I made over the interior in my Dynamic 88 convertible last spring with rebuilt seats and new carpets, but I skipped the seatbelts. They looked really bad, and I know they were a dealer option in 1964. I decided I just didn't need ugly non-functional lap belts messing up the new interior. Well- I have reconsidered that, and now I'm attempting to refurbish and install the front pair of lap belts. I have learned the set I have is the "deluxe" seat belt option, with the Oldsmobile logo on the latches. I found a good 3 panel webbing- it wasn't hard, it's available by the yard on the internet. I sent the mounting brackets and insert end (the "no moving parts" piece) out to be chromed. I still have the mounting bolts, and if they're Ugly, they are available as well. I just have to figure out how to do the stitching. It'll take a stout sewing machine, and I've found most upholstery shops don't want the job. It's difficult, and there could be liability issues if the seat belts failed in a wreck.

I'm working through those issues, but I wanted to share some pictures as I'm getting started.

This is what I have, spread out on the kitchen table


These are the deluxe seat belts. I guess they're kind of rare- a bit rare anyway, and in pretty good shape.


These retractors keep the flat end of the buckle tucked away between the door and the seat. It's not like a modern seat belt. I think it's unique.


I have the old belts, so I have the original factory tags. I could try to clean them up and have them re-attached to the newly reconstructed seat belts.


This is the new webbing material. It's a 3 panel webbing as it should be from 1964, but the color probably isn't a factory red. It is, however, a nice match for my seats, and the carpets.

If anyone has had this done, I'm curious how they got the stitching done. I understand matching the stitch pattern is a really nice touch. I'm not opposed to doing it all by hand, but it won't look like it was done in the factory, or even on a machine.

Feed back welcome!

 

Good idea not to trust 60 year old webbing.
Most racing associations require seat belts to be renewed every 5 years.
This company offers seat belt restoration.
Ssnake Oyl Products

 

Yeah, I checked out Snake Oyl- they're expensive. I have the parts, I just need a seamstress with a really bad *** sewing machine.

 

Good on you for bringing the deluxe belts back, especially with the Olds logo, that’s a great period detail.

Totally understand the stitching/ liability concern. Might be worth checking with a shop that specializes in vintage seatbelt restoration. they’re usually set up for the heavy webbing and proper stitching patterns. Looking forward to the progress pics.

 

I did the same on my 63's and 62's, I was lucky as I found a case of NOS seatbelts back in Nebraska at the OCA nationals and I bought them all. I've been rewebbing them as I need them with new webbing from Ssnake-Oyl-Products. I've been buying them when I see them on E-Bay and at the OCA swap meets.
We are using my wife's sewing machine and following the original pattern and adding the manufacturing tag to match the original look and like you I'm making some of the hardware and getting it plated. This buckle is only used 63/64 as the 65 buckle is the same with a different emblem but the parts swap out into these. I would also add rear belts as well, the panel behind the back seat is dimpled where to drill the anchor bolt holes and you can buy the hardware to install using the oversized washers and steel shim plates. This belt eBay item number:157636772632 is for sale right now but a little higher then I would go for just one end. This end eBay item number:167702591732 is Pontiac but will work on an Olds buckle. You can mix and match hardware on the ends and end up with full sets, Browns-Line made seat belts for GM and were labled to the line and used the same parts.
Good luck and post the finished belts when you get them installed.

 

You are oblivious to the function of the seat belts and stitching. The stitching (thread size, stitch length and pattern) wasn't for decoration. It was to keep you safe in an accident or save your life. Go cheap, its your life and your money.
.........Just my two cents worth.

 

You are correct Ralph- I was oblivious to the purpose of the stitching. I found a website for sailors- sailboats- about sail making, and cargo straps. Briefly, the strength of the strap (or the seatbelt) should be matched with an equally strong stitch, or the stitching will fail under load. There's a formula which basically says strength of the thread and the stitches per inch and the inches of stitch gives you the strength of your stitching. So- TEX90 bonded nylon thread sewn at eight stitches per inch with a total of twenty-four inches of stitching in the correct pattern gives you 4000 lbs tensile strength, which is about what the seatbelt needs to meet safety standards. That X pattern on the old seatbelt is 10 stitches each two inches long, plus two more stitches that run across the fold gives 24" of stitching.

I learned that today.

 

There’s a fella name Jessie Grooms that refurbishes seat belts.
I supplied him with all the pieces and he stitched them together and rebuilt the retractors for me.
I think a bunch of people on here have used him. He shows up to Carlisle swap meet

 

Today I found upholsterer's bonded nylon thread at the craft store. It's weight (TEX 90 for example) isn't listed, but it does recommend #18 needle, which matches the needle size to thread thickness according to the chart I found on the Sailrite website. I bought the thread and a couple needles and a thimble (not my first sewing project). I'm just putting the webbing through the buckles, so the fold to retain the webbing inside the buckle isn't load bearing. This is just for practice. I need the stitches to be straight, evenly spaced, and reasonably neat- it's gotta look good. I'm sewing by hand because I don't have a sewing machine, and buying one that is up to the task of sewing 3 layers of webbing with 90 weight thread is prohibitively expensive.

Here's how it went today...

Buckle disassembled. I had to cut the fold off the old seatbelt to get it out, won't come out otherwise.

after cutting the webbing, I used my butane torch to carefully heat the fibers at the cut edge so they won't unravel later.

Tricky work to feed the strap into the buckle...

...once it's in, fold it over, pull it through, and install the binder/guide thingie

ready to install the buckle cover

With the webbing through the buckle and the cover back in place, I'm ready to stitch up the fold.

It's about an inch wide. I made sure the cut edge is snug against the fold and held it in place with a clamp. I have to stitch it by hand.

As I said earlier, I'm using a bonded nylon upholsterer's thread that recommends a #18 needle, so I'm assuming it's close to a #92 that is needed for the tensile strength, but this stitch isn't load bearing- this is just for practice. I want to try to get eight stitches per inch evenly spaced in a nice straight line.

This is the edge stitch. It holds the cut edge of the webbing tightly against the fold.

After stitching the 2nd stitch the fold is tight. It's just now to decide if the work is neat, straight, and even.

This is the second folded edge, all stitched up.

Job well done, I think...

So that's today's work, The thread was really strong- I couldn't snap it off my hand. Also, being nylon I was able to clean up loose ends but heating them up slightly. I'm confident the thread is correct- or at least, suitable for the job. I know people warn about the seatbelts being safe in a crash, but they're only lap belts. If a simple lap belt was safe enough, we wouldn't have 3 point seatbelts now. It is what it is, and I'm satisfied with the quality of the material. I don't think I got 16 stitches across the two inch strap, only about 12 or 14, so on the load bearing sections, I should try to kep the stitches shorter. Once I get my mounts and buckle "blades" back, the real work begins.

 

I believe that Jesse has passed away. Joe P made that assumption several months ago.

 

I just wanted to add some links and resources... I got the 3 panel webbing from seatbelts plus. They have 4 and 7 panel webbing as well. What you need depends on the year/make/ model. 1964 used a 3 panel webbing...

https://www.seatbeltsplus.com/catego...t-Webbing.html

Thread came from Michaels Crafts... you could get thread and a needle at any sewing supply shop, but this is some stout thread, and for a lap belt, I'm confident in the tensile strength of this thread...
https://www.michaels.com/product/coa...ore=1195&inv=2

and for the red webbing from Seatbelts plus, the red color was a spot on match...

Finally, the Sailrite website that taught me all the stuff I needed to know..
https://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Sew-...Ozxq8mSfzNVXSu

Or you can just Google "How to sew webbing loops". Sailrite is a website for sailors, who sew their own sails, and cargo straps and such... They also sell canvas for sails, and boat covers, and the webbing needed to make cargo straps and such. You know these old sailors- they want to make everything themselves! It's a great resource.

Don't be afraid to do it yourself! Remember people built cars and motorcycles before we had computers, and machine shops on every corner. I guess we're kind of moving back to that now- try to find a good machine shop these days, or a motor shop that'll rebuild your starter.