bigfun64mo

Does anyone know of any photos of the interior of a 72 with bucket seats with shoulder seat belts? I would like to as some to mine and would like something for reference.

2blu442

For this year I believe the bucket and bench seats used the same seat belts and shoulder straps. Attached are some photos of a 1972 seat belt and shoulder strap. Let me know if you have any questions. John

P1010549.jpg

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Allan R

Are you saying that your car doesn't have shoulder belts? My original 1972 Cutlass didn't either, but it was produced in October of 1971 as a 72 model. Don't know if i would want to upgrade them. The shoulder belts installed in the 72 aren't "integral". You had to attach them to the lap harness manually and they don't have inertial adjustment like todays belts.

You'll also have to attach the sleeve the belt rests in while it's not in use. It goes above the windows and attaches to the reinforced structure of the upper roof line. John's pictures (nice clear pics John - I need a camera like yours) shows the structure and the "peanut shaped" slot the belt has to lock into really well. The other belt with the large round insert is what you put into the peanut and then seat it. The owners manual says to leave just enough clearance as your fist for wiggle room. yuch.

Personally, I only use the lap belt since I find the shoulder belt combo really constraining. It's NOT like the harneses in todays cars that allow you to move and breath. Put on the 1972 shoulder belt just once and you'll know why no one wants to wear it.

bigfun64mo

I have 72 convertible. In replacing the hoses for the top, I had to remove the interior trim to access the lift cylinders. In the process, I found seat belts attached to the body of the car that I can't seem to figure out how they were used (if ever) They have a "female" end on them. My digtal camera broke so I can't post any photos

Allan R

One of the guys on the forum (goes by the name of Lady72nRob71


is restoring his 72 vert. He's done the whole interior so if anyone can tell you what's up, or how to do it, that would be him. You might want to search through some of his posts on "restoration of lady" to see some of the fantastic work he's done. I'm not saying he's the only one out there who knows what's going on, just that I've seen his posts/pictures and he definitely does quality work. Good luck with your project.

joe_padavano

Was the car originally sold in Canada? Shoulder belts were mandatory for US cars (except convertibles) from the 1968 model year onward. Shoulder belts in convertibles were a very rare option in those years.

Allan R

Yup both cars were built in Lansing for export to Canada, and we have the mostly the same seatbelt laws as far as mandatory equipment goes. Most provinces also legislate mandatory use of seatbelts. You don't wear it and get caught? It's around $250.00 that you won't have for any special parts on your project. Sure you can take it to court, but you won't win unless your car never was manufactured with seatbelts. Joe, I know it's wierd, but one of our 72's was too early in production to have the shoulder harness. It also had drum brakes all around, unlike the car I kept which is disc front and drum backs.

And the gov't here requires the use of daytime running lights as well. They say it helps make the car more visible to oncoming traffic. DRL only use 25% of the low beam. My neighbor winters in Palm Springs and bought a Ford Fusion that he brought across the border. In addition to the paperwork, he had to pay Ford of Canada 1100.00 for the control module to be installed for DRLs. Would have been cheaper to buy it here. Nowadays they can't give cars away. No one's buying because of the economy.

Lady72nRob71

Okay Allan, stop making me ...

Shoulder belts were mandatory in 1972 and later, although many convertibles were still exempt.
The 1972 Olds literature, did spell out that shoulder belts came with the car with the "except convertibles" notations. They were not even an option then in the Cutlass 'vert'.
The body manuals do not show them in any form for either.

I see no good, safe way to add shoulder belts to a 72 'vert', without a lot of extensive labor and unreversible mods to the car.
We have seatbelt laws in TX and so far I have never been stopped for no shoulder belt. If I ever do, I just tell them the car did not come with them (and I have the documents that back it up should I need them!)

1100 for a DRL module? Forget that! Just use the light switch instead!
Actually, DRL would be easy to install on our Olds (or most any car) for about 10 bucks.
Power a new relay off the defogger relay feed (or from the GEN light terminal on the regulator if the car has no defogger) and wire the headlights to the new relay. Then all the lights come on after the engine is running... If less brightness is required, wire a big-honkin' resistor in series...

Allan R

The DRL module also includes an upgrade to the visual display on the dash to show a "green" headlight. DRLs only display the front headlights. No side or rear lights. And I agree that 1100 bucks is robbery since you can get the module for around 450-480 new. Jack was told that labor cost and tax make up the difference. Hmmm, lets see..labor at 4 zillion dollars an hour, yup that's about right. Anyway, Jack got it done by an independant mechanic for around 600 bucks, tax in. There's a recommendation here, not exactly sure what it is but I'm sure most will be able to recognize the pattern.

About the extra relay, won't this interfere with the headlamp delay option? It works on a pressure switch (the oil pressure sensor) for the rallye-pac.???

Lady72nRob71

Okay, my $10 fix does not have the cute green indicator - might as well get the $1100 one - no prob! GOTTA have the green light on the dash!!

I am sure with the right relay(s) and wiring diagram, this basic circuit could work with a delay circuit. Of course I would not try this on any car that uses a computer module to control the lights.
Now rigging up a switch on the shifter that turns the lights on when in "drive" would be the more keen idea and would easily work with the delay function...
Hmmm.... Maybe replace the inner high-beam onlys with high-low beam units like the outers and connect the inner low beams together in series to the new relay, and have another relay to disable them while the main lights are turned on................. Great, now I have the urge to go home and look it all up!
But wait - I don't need no stinkin' DRLs!!

Allan R

Lady72nRob71

Much better than the other way around! Ever see a plumber blindly cut into a wall above a wall outlet?

still???

You must have read my interior thread where I screwed up on the carpet trimming...
Yes I did recover after the beers in the brain saved the day...

delmontcrusier

I payed a little more for a set of lights for my 92 explorer they have fog lights and driving lights with a two switch set up.I drilled a small hole in the firewall to get the wires through and took out the fuse for the heater one of those thin push in kind set up the wires and a bus/round fuse so that the lights came on when power went on for the heater and wala they both have power and I got a ten% discount on my insurance.the best part is I have fog and driving lights and can shut them off if I need to.When I first bought the setup the switches lit up but the bulb blew ehh who needs lighted switches

stevengerard

My 1970 convertible has front shoulder belts, the assembly manual shows how they get installed. If folks need them I can scan the drawings in. I have only seen one other convertible from that era with them installed. In 1970 even the back seats had an option for sholder belts.

ddd777

Yes, please scan.
Interested in how that was done.

ddd777

anybody have experience with these?

http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo...belt-help.html

stevengerard

upper right of this image shows convertible front passenger shoulder belt

stlbluesbrother

Here's an alternate depiction of the shoulder belt connection to the body for a convertible. The 1st pic is from the 1970 Fisher Body manual and the 2nd is of my '70 SX convertible.

cdrod

stlbluebrother,
Is there some kind of slot in the piston cover for the rear shoulder belt, or does the shoulder strap get sandwiched between the ash cover and the piston cover? I'm restoring a '72 vert; didn't find any shoulder belts but the lap belts have the extra hole at the buckle end for the shoulder belt to clip into. See attached pic.

stevengerard

no slot it just sneaks through - as you said "sandwiched" The original set-ups had a piece of clear plastic over the belt that protected it from getting torn.

MDchanic

Just so you know, '70 seat belts are different from '71 and '72.

The '70s are plain buckles (one for lap, one for shoulder), the '72s (and I believe the '71s) have the keyhole interlock and a single receptacle.

- Eric

stevengerard

I thought the keyhole started in 72

MDchanic

Could be. I never had a '71 .

oldspackrat

Pretty sure it did start in '72.

stlbluesbrother

In the attached picture you can see the clear plastic sleeve Steven mentions. Mine has become discolored with time.

IMG_0527.jpg

cdrod

I have a '71 Supreme waiting to be my next project, so I checked the frotn buckles. My '71 does not have the keyhole slot like the '72. But this brings to mind another question about rear belts, when did the rear seat belts become retractable? I had a '71 convertible that the seat belts did not retract; instead of retracting, they clipped into "holders" that were mounted to the front edge of the bottom seat cushion. I think my '71 hardtop (the sweet car, I never should have sold, shown in my avatar) had the same arrangement in the rear. Just wondering what is correct.

stevengerard

72 as well.

My clear plastic is yellowed as well. Interestingly your other plastic part is gold which matches the webbing. Mine is black since my webbing is black as well. I would have thought they'd make all of those black and not bother matching the color of the seat belts.

Cutlass Mike

Good morning, I know that this is one old thread but I couldn't find any recent information on the 72 seat belt set up. I am in need of the lap belt for a strato bucket for the passenger side. Both, the male and female with the added slot receiver for the slotted shoulder strap. Does anyone have any information on where I can buy these? Or does anyone have any information on the conversion? I also am in need of the plastic shoulder strap trim that holds the shoulder belt in place when not in use.

joe_padavano

The belts where the shoulder belt fits into the lap belt buckle are the Deluxe Belts. I've been very happy with seat belts from Jesse Grooms, 757-636-1032. Call as he does not have a website.

Cutlass Mike

Much appreciated. Thank you