parchment? And the belts on the rear seat was a standard feature or was it optional and listed in the Marti report?

[67gtasanjose]

Front AND rear Belts, including a seperate shoulder strap are STANDARD equipment in a 68 *** (I believe through the whole year). I wonder if all early ones got the shoulder harness...that one should be confirmed but all the parts were color matched excepting deluxe parts were chromed plastic.

***on edit, it has been confirmed that early cars WERE NOT standard, instead optional (like 67 models)

[don.piotrek]

According to wilipedia, the shoulder harness was a legal requirement as of Jan 1st, 1968.

Shoulder harnesses of this separate or semi-separate type were installed in conjunction with lap belts in the outboard front seating positions of many vehicles in the North American market starting at the inception of the shoulder belt requirement of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 on 1 January 1968.

For the car built on Dec 1st, 1967 it is very likely to have the shoulder harness, however doesn’t mean it was already there.

[ruppstang]

Front AND rear Belts, including a seperate shoulder strap are STANDARD equipment in a 68 (I believe through the whole year). I wonder if all early ones got the shoulder harness...that one should be confirmed but all the parts were color matched excepting deluxe parts were chromed plastic.

No the shoulder belts were not standard all year. They were optional as in 67. I can not say for sure but believe that they became standard in January.

[jwc66k]

California "may" have had an earlier implementation date.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Typically Federal requirements went into affect on Jan 1. Not always but the vast majority of the time I believe. With that said manufactures often got ahead sometimes depending on what the requirement was. But if it cost money - often not by much

[67gtasanjose]

No the shoulder belts were not standard all year. They were optional as in 67. I can not say for sure but believe that they became standard in January.

As I wrote out my earlier reply, something began nudging me to wonder if this wasn't a split year early/late thing. I recall seeing at least the vast majority of 68's with them and seemed to recall noticing several restored cars without them but restored examples don't really count.

[RoyceP]

I have owned a couple '68's built before January 1 1968. If they have shoulder harnesses it is called out on the Marti Report as an option. If they don't have them there is no mention on the Marti Report. After January 1 1968 they all had them standard equipment and again no mention on the Marti Report..

As I wrote out my earlier reply, something began nudging me to wonder if this wasn't a split year early/late thing. I recall seeing at least the vast majority of 68's with them and seemed to recall noticing several restored cars without them but restored examples don't really count.

[ruppstang]

Our 8-24- 68 SJ S code coupe  has no shoulder belts.

Before you ask,  I did not have the GT stripes on yet in that picture.

[tim_morrison82]

My car, bench seat coupe, Dec 67,doesnt even have the threaded stud fixed to the roof. Which is a tad unusual

My bench seat also has deluxe belts

[jwc66k]

My car, bench seat coupe, Dec 67,doesnt even have the threaded stud fixed to the roof. Which is a tad unusual

My bench seat also has deluxe belts

It would be a threaded nut, not a stud. I found one covered by the headliner. For 67, Ford used a heavy duty nut plate tapped with a 3/8-16 thread, 381513-S2. It slid into a slot just behind the door frames.
Jim

[ruppstang]

It would be a threaded nut, not a stud. I found one covered by the headliner. For 67, Ford used a heavy duty nut plate tapped with a 3/8-16 thread, 381513-S2. It slid into a slot just behind the door frames.
Jim

Our 8/24/67 car above still had the 67 style nut plates even though it had no belts. I am not sure when they changed over to the crimped in nut.

Just remembered that our 68 GT350 built 12-02-67 also has the nut plates.

[KevinK]

Does anyone have a picture or something to help locate the shoulder nut plate on a 67 coupe?