seat belt buckles

[moodster 55]

Can 1969 standard seat belt buckles be converted into deluxe buckles?

[stangs-R-me 120]

I believe so ... just a chromed plastic bezel in place of a plain black plastic bezel.

Doug

[MN69Grande 203]

You have a few options.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=1969+mustang+deluxe+seat+belts&p=1

[stangs-R-me 120]

Had to check out your CJ link and I was not aware that Scott Drake was reproducing complete '68-69 Seat Belt assemblies.   And they have kits to restore both the std. black AND chrome trimmed buckles.

They also offer a 3-point kit with OE looking buckles (not '68-69 style though) ...

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-seat-belt-black-3-point-retractable-with-vintage-push-button-front-pair-coupe-fastback-1968-1973/p/SBR9B/

... anyone know if the male end is the same as '68-69 so you could retain your inner buckles that fit nicely in the top of the console ??

If not, it would be nice if they would offer a kit using the '68-69 style buckles ... I'd be all over that as the console would look naked without them !!

Doug

[Shep69 149]

1 hour ago, stangs-R-me said:

Had to check out your CJ link and I was not aware that Scott Drake was reproducing complete '68-69 Seat Belt assemblies.   And they have kits to restore both the std. black AND chrome trimmed buckles.

They also offer a 3-point kit with OE looking buckles (not '68-69 style though) ...

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-seat-belt-black-3-point-retractable-with-vintage-push-button-front-pair-coupe-fastback-1968-1973/p/SBR9B/

... anyone know if the male end is the same as '68-69 so you could retain your inner buckles that fit nicely in the top of the console ??

If not, it would be nice if they would offer a kit using the '68-69 style buckles ... I'd be all over that as the console would look naked without them !!

Doug

Hi Doug. I purchased a set of these 3 point retractables a while back and are still in the box . Im going to fit them next week when I get home from work. From what i can remember the buckle  is smaller than the 68-69 factory belts but it still fits in the console. I think i also had to drill out the floor mounting point hole as it was too small for the factory bolt. Another thing that I was thinking about was getting an extension piece from the roof so it doesnt cut into my neck.

[stangs-R-me 120]

34 minutes ago, Shep69 said:

Hi Doug. I purchased a set of these 3 point retractables a while back and are still in the box . Im going to fit them next week when I get home from work. From what i can remember the buckle  is smaller than the 68-69 factory belts but it still fits in the console. I think i also had to drill out the floor mounting point hole as it was too small for the factory bolt. Another thing that I was thinking about was getting an extension piece from the roof so it doesnt cut into my neck.

 

Please try your original female buckles on the new male 3-point end to see if they mate.   Better yet, compare the old & new male end shape/dimensions ... if they match, then there should be no problem using the old '68-69 female ends with the new.   Or if you wanted all new, just buy a pair of the new repro '68-69 belt sets to go with the new 3-point sets:

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-seat-belt-deluxe-concours-black-all-1968-1969-convertible-1970/p/SBM10B/

Doug

[Shep69 149]

2 hours ago, stangs-R-me said:

 

Please try your original female buckles on the new male 3-point end to see if they mate.   Better yet, compare the old & new male end shape/dimensions ... if they match, then there should be no problem using the old '68-69 female ends with the new.   Or if you wanted all new, just buy a pair of the new repro '68-69 belt sets to go with the new 3-point sets:

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-seat-belt-deluxe-concours-black-all-1968-1969-convertible-1970/p/SBM10B/

Doug

I will check it out Doug.  I purchased my set through Summit as they were about $30 cheaper.

[RPM 1,190]

Ouch! SD is proud of those. I picked up a pair from Wesco for under $100.

[stangs-R-me 120]

3 hours ago, Shep69 said:

I will check it out Doug.  I purchased my set through Summit as they were about $30 cheaper.

When i was shopping for wheels I noticed Summit caries SD parts, so I did check them out yesterday and saw the price savings.   There are a few other SD items I've been looking at that amounted to under $100, so this will be nice to combine with to get free shipping on all of it.   I've got $20 in RPM points at CJP, so I'll likely buy a few small items from them to burn that up too.   

Doug

 

[stangs-R-me 120]

3 hours ago, RPM said:

Ouch! SD is proud of those. I picked up a pair from Wesco for under $100.

I read somewhere that the SD seat belts are made somewhere in Florida.    Googled Wesco and two companies popped up ... but neither sound like they do seat belts nor were they located in Florida.   A link maybe ??

Thanks,

Doug

 

[RPM 1,190]

wescoperformance.com

[Shep69 149]

5 hours ago, RPM said:

wescoperformance.com

Yes I did look at those belts but the Scott Drake buckles look a bit more factory style compared to Wesco .

 

[moodster 55]

The SD buckles look like 67 Mustang buckles.  You could buy the Wesco setup and use your stock 69 buckles instead.  I can tell you that the chrome aviator style buckles shown in the picture above rattle a lot.  

david

[RPM 1,190]

1 hour ago, moodster said:

 I can tell you that the chrome aviator style buckles shown in the picture above rattle a lot.  

david

Whaaat? A month ago I drove my 69 to Florida and back w/o any rattles from the chrome retro buckles.

[Shep69 149]

Photo of Scott Drake v Original buckle. The SD tongue won’t fit in the original buckle as it’s too thick but the original tongue fits in the SD buckle. If you want to have original buckles on a Three point seat belt set up you will have to use your old ones like Moodster said and get them swapped over. I’m not about to cut up my originals so I’m happy with the SD ones. 

 

[stangs-R-me 120]

Interesting ... those male ends are pretty different.   Which makes me wonder if these new ones would properly mate up with ANY O.E. Classic Mustang Seat Belt.   They do state "vintage styled buckles", but this does not mean that they will mate with a vintage male end or vise versa.

This made me wonder if the new '68-69 repro's might be different too as CJP only shows them buckled up.   So went to SD site and they actually show them un-buckled, and they do appear to match the O.E. elongated slot:

http://www.drakeautomotivegroup.com/Store/Product/SB-BK-68-C.aspx?wid=141

So the only way to use O.E. buckles would be to find a place that can sew seat belts (maybe a seat belt refurbish company) to swap out '68-69 style male ends onto the new 3-point kit.   Or, if the company that makes these for SD also makes the repro '68-69 ones they might be willing to do a custom set using the '68-69 style buckles.

Doug   

[moodster 55]

19 hours ago, RPM said:

Whaaat? A month ago I drove my 69 to Florida and back w/o any rattles from the chrome retro buckles.

Mine didn't rattle either when I first got them.  The spring used to hold the clasp is light duty.  After about 10k miles and hundreds of buckling and unbuckling most of mine rattle now.  I also tote my two kids to school in mine so the other buckles get a lot of use as well.

david

[RPM 1,190]

Great, guess I'll have to turn up the stereo as I do like the looks. 

[stangs-R-me 120]

On 11/10/2017 at 3:42 AM, Shep69 said:

Photo of Scott Drake v Original buckle. The SD tongue won’t fit in the original buckle as it’s too thick but the original tongue fits in the SD buckle. If you want to have original buckles on a Three point seat belt set up you will have to use your old ones like Moodster said and get them swapped over. I’m not about to cut up my originals so I’m happy with the SD ones. 

 

 

I'm assuming you have a Mach 1 so I'm hoping you still have the console ... can you post a pic of the new SD buckles nested in the holsters ??   Also probably just as important, is the webbing on the buckles long enough to actually reach the console holsters ??

Thanks,

Doug    

[Shep69 149]

7 hours ago, stangs-R-me said:

 

I'm assuming you have a Mach 1 so I'm hoping you still have the console ... can you post a pic of the new SD buckles nested in the holsters ??   Also probably just as important, is the webbing on the buckles long enough to actually reach the console holsters ??

Thanks,

Doug    

Doug , the buckles fit in the console. I’m fitting the console to my mustang today so I will get some some photos for you. I’m sure they will be long enough. Another thing you might want to consider is the mounting point for the retract unit. I welded in a new point further back so the seat didn’t contact with the retractor. I’m also considering putting in a drop link extension piece to lower the belt . That way it won’t cut into your neck. 

Cheers Mark

[Shep69 149]

Doug. The buckles fit nicely into the console holsters but I have to take them to the limit as the belts are only just long enough. The factory mounts are way back which doesn’t help. I’m going to mount the retract unit and seat and see how it goes. 

[fvike 173]

On 10.11.2017 at 10:42 AM, Shep69 said:

Photo of Scott Drake v Original buckle. The SD tongue won’t fit in the original buckle as it’s too thick but the original tongue fits in the SD buckle. If you want to have original buckles on a Three point seat belt set up you will have to use your old ones like Moodster said and get them swapped over. I’m not about to cut up my originals so I’m happy with the SD ones. 

 

I believe the SD buckle is in the style of, and be correct for, 1970 Mustangs. The top ones is of course 1969.

As for the OPs question, yes It can be done. I did it with mine.

[stangs-R-me 120]

Got a set of the Scott Drake 3-Point Belts for Christmas and messed around with them yesterday.   Very happy with the quality and fit considering it is a retrofit using the factory 3 mounting points.  

As previously mentioned, the factory seat belt shoulder bolts are a bit too big for the replacement seat belts.   OE bolts have a 0.496" o.d. shoulder and the SD inner belt & retractor have 0.495 & 0.484" holes so they will need to be reamed out to fit.   The swing arm that gets sandwiched between the retractor & inner rocker is OK as it has a .508" hole ... hopefully the 0.501" reamer I've got at work is good enough for opening up the inner belts & retractors.

One other thing, the plastic cover on the retractor is in the way of accessing the OE bolt with a typical T50 socket ... thankfully it pops off easy enough.

Doug     

[stangs-R-me 120]

Only gripe I've got is that you need to fully extend the FM buckle webbing to get into the console top holsters, and to get it in the right position for use I need to slide it back about 7 inches.   I will likely not be putting them in the holsters every time I get out of the car like I used to do ... just when at shows.

4 more pics, 2nd one is SD Buckle vs. O.E. buckle ...

[stangs-R-me 120]

Realized just now that me & Shep69 put all this info in a thread that started by the OP asking if the deluxe chrome buckle trim can be swapped onto std. black buckles.   Really should have started a new thread appropriately titled "Scott Drake 3-Point Seat Belt Kit", but oh well. 

One more tid bit ... the S-D 3-PT Seat Belt Set is made by Seatbelt Solutions in Jupiter, Florida ...