I know my '70 Skylark convertible hasn't got shoulder belts. It was very, ahhhh, unrestored, shall we say when I got it.
Ultra Rare in a convert. Noone used belts back in the 70's so they certainly didnt order them. They were mandatory in coupes starting Jan 1st 1969. Still optional in Converts. I have seen only one Buick, a 69 GS400 conv. with these. It was the same as the Pontiac above only in White Interior, black belts. Thx JA
shoulder belts in convertible I have 3 convertibles that have this unusual option factory installed and on the build sheet. I'll try to get a picture of the belts in my 70 Stage 1 GS convertible. I have had a problem posting pictures in the past due to picture file begin too large. I have the camera set the lowest resolution. Any ideas so I can post a picture for you guys? This option is actually very easy to add. The mounting point is in all cars and you could modify the length of a shoulder harness belt from a coupe for the female belt with enough lenght and change the buckle from male to female and use a lap belt for the male buckle lower portion. The picture shown above will give you a good idea of the lenght of each belt. There are also a "clip" on each lower arm rest for the metal female buckle end to mount when not in use. This option will result in 1 male and 1 female belt on the console side (inner) of the front buckets rather than one belt. Neat option but pretty useless. I don't know anyone who uses the shoulder harness's in a coupe much less a convertible! Cool at show but more seat belts to hassle with in a driver.
Hi Mike !! Great Info..... If you can snap some Digi-Pics and Email them to me, I'd be glad to resize them and post them for everone's viewing pleasure. My Email Address is: Alan@itnnetworks.com 2 things - Please feel free to send as many as you want, details details !!!:TU: The FIRST Email you send, dont include a picture (attachment)....just let me know that emails with attachments are to follow. (I have an Email "catcher" that filters out most attachments and quarantines them....) Thanks ALOT
pictures I'll get some pictures this weekend. Traveling during the week. Thanks for your help with the pictures. Have a great day!!
I have this option in my 72 GS ragtop. Not sure if I will ever use it but had new belts made up anyway..... There is a picture on my website of a skylark with them, go to ragtop, then interior (near bottom of page) and scroll down.... http://members.shaw.ca/ritc1 later Tim
hey can i get pics of the seat belt too? I have a 70 convert and the option to have a lil more safety would be nice. nate nhank@Joltmail.com
Last One Thanks again for sharing Mike! Here's the mounting point on the body. I believe the Fisher body manual explains this in detail -
hey Mike, I read the attached text and its very good info. You make a comment about bench seats in there and I can tell you for sure that my 72 GS notchback bench seat car had this option. Like you said, it would be a mess of belts but in 72 they had the "clip" type belts out, so the shoulder harness "clips" onto the lap belt for the driver and passenger. Sure is an odd setup, have to wonder how well it actually works....hopefully never find out. later Tim
my Fisher Body Manual for 1970 does point the mounting out on these. I will post it as soon as I can get ahold of a scanner. there was also an option in my Body manual for rear shoulder seat belts on every A body including the convertible. I will post those too. they are very intresting. Nate
shoulder belts Tim, Maybe I misunderstood your post however the shoulder belts on all convertibles used the female buckle for the shoulder belt regardless of production year and make. 1972 was no different than 1970 in configuration. 72 did use a smaller female buckle and male tab on many A body cars however the orientation of male belt/tab attached to the floor board and female buckle to the shoulder harness belt was the same for all years and this was a convertible only configuration. A hardtop/coupe was opposite as far the location of the buckle/male tab. All coupes used the male tab on the end of the shoulder belt as the belts were held on the ceiling of the car by chrome clips when not in use. A female buckle would be much to heavy to use on the shoulder harness belt that attached to the ceiling. The belt would not stay in the clips on the ceiling when not in use due to a female buckle weight. Go look at any coupe/hardtop and you will see it is opposite of a convertible. By the way, shoulder harness belts became a Federal Government requirement in coupe/hardtop cars in 1969. ALL coupes/hardtops of any make/model had shoulder harness belts. They WERE NOT an option in a coupe/hardtop, they were standard equipment. The exception was a convertible where they "could" be an option if offered at all! Many convertibles from other makes and some GM did not offer shoulder belts of any kind as an option in a convertible. All vehicles, regardless of body style were required by the Federal Government to have shoulder belts in the 1974 model year.
Well thats interesting...I didn't know that until now but I will be using the coupe setup I guess because the good belts have already been made up and put away for storage until needed. 72 had the odd clip thing for the shoulder harness, and even though its not "correct" I like it much better since it is much less bulky. So a 72 converible would have had all kinds of belts up front with the shoulder harness.... Here is a pic of an original setup for a 72 GS 455 hardtop to show the shoulder belt "clip" and the attaching buckle since lots of people have no idea what I am talking about: So my car (with the good belts) will have one male and female part for the lap belt and this will clip into that. Much nicer than four buckles up front plus another set for the middle person... BTW, Anyone know where you can order that bracket for the rear interior panle that the seat belt clips onto?? Somebody must make it repro since you can order the whole shoulder kit for cars that never had it and it comes with that bracket. later Tim
