seat belts

[nmarlow 10]

had all the interior done on my 69 including new seat belts. the new ones they put in were generic. would like to put in the originals, but are badly discolored. is it possible to re-dye them? any suggestions? thanks nancy m.

[70Mach03 12]

I hate to say this but you may be better off going with an OEM style from a Mustang vendor. Even if you re-dye the belts, you're still looking at nearly 40 year old belt material that has surely lost some of its tensile strength over the years. :frown:

 

Several of them advertise a modern 3-point Retractable shoulder harness in original colors. From a safety standpoint that might be a better way to go.:smile:

[Pakrat 1,043]

Nancy, is your intention to drive the car or show it? I get the impression from various conversations that you are struggling to get every little detail correct so if it is for show purposes then dyeing the originals would be fine but I agree that for safety it may not be the best way to go. A new set of correct ones would be a wiser investment if you are going to drive it.

 

BTW, post some pics of your car, we would love to see some progress and what you are building.

[69grandecj 0]

I used Dallas Mustang to restore mine but it took about 3 months to get them back. Most people use Snake Oyl to restore there belts. They are a bit pricy but I heard they do excellent work.

[bnickel 10,004]

i would also suggest snake oyl to restore the originals.

 

i found out that with a really good cleaning the faded spots on mine were not nearly as bad. i soaked mine in the bathtub with really hot water and dawn for about an hour, the drained the tub and rinsed the belts off, then repeated the process but also scrubbed the belts with a fingernail brush and more dawni then rinsed again and used my air compressor to blow them dry as much as possible and let them sit in the sun for a while to let them get good and dry and blew them out again to keep the latch internals dry. i also used apsring amounts of light machine oil to keep the internals from rusting up.

 

there are a couple spots that could still use some help with the fading, but i think they'll be fine as they are.

 

as a side note, before i started my belts were super stiff and i thought they might be beyond saving but after cleaning they are nice and soft and as flexible as new. it was all the dirt and sweat and whatever else that made them so stiff. yuck!!!!!!!

[bnickel 10,004]

there is one more option, if you can sew there are places you can get seat belt webbing material and you could re-do them yourself. i caution that doing this is not for everyone. the belts use a special nylon thread that is very heavy duty and the pattern of the sewing should be followed closely. i have seen this done but have never attempted it myself as of yet. at one time i had seriously considered adding a shelby style rollbar but was not willing to invest a couple grand in the seatbelt assemblies so i did some research into doing them myself and having someone sew them up for me (mother in law) in the end i decided to install a 68 roof console instead but that idea has also been scrapped since i'm going to have to sell the car when it's finally done.

[nmarlow 10]

actually they are in really good shape & no repairs are needed. the only thing wrong is that they are partially discolored. thanks for all the great suggestions.:001_smile:

[bnickel 10,004]

the discoloration might not seem so bad once you get them cleaned up. as i said mine looked a lot worse than they actually were because they were so dirty

[buening 63]

Well what kind of budget are you working with? There is a user on ebay that will restore yours or sell you rebuilt ones. See here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/70-Mustang-boss-Mach-Cougar-seat-belts-Ford-seatbelts_W0QQitemZ200047913718QQihZ010QQcategoryZ34206QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[bnickel 10,004]

i'll tell you guys one of my little secrets, just don't spread it around. you can get the deluxe chrome seat belt buckle bezels from most any 70's ford truck or van and a lot of times the chrome is in excellent shape, possibly because no one ever used the seat belts in their trucks or maybe just because they are newer, who know's.

[buening 63]

i'll tell you guys one of my little secrets, just don't spread it around. you can get the deluxe chrome seat belt buckle bezels from most any 70's ford truck or van and a lot of times the chrome is in excellent shape, possibly because no one ever used the seat belts in their trucks or maybe just because they are newer, who know's.

 

Have you compared them side by side? Are they Hamill stamped on the backside? I knew that they were similar but didn't pay close enough attention to see if they were exact. The front buckles are smaller than the rear buckles. Also for those that don't know, the male portion of the deluxe seat belts are different than the standard belts. The female portion is obvious with the chrome/steel bezels. These are only for 70+ belts and not 69 belts. 69 belts just have a stainless accent trim around the black buckle. If anyone needs pictures of side by side comparison of the 70+ deluxe vs. standard, let me know.

[bnickel 10,004]

Have you compared them side by side? Are they Hamill stamped on the backside? I knew that they were similar but didn't pay close enough attention to see if they were exact. The front buckles are smaller than the rear buckles. Also for those that don't know, the male portion of the deluxe seat belts are different than the standard belts. The female portion is obvious with the chrome/steel bezels. These are only for 70+ belts and not 69 belts. 69 belts just have a stainless accent trim around the black buckle. If anyone needs pictures of side by side comparison of the 70+ deluxe vs. standard, let me know.

 

 

not sure. i'm just talking about the chrome bezel around the buckle. you're right about the 70 rears being different, i forgot about that. the 69's are the same front and rear though and the 70's truck buckles are the same as the 69 style. not sure what you mean about the stainless acent trim. i think we may be talking about the same piece, actually, and they are chromed plastic bezels not stainless.

[buening 63]

From what i have seen, the 69 deluxe buckle is the same as or similar to the standard buckle except it has the stainless or chrome accent trim around the perimeter of the buckle, so you still see the black buckle. The 70+ deluxe buckles are the ones shown in the same ebay user above (different auction) and are completely all metal. The same ebay member has some 68 deluxe seatbelts, which are similar to the 69 deluxe belts with exception to the lap belt. They have the chrome accent

 

I think you can buy these bezels in reproduction to "upgrade" your standard belts IIRC.

[bnickel 10,004]

From what i have seen, the 69 deluxe buckle is the same as or similar to the standard buckle except it has the stainless or chrome accent trim around the perimeter of the buckle, so you still see the black buckle. The 70+ deluxe buckles are the ones shown in the same ebay user above (different auction) and are completely all metal. The same ebay member has some 68 deluxe seatbelts, which are similar to the 69 deluxe belts with exception to the lap belt. They have the chrome accent

 

I think you can buy these bezels in reproduction to "upgrade" your standard belts IIRC.

 

 

look closely at the auction above, you see how the front and rear belts are different? the front belts are the same as the 69 belts. the buckle is actually made of many different pieces. on the face of the buckle there is a center piece and an outer trim ring both are made of plastic and they are in fact 2 seperate pieces although they do appear to be one piece. when you take them apart the outer bezel can be replaced with chrome one(it's actually vacuum metalized plastic) instead of the standard black piece. the rear belts are in fact all metal but the fronts are not. i'll see if i can find some pics to illustrate what i'm talking about, if not i'll take some of my disassembled belts and post them later.

[bnickel 10,004]

check this ebay auction and you'll see what i'm talking about

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-69-70-FoMoCo-Mustang-Cougar-Seat-Belt-Buckles_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33725QQihZ007QQitemZ170003334647

[buening 63]

Belt replacement/upgrade bezels for 69-earlier:

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-69-70-MUSTANG-FALCON-BELT-BUCKLE-RESTORATION-KIT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34206QQhashZitem270057343305QQihZ017QQitemZ270057343305QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

I'm not sure if those will work on a 70 standard buckle, but if they do it will be incorrect as they use all metal buckles for deluxe belts in 70 as can be seen from the picture below (deluxe belts only!)

 

 

 

 

 

Also keep in mind that the female buckle for the front seats on a 69 actually has two separate buckles (due to shoulder belt). In 70 they went with a quick connect shoulder belt that has a knob going through a hole in the male buckle.

 

B, we're talking bout the same thing I'm just throwing the differences out there for those that don't know so they don't purchase 70 belts for their 69 or vise versa, along with the differences in the deluxe versions between the two years. Also, i think you meant to say the rear belts on the 70 standards are the same as the 69 fronts (buckle only). IIRC the front buckles on the 69 are the larger buckle, much like the 70 rears. The 69 fronts have the same size buckle as the rear 69s as well too. I'm sure i've confused most people by now :frown:

[bnickel 10,004]

so the 70 stangs used the small buckle in the front? that's wierd, my 70 cougar had the big buckles in the front.

[indianfiremach 170]

I wrote this on another forum about a year ago, I have a lot of experience restoring 69/70 belts. Rewebbing or replacing is not your only option.

 

Hey everyone, for several years now I have been restoing 67-70 original seatbelts. Most for our cars and friends cars, and sometimes for resale to keep my project going. Anyway, through trial and error I've found a good process for redoing seatbelts, and it costs almost nothing - provided you have a good core set. Also, I should mention that I don't reweb belts, I've always been able to find good ones without resorting to that. A lot of people have asked me how to redo theirs, and believe me it really makes a huge difference. SSnakeoil, eat your heart out (just kidding, if you have a crappy set of belts or can't find a core, give them $400 or so and get a good set)

 

Anyway, here's a little (not quite....) guide.

 

1. Look over your belts, make sure they are the proper type. Ford used a lot of the same kind of belts 68-69 (and also in the rears in some 70's) but they came in different lengths. Look for tears, or fuzzy fabric. If its stiff thats fine, it'll be softer then 300 count sheets by the time the resto's done. Tears or rusted chrome though, won't do. If it looks iffy, toss it and find a better core. Core belts with good fabric and chrome are cheap, I've never had problems finding them. A lot of times they're just dirty so people think they're junk. Before you toss anything, though, be sure to keep the good plastic buckle housing to replace others which may be broken or about to be broken when taking them off. To take it off, you'll need two small regular screwdrivers. Stick one on the LH side of the buckle, when upside down. Then repeat the process with the other one on the opposite side. Work the screwdrivers around a little (be careful) and the buckle will start to pop right off. You get better after a few tries. Practice on any broken ones first. Also, if you break any and don't have extras, I have some for 68/69, $5 a buckle.

 

Here's what to look for in 67-70 belts. This is not out of a manual, this is what I've seen in cars most often.

 

67 - chrome buckle with retractors in front. All metal, cases do not come apart. These are often in poor shape. No shoulder harness.

 

68 - Similiar to 69 style, but for the front seats, there are two buckles for each bucket seat, on for the shoulder harness and one for the lap belt. These are two seperate belts, bolted one on top of the other.

 

69 hardtop - double buckle style for front seats, and the shoulder belts have elastic to hold them against the headliner. You can buy new elastic from, yes, believe it or not, Walmart. It is exact, I've compared it to NOS. Get the 1/2 inch thick black elastic from the arts & crafts section. Have it sewn on and voila....moving on.

 

69 convertible - no shoulder harness, no retractors either. They can be put in but will not retract due to pressure between the seats and rocker.

 

70 hardtop - switched to a different style buckle, shoulder buckle looks like a racing/aircraft harness. There is only one buckle for each front seat, it's small and the retractor is huge, the shoulder harness links into it. Back buckles same as 68/69/70.

 

70 convertible - something different entirely. All metal buckle, brushed aluminum in appearance. Cannot be taken apart.

 

2. Now that you've found your good (although dirty, stiff, and tired looking) set, take off the plastic on every belt. Also, I should mention that color is unimportant. Whatever color your core belts are, doesn't matter. The nicest belts I did were a set of tan 69 belts. They can now be found, black enough to please Henry Ford, in a concourse boss 429 a friend has. No one can tell they were another color, and the color will never chip, peel, or fade to anything but black.

 

Now, before cleaning them, polish the chrome. If you do it later, you'll get chrome polish on your shiny new looking belt. Then, dip all the belts you'll be using in a tub, clean bucket, or sink and fill with very soapy water. Let soak for several hours. Then take belts out and clean with sponge. Semi-dry them and hang them up.

 

3. Now comes the part where you'll redye them - using - RIT dye! Yes, the dye your grandmother used to dye scarves and socks is the secret to getting your seatbelts in A+ condition. It does not weaken them, nor does it stick to the chrome. It does ruin the tags, but they're usually junk anyway. They come out soft, supple, and with great color. Anyway, when the wife is away, or on a portable burner/hot plate, heat up a mix of dye and water in a junk pot. Then, once boiling, dip the belts in, leave for 10-15 minutes, and pull them out. Rinse them thoroughly after they have cooled! Rinse them 2-3 times, to get the excess dye out. Once it dries, the color will be really sharp, the belt soft, and it won't come out on your clothes. Rit has a variety of colors to choose from, as well.

 

4. Clean and re-assemble the buckles. Repaint the plastic buckles, and be sure to put the push button back in. Give the belts a good coating of armor-all or formula 2001 to protect the sheen and color, but not enough to make it greasy.

 

So, if you started out with good cores and did everything right, you should have a really nice set of belts at a fraction of the cost of a restored set. The whole process takes between 2-3 hours, give or take.

 

Thanks for reading this far, and hope you found it useful. I'm waiting for my friends to get off work to go out but thought I'd write this out to kill some time.

 

Don't toss 'em, restore 'em

Jason

[bnickel 10,004]

I wrote this on another forum about a year ago, I have a lot of experience restoring 69/70 belts. Rewebbing or replacing is not your only option.

 

Hey everyone, for several years now I have been restoing 67-70 original seatbelts. Most for our cars and friends cars, and sometimes for resale to keep my project going. Anyway, through trial and error I've found a good process for redoing seatbelts, and it costs almost nothing - provided you have a good core set. Also, I should mention that I don't reweb belts, I've always been able to find good ones without resorting to that. A lot of people have asked me how to redo theirs, and believe me it really makes a huge difference. SSnakeoil, eat your heart out (just kidding, if you have a crappy set of belts or can't find a core, give them $400 or so and get a good set)

 

Anyway, here's a little (not quite....) guide.

 

1. Look over your belts, make sure they are the proper type. Ford used a lot of the same kind of belts 68-69 (and also in the rears in some 70's) but they came in different lengths. Look for tears, or fuzzy fabric. If its stiff thats fine, it'll be softer then 300 count sheets by the time the resto's done. Tears or rusted chrome though, won't do. If it looks iffy, toss it and find a better core. Core belts with good fabric and chrome are cheap, I've never had problems finding them. A lot of times they're just dirty so people think they're junk. Before you toss anything, though, be sure to keep the good plastic buckle housing to replace others which may be broken or about to be broken when taking them off. To take it off, you'll need two small regular screwdrivers. Stick one on the LH side of the buckle, when upside down. Then repeat the process with the other one on the opposite side. Work the screwdrivers around a little (be careful) and the buckle will start to pop right off. You get better after a few tries. Practice on any broken ones first. Also, if you break any and don't have extras, I have some for 68/69, $5 a buckle.

 

Here's what to look for in 67-70 belts. This is not out of a manual, this is what I've seen in cars most often.

 

67 - chrome buckle with retractors in front. All metal, cases do not come apart. These are often in poor shape. No shoulder harness.

 

68 - Similiar to 69 style, but for the front seats, there are two buckles for each bucket seat, on for the shoulder harness and one for the lap belt. These are two seperate belts, bolted one on top of the other.

 

69 hardtop - double buckle style for front seats, and the shoulder belts have elastic to hold them against the headliner. You can buy new elastic from, yes, believe it or not, Walmart. It is exact, I've compared it to NOS. Get the 1/2 inch thick black elastic from the arts & crafts section. Have it sewn on and voila....moving on.

 

69 convertible - no shoulder harness, no retractors either. They can be put in but will not retract due to pressure between the seats and rocker.

 

70 hardtop - switched to a different style buckle, shoulder buckle looks like a racing/aircraft harness. There is only one buckle for each front seat, it's small and the retractor is huge, the shoulder harness links into it. Back buckles same as 68/69/70.

 

70 convertible - something different entirely. All metal buckle, brushed aluminum in appearance. Cannot be taken apart.

 

2. Now that you've found your good (although dirty, stiff, and tired looking) set, take off the plastic on every belt. Also, I should mention that color is unimportant. Whatever color your core belts are, doesn't matter. The nicest belts I did were a set of tan 69 belts. They can now be found, black enough to please Henry Ford, in a concourse boss 429 a friend has. No one can tell they were another color, and the color will never chip, peel, or fade to anything but black.

 

Now, before cleaning them, polish the chrome. If you do it later, you'll get chrome polish on your shiny new looking belt. Then, dip all the belts you'll be using in a tub, clean bucket, or sink and fill with very soapy water. Let soak for several hours. Then take belts out and clean with sponge. Semi-dry them and hang them up.

 

3. Now comes the part where you'll redye them - using - RIT dye! Yes, the dye your grandmother used to dye scarves and socks is the secret to getting your seatbelts in A+ condition. It does not weaken them, nor does it stick to the chrome. It does ruin the tags, but they're usually junk anyway. They come out soft, supple, and with great color. Anyway, when the wife is away, or on a portable burner/hot plate, heat up a mix of dye and water in a junk pot. Then, once boiling, dip the belts in, leave for 10-15 minutes, and pull them out. Rinse them thoroughly after they have cooled! Rinse them 2-3 times, to get the excess dye out. Once it dries, the color will be really sharp, the belt soft, and it won't come out on your clothes. Rit has a variety of colors to choose from, as well.

 

4. Clean and re-assemble the buckles. Repaint the plastic buckles, and be sure to put the push button back in. Give the belts a good coating of armor-all or formula 2001 to protect the sheen and color, but not enough to make it greasy.

 

So, if you started out with good cores and did everything right, you should have a really nice set of belts at a fraction of the cost of a restored set. The whole process takes between 2-3 hours, give or take.

 

Thanks for reading this far, and hope you found it useful. I'm waiting for my friends to get off work to go out but thought I'd write this out to kill some time.

 

Don't toss 'em, restore 'em

Jason

 

 

excellent write-up, thank you very much. this is pretty much the exact same process i used except mine did not require re-dying. after reading your write up i may give the shoulder belts atry with the dye since they are the only ones that had an real discoloring at all.

 

 

BTW, for what it's worth i've always used the same RIT dye for redying carpets as well. works great. i had a very good selection of different colored RIT dyes when i had my detail shop several years ago. just mix it up with some hot water and you can even add carpet shampoo to the mix as well if the carpets are very dirty although i recommend shampooing them first. you can adjust the color slightly if you don't use too much dye to start with, then add the dye in increments until you get the color match you desire. the RIT dyes can also be mixed with other colors as well to get the correct match to your original carpet. on black carpet i always dye them with RIT and then go back later after the carpet has dried and use the spray can stuff to get more of the correct sheen in the carpet. i prefer Mar-Hyde or VHT spary can dyes but i've heard the SEM stuff is pretty good as well.

[buening 63]

 

70 convertible - something different entirely. All metal buckle, brushed aluminum in appearance. Cannot be taken apart.

 

 

I agree with everything but this one. What you've probably seen are the deluxe buckles for the verts. There are standard buckles like the fastback/hardtop but as you said for the 69 verts, there is no retracter. And i believe they used large buckles on the fronts for the 70 verts so they matched the rears. I may be confusing that statement with the 69s though. There was a thread on the VMF where chpierce couldn't find any info on 70 vert buckles. I'll try to dig up that thread and post it here tomorrow morning.