My GS is badly in need of new seat belts. In reading the owner's manual, it appears that shoulder belts were an option for 1967. Has anyone out there upgraded their 67 to shoulder belts? How do I locate the anchor in the roof rail? I felt around unsuccessfully for an anchor plate, but I do not want to get too aggressive and poke a hole in my headliner. Can anyone suggest a source for shoulder belts for this year? I would like to buy belts made for my car, rather than a universal kit; which is all I can find on the web. Thanks for your help!
The anchors are in the top. You need to look at a car with them to get an idea where they are located. What color interior do you have? SnakeOyl Products restores maybe sells them for your car. Won't be cheap. Local yard has a 66 Olds and it may have them. Car has red int.
It has a black interior. I have a sketch from the Fisher Body Manual that shows how to install the shoulder belts, but it really isn't clear where the mount is in the rail from the perspective of the sketch. I am surprised that they did not include dimensions of where to punch holes in the headliner when mounting the shoulder belts for the dealers. Anybody got a pic to post that shows the shoulder belt mounting in their car? Is there a link to SnakeOyl Products? I'll have to take a look. I have seen companies that sell universal kits that have a retractor that mounts in the rear at the rocker, and a D-ring that mounts up at the roof rail. That may be fine with a four door that has a B-pillar that you can mount the retractor to, but with a hardtop, the rear seat occupies the same space that the retractor wants to be. Thanks for your help.
I am in the (long and drawn out) process of putting 3-point retractable belts in my '65 GS. I'm using the original buckles installed on new three-point retractable belt systems for that "stock" look with the safety of a modern belt system. I have the rear ones in and I stashed the retractors under the package trayand cut two openings just outside of the seat back for the belts to pass through to the passenger compartment. They look "stock" but give me peace of mind when my girls are in the back seat. The front belts are going in next. It looks like the retractors will fit inside the rear armrests, with a small slit near the front of the armrest where it meets the interior panel for the belt. I am not putting the upper anchor in the roof, it is going in near the top of the interior panel, just behind the door jamb. I know that isn't the best location, but I am not taking out the headliner to have a mounting plate welded into my roof. I think you should try to use the newer aftermarket system and just adapt it with the original buckles to look stock. I am using Westco Performance belts. It is a good product that matches my interior color (tan) well.
Abourt four years ago, several BCA members ordered shoulder belts from a guy in Ohio, who seemed to know alot about our Buicks. There were many complaints about him not responding for months once he got your money, but he did send my belts, which were top quality. He included correct 1966 Buckles and also the roof retainers for when the belts were not in use. So, I have a very "correct" looking set of 1966 belts. The shoulder belts are non-retractable and similar to airplane belts. They anchor into the existing floor tunnel anchors with the lap belts. Luckily, GM began installing the roof anchors just before my car was built in February, 1966, that was a not an issue for me.
So Harry, where do I look to find the anchors in my roof rail for the shoulder belts? Even though you have a '66, the location of the anchors should not have changed in '67. Do you have some pics handy, or how did you locate the anchor under the headliner, when you installed your belts? Thanks!
My car just went into the Midas shop to have a custom exhaust made up, so I won't have it available for a couple of days. As I recall, the anchor plate is above the area where the windows meet, and maybe 1 1/2 inches into the roof. It takes the same thread bolt as the floor anchors, so it was not hard to find by probing my little finger along the headliner.
Thanks, Harry. I'll check it out. Unfortunately, my time right now is being split between work and a new house my wife and I are building. Tomorrow I get back to work on building a set of bookcases. It's been kinda interesting though. I've never done any serious woodworking before. So far things look pretty good. I've built things like a deck before, but never furniture. I do not think it will be something that I will turn into a hobby, but I am having fun so far. At least it was an excuse to by some new tools. Cool. But it's stuff like this that is keeping me from the really fun stuff. I haven't even had time to get my bike out of winter storage yet. I have missed at least two dyno shootouts in the last three weeks. Plus some local Buick activities. Bummer! I'll be glad when this stupid house is done. But it will be a pretty cool house. :grin:
Got my car back and checked the measurements. The roof anchor's thread hole is located about 2 inches forward of the center of the coat hook, at the same height. I simply marked the headliner and used an Exacto knife to cut out a hole for the bolt.
