<VV> Corvair Seatbelt information 1960-1969 - Long

[Rick Loving]

I have been working on an article to wrap together a bunch of different
sources of seatbelt info.

I would like everyone's assistance in correcting errors and/or adding
additional detail.

I have posted the article on Corviar Center Forum so I can have pictures
with the information.

Please check out the article via this link and tell me what you think.

http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.php?1,125818,125818#msg-125818 

There are several pictures I still need that if anyone can send an image of
to me I would greatly appreciate it.

I still need an image of an actual 1960 GM accessory belt.

I need an image of the 1964 Standard belt offering, described as a plain
black plastic lift to release buckle.  It was standard on all 64's around
Jan of 64 so there should be plently out there but all I ever see are the
black 65-66 style in late 64's...

I need an image of the 1967 standard buckle with the Fisher emblem instead
of the later 67 GM mark of excellence emblem.

Rick Loving



Here is a copy of the text of the article, without the pictures...

This article is broke down from my observations, personal deductions,
referenced by Larry Claypool's Stock Is. article on seat belt
identification, indirect help from Dave Newell, Kent Sullivan, Mark Corbin's
Standard features and options spreadsheet, and Body tag info from various
websites on the Internet, scanning many years worth of VV posts, and
searching Ebay ad's for all GM model seatbelts, etc.

I do not have any intentions of publishing it; this is for general reference
only, please only use the information as a guideline only.  I am in no way
standing behind any of this data as fact, as I hope it is an ongoing
development with regular updates to continue to correct errors and add
detail.

All Corvair seat belts from at least 1960-1969 were manufactured for GM by
Irving Air Chute Company.  Most likely all but specifically stated in
installation instructions for the 62-69 belts recommended using the outer
belt coupled with the inner belt located behind the adjacent seat.  This
setup has the two inner belts crossed with both sets are used.

It would seem that many belts crossed over into previous years and or
crossed over into following years as mid year offerings or changes to
accommodate safety requirements.

1960 - Special order dealer installed accessory with only one color choice
available to match all interiors.  Chrome lift to release buckle with gray
webbing and adjustable floor mounts.  This seatbelt could be ordered for
front and rear seat of cars or truck seats.   
 
1961 - Special order dealer installed accessory.  Plain polished alum lift
to release buckle with black webbing and adjustable floor mounts.  Could be
ordered for front and rear of cars or trucks.  A short boot was provided to
cover the mounting hardware for front seat car applications.  

1962 early - (Factory Optional Accessory) FOA 148 Seat belt equipment for
front seat applications, either drivers only or both driver and passenger.
It was similar to the 60-61 buckle. It had a plain polished lift to release
buckle but with black webbing and a mounting system that included eye bolts
to mount in the now provided factory mounting points.  A white vinyl boot
was attached to cover up the hardware.   This could be ordered as a factory
installed option or a dealer install.

A different belt offering was a Special order dealer installed accessory to
be used on trucks and rear seat applications as the mounting hardware was
adjustable and designed to be attached to the body and retained with a
reinforcement plate.   It was the same style as the 1961 belt except the
buckle face and webbing were both black.
 
Late 1962-1963 (Regular Production Option) RPO A37 Seat belt equipment for
front seat applications.  Polished alum lift to release buckle 1/2 dollar
size blue Chevrolet logo emblem and blue printed Custom Feature Accessory
text on a white background, webbing was color coded or contrasted to
interior color.  A matching colored, or white contrasting vinyl boot was
also provide to cover up the eyebolt and attaching hardware as well as
support the webbing as it came up along side the seat.  The colors available
were black, blue, red, white with red boot, white with aqua boot, fawn,
green, aqua, and saddle. The car rears and truck were the same as the 63
buckle with color coded webbing but had an adjustable length mounting plate
like the rear/truck option for 62 and did not come with the vinyl cover.

1964 - Early, RPO A37 Seat belt equipment for front seat applications, this
option used the newly designed color coded buckles and mounting hardware
that included a rough textured, color coded, painted buckle with a small
silver embossed bowtie.  The colors available were black, blue, red, white
with red boot, white with aqua boot, fawn, green, aqua, and saddle.  The
mounting style changed from the eyebolt and aircraft fastener design used in
62-63 to a simple shoulder bolt and short decorative vinyl cover that just
covered the bracket and bolt at the floor level.  Retractors were not offer
as part of the option, but could be added by the dealer for additional cost.


1964 - Mid RPO A20, Several months into production of the 1964's Chevrolet
announced availability of RPO A20, a lower-cost belt than what was used for
RPO A37. It was available in black, blue, red, and fawn with no boots on the
ends. This belt had a plain plastic buckle with no emblem.  RPO A20 was very
short lived as and was discontinued effective January 1st as these belts
became a standard feature, removing the need for the RPO.

*****
I need a picture of this style seat belt, if this was standard there should
be a lot of these around!!!!  I think the description of a plain black
plastic buckle is inaccurate (or another change happened before the end of
production) as I see mainly the 65-66 style black plastic lift to release
buckles (with Fisher Emblem) in a lot of 64's, too many just to be owner
installed.
*****

1964 - RPO A49 Deluxe Front belts with retractors - The previously offered
buckle and belt with RPO A37 now became RPO A49, which  was the rough
textured, color coded, painted buckle with a small silver embossed bowtie.
9 different color combos were offered, most color keyed to seats but also
with contrasting red against white interior with Red dash and red carpet.  

1964 RPO A47 Deluxe rear belts (only available ordered with RPOA49) - Same
as fronts but with adjustable length rear mounting plates.

1964 RPO A62 Seat belt deletion - this RPO was a mid year offering as front
seat belts became a standard option as of Jan 1964 as part of a mid-year
change, since they were not yet required by law they were optional and could
be removed to reduce purchase cost of car.

1965 Standard belt - Front seatbelts were a standard offering.  The 65
buckle was a plastic lift to release buckle with a rectangular black &
silver embossed insert with a Fisher Carriage emblem.  Again the buckle and
webbing were color coded to the interior.  There was no boot to cover the
mounting bolt or attaching plate where it bolted to the factory mounting
point.
 
1965 RPO A64 Custom rear seat belts, matches the color coded plastic lift to
release standard custom seatbelt buckle.

1965 RPO A49 Custom Deluxe Front belts with retractors - Newly designed
buckles and mounting hardware.   The buckles were polished chrome, where the
back half of the buckle lifted to release the catch.  The face of the buckle
had a large rectangular reddish colored Fisher Carriage Logo insert.  The
webbing and protective vinyl boot was color coded to the interior and belt
retractors were provided for the outboard portion of the belt. 

1965 RPO A47 (only available ordered with A49) Custom Deluxe rear belts -
Same as chrome custom deluxe fronts but with adjustable length rear mounting
plates and no vinyl boots.

1965 RPO A62 Seat belt deletion - Standard front belts were a standard
option but they were not required could be removed to reduce purchase cost
of car.  This option was removed as a mid year removal when the federal
government mandated front belts effective January 1965. 

Since the Corvair was considers a 6 passenger vehicle when equipped with
bench seats, a front center belt was also included on all bench seat
optioned cars all the way though the end of 1969.  Only the drivers and
passenger seat required belts when bucket seats were installed. 

1966 Standard belts - Front and rear seatbelts were now a standard offering.
The standard 1966 buckle was the same as 1965, a plastic lift to release
buckle with a rectangular black & silver embossed insert with a Fisher
Carriage emblem.  Again the buckle and webbing were color coded to the
interior.  There was no boot to cover the mounting bolt or attaching plate
where it bolted to the factory mounting points.  This was the last lift to
release buckle style offered.

1966 RPO A39 Custom Deluxe Front and rear belts - Newly designed buckles and
mounting hardware.   The buckles were brushed chrome. The face of the buckle
had black push button release with a gold fisher Carriage logo. The webbing
and protective boot was color coded to the interior and belt retractors were
provided for the outboard portion of the belt.

1966 RPO A85 Custom Deluxe shoulder belts (Factory installed only and only
with RPO A39, (available after around Feb or March 1966)  In conjunction
with the shoulder belt option, Fisher Body began welding the mounting nuts
for shoulder belts in all coupes and sedans.  If you car was made around
when this option became available, your car has the mounts under the
headliner whether or not you currently have shoulder belts installed in your
car.
 
Starting in 1967 Fisher body began welding in nuts for rear seatbelt
mounting as  the federal government now required rear belts as well as front
belts in all vehicles.

1967-69 Standard "Custom" seatbelts - Front and rear seatbelts were now a
standard offering. Again the buckle and webbing were color coded to the
interior.   There were two styles of 1967 bucked offered, the initial buckle
design had a textured plastic face with a plastic push button release that
had a gold fisher coach cast into it.  The second style was a mid year
change over and this design carried all the way through 1969.  This new
buckle was also a color coded plastic buckle with a push to release button
in the middle.  The logo on the push to release button was changed from the
Fisher Carriage to the GM Mark of Excellence logo.  The GM buckle was used
through out 1969. 

**** I need a better picture of the 67, Fisher emblem buckle!!!!

1967 RPO A68 Custom center rear seat belt, optional center rear belt for 5
passenger operation, used the same plastic buckle as the standard front
buckle.

1967 RPO AS1 Custom Front shoulder belts to go with the standard front belt
offering of color coded plastic buckle.  Shoulder belts were previously only
offered with the Custom Deluxe belts in 1966.

1967 RPO A39 Custom Deluxe Front and rear belts - Newly designed buckles and
mounting hardware was offered for the Custom deluxe buckle for 1967.  The
belt webbing was still color coded to the interior but the buckle was
changed to satin chrome face with a push button release that carried the GM
mark of Excellence logo.  Starting in Jan 1967 rear belts were federally
mandated, so the rear seat arrangement now included standard center
seatbelt.  So now 5 belts were mandated on cars with bucket seats and 6
seatbelts on bench seat equipped cars.

1967 RPO A85 Custom Deluxe shoulder belts (Factory installed only and only
with RPO A39) 

1967 RPO AL5 -Custom Deluxe Center rear seat belt (requires RPO A39)

1968 - No change for Standard Custom belt or buckle design since 1967.
Still using colored coded plastic, GM logo inserted pushbutton release
buckle and belts with outboard retractors.

1968 RPO A39 Custom Deluxe Front and rear belts

1968 RPO A85 Custom Deluxe shoulder belts (Factory installed only and only
with RPO A39)

1968 RPO AK1 Custom Deluxe Front seat with shoulder belts and custom deluxe
Rear Seat belts

1968 Custom Front shoulder belts are now standard on coupes and optional on
convertibles, as well as center belts for bench seat cars.  Effective Jan 68
front shoulder belts become required by federal mandate in all models.

1968 RPO AS4 Custom Deluxe rear shoulder belts (requires RPO AK1)

1968 RPO AS5 Custom Rear shoulder belts (requires RPO AS1 when ordered on a
Convertible)

1969 - No change for Standard Custom belt or buckle design since 1967.
Still using colored coded plastic, GM logo inserted pushbutton release
buckle and belts with outboard retractors.

1969 RPO A39 Custom Deluxe Front and rear belts

1969 RPO A85 Custom Deluxe shoulder belts (Factory installed only and only
with RPO A39)

1969 RPO AS4 Custom Deluxe rear shoulder belts (requires RPO AK1)

1969 RPO AS5 Custom Rear shoulder belts (requires RPO AS1 when ordered on a
Convertible)