red&blue442

Does anyone know where I can buy black 1969 442 stock seat belts (the ones with polished metal buckles)? I have checked Year One, Fusick, and Brothers Automotive Products with no luck. I'm going to look in some junkyards when I get time, but I need the seat belts to be in good shape. I'd appreciate any ideas on where to find/buy some.

Thanks

Olds64

I think there is a company that somone has linked to in the past that repairs old seat belts. You might have some luck with the search function.

If you don't want "original" then you can get black aftermarket buckles from Kanter.

jaunty75

How much to you want to spend? If money is no object, try this fellow:


Joe Orecchia
34719 Lilac Street
Union City, CA 94587
(510)301-9482
Gmold70@aol.com


He advertises in Hemmings. He had seat belts for my '67 Delta 88. $300, and that was with me sending him for repair my outboard front belts, which were the retractors and which still worked, but for which the plastic housings were broken. I did not have the inboard front belts nor any of the rear belts. This price was for a four-person set (two front, two rear).

If you have no rebuildable cores and need everything, $500 for a complete, correct, like-new set for your car would not be out of line.

red&blue442

I can't have them repaired because the car was originally gold inside but now has black interior. I will check out Hemmings and possibly contact Mr. Orecchia. I am also watching ebay.

Thanks a bunch for the advice

Bluevista

Try posting in parts wanted, somebody may have a set.

That metal one would be the Deluxe buckle.
Snake Oyl restores them and sells restored sets and generic type belts.
They're expensive, new or good used.

http://www.ssnake-oyl.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

compedgemarine

if you have the originals I would opt to have them rebuilt. they reuse the buckles and reweb them with new material. old belts are just that, OLD. the webbing deteriorates with age and if you should need them it is not uncommon for old ones to snap under a load. that is the reason race associations require dated belts. after a certain time they are considered to be unsafe. you may not want to spend $500 or what ever but consider what your or your families life is worth.

jaunty75

You can protect your family for a lot less than $500. The choice isn't just between a set of period-correct, like-new belts for $500 or deteriorated old ones. It may not be correct for the year, but you CAN go online and buy very serviceable, decent-looking seat belts for $20 a set in a choice of colors. They won't look much like what came on the car in 1968, but they will protect your family.

compedgemarine

very true and there are some quality belts out there for far less than $500. my point was that if you 'have' to have original buckles I would rebuild them over buying an old set to put in it.

jaunty75

I thought your point was this, but I wasn't sure.

red&blue442

I did not know that the belts could have new nylon/webbing put on them, but that makes sense. I would also like to put original seat belts, or at least the buckles, in because I'm shooting for a stock restoration. But as of now it's not drivable yet anyways (no convertible top, ruined tires), so I have some time to look around for the seat belts. Safety isn't an issue for the time being because its just sitting in my garage, but I'll be sure to remember to make sure the belts are in good shape before I put them in so they'd work if I really needed them.

Thanks