I would like to KNOW how you remove the outer casing (female side black metal where release button is at) of the seat belt.I am sure somebody knows.Belts out of a 72 Cutlass. I am prying and pulling and not having any luck removing.Any input much appreciated

 

I don't think they come apart.

- Eric

 

Ha! If they went together they've got to come apart...
Maybe contact Ben (RAMBOW) on this site. He does classic seat restorations and would likely know the answer to that question http://www.seat-guy.com/

 

I have had luck carefully prying them off with a flat blade screwdriver. Pry from the side of the housing, they are very stiff, but will pop loose at some point.

 

That was my philosophy when I was a little kid .

My father was quick to point out, though (from between clenched teeth) that after they come apart, they have to go back together again .

- Eric

 

Yah, if it goes together it has to come apart For everybody elseI've basically pryed everywhere trying not to bend or break anything. They just don't want to give.But just as long as i know they do come apart someway, that's all that matters. I'll figure it out!! I got a junk belt and i'll practice on that.

 

On the back edge of the buckle and this will be the edge opposite of where the other belt is inserted, there is a small flat section that is part of the top cover. You need to get a small screwdriver in there and pry this flat section out so the cover can slide up. and it is fairly rigid. The cover has a folded over tab on the other end so when you release that back area, lift the cover up and then slide it forward. If you want a few photos let me know and I'll see what I can do. Just had one apart 2 weeks ago.

 

Practicing on a junk one is a great idea. IIRC, the cover that you want to remove is built more or less like an upside down 'U'. There is the top cover and that extends down over the sides and locks in place. If you pry along the bottom edge, between the cover and the locking mechanism, it should begin to come off. They are made very stoutly, and it takes a lot to get the metal to start to move. I was sure I would break one before it would budge, but I continued to pry, and all of a sudden it began to come off.
Good luck!

 

I agree the trick is ... geting them back together, and have them work again.

 

I had the same problem with the passenger outboard side on my '68 4-4-2. There was no way I could remove the cover from the belt assembly. Further, the replacement cover I bought from Fusick hardly resembles the original (no complaints about Fusick; I think Fusick is a great source for a wide variety of parts and the repro seat belt cover would do in a pinch but, in this particular case, I want the cover to at least look like the original). Fortunately, the plastic cover on my seat belt assembly was just cracked, not completely broken. I carefully "glued" it back together with JB Weld about a year ago and haven't had an issue with it as of yet.

I'm disappointed in the repro plastic covers, though. It appears the repro product is made as a replacement a number of cars, not just Olds. It kind of looks the same until you compare them side-by-side, when it becomes obvious they are not the same.

Randy C.

 

Forgive my curiosity, but why are you taking it off?

 

Was going to refinish the casings and replace the worn buckle emblems.Bought a re-furbished set and i wasn't to happy with the re-chrome job,so i was gonna try to revive mine.

 

Success.Wasn't as hard as i thought with some ideas from you all.
Took a small putty knife and tapped it into the side of the casing and while prying and putting some pressure on it, took a medium sized flat head screwdriver and pryed on the back of the casing(opposite of where buckle goes in) and that sucka popped right off.I bought a re-furbished set of belts and while they look great i thought the chrome should of been in better condition for the 250$ i spent on them.I am sure they were re-chromed and there's pitting in spots like they re-chromed right over the pitting without fixing first.Anybody need a nice set of re-furbished belts and are not as **** like me let me know!! Now i just need to figure how to get the Belt out of the other Part That's where i am stuck right now!!

 

Nicely done! Don't worry about being picky on your project; it's your right and if it was me I'd probably do the same thing. As far as the other part of the belt, I'll keep tuned because I want to see that too. Bet Brian may have a suggestion for you on that too? Are you going to have the metal sent out for cleaning and re-plating? Might be worth looking into having them powder coated instead-I've seen lots of improvement in the processes and color selection over the past few years.

 

I'm fairly certain that the belt is first inserted through the buckle or other pieces and then sewn together. So to get the buckle off the belt, you would need to cut the belt. I think you're stuck at this point. If you really want nice belts and don't care about the money, you would need to cut the belts off of the various pieces, send your chrome out to be done, refinish the buckles themselves and then send everything to someone who can install new webbing and sew the ends closed. In the end, it might be less expensive to find a better set of belts. Try companies such as Ssnake Oyl products or Python Restoration to see if they have a nice used set or a refurbished set available. If you really want to go crazy, the date code tags are reproduced and can be sewn on the new webbing.

Brian

 

If you want to get the belt out of the buckle, you've got to cut the thread that holds the end rolled over, then unroll it and pull the belt out.

When you put it back together you've got to re-fold the end and re-stitch it.

Are you sure all this is really worth it?

- Eric

 

Well,made some progress this week.Got all the belt buckles apart and re-painted the retractors which were pretty ugly.Had some Alumna Blast from Eastwoods left over and it turned out pretty good.Painted the covers also.Least i didn't have to take all that stuff apart.I think i am gonna try to find someone to Redo the cad plating on the webbing retainers.Can't find them anywhere. Called some of the places mentioned earlier in this thread and they didn't sell them either.Painting them will just probably wear off.I sliced the threading that was holding the webbing fold to get the belt and retainers out and this will also make it easier to buff the chrome on the buckles.My bodyman will paint the casings with some Epoxy and also buff the chrome.He buffed some stainless pieces for my front door panels and they came out amazing so i am hoping the same with the chrome casings. My guy who just did my upolstery can re-sew the webbing.The re-pop GM buttons from the Parts Place are nice for 5$ ea but they are 1-7/8 square as compared to mine with are about 1-3/16 square.What's up with that. I looked everywhere for these and having a hard time to find.So if anybody knows who has these in the correct size please let me know!! Took a picture of my back seat that was just re-done.Like to hear some feedback on my idea of adding the white.I had an all black interior and i felt like breaking it up a bit, but keeping the stock look.Door panels and piston covers were also re-done in white but all my plastic pieces like armrest,seat trim,console etc.. will stay black along with carpet and convertible boot.