Hey all,
The seatbelt buckles (that bolt to the transmission tunnel) on my car have broken and disintegrating plastic sleeves. I found that Late Model Restoration (the 5.0 Mustang place) has replacements for Mustangs, even come in a lot of factory colors.
Anyone know if they might interchange? I'll be checking into it sooner or later myself.
I *think* that they won't work. If I remember correctly Eric tried 'em a while back and found the Mustang ones aren't big enough or something. You have a red interior don't you? That's the worst for having those things break. My 19 year old smoke gray ones are still perfect (when I go out to the car tomorrow they will be cracked just to spite me................ :flame: ).
Some vendor guy is working on new ones. Oh wait, maybe I should go work on that...
:D
I hope this "vendor guy" can come up with the cups that fit around the inner door handle on base models as well.Those are wicked hard to find.
A tempo/topaz and another Fords will fit?......
IMHO,
Dom.
T-Bird/Cougar belt buckles bolt to the seat frame. Mustang ones bolt to the floor. Dunno 'bout Tempazes...
They will work. I have them on the convertible now. Last year I was fortunate enough to find a set of 1985-86 Mustang Regatta Blue belts for my car (I have to use Mustang seatbelts...long story) but of course, those sleeves were cracked. My buddy had a pair of brand new ones from LMMR (http://www.50resto.com) and gave them to me to try out. They fit great. The only part that is different is the little tang on the T-Bird-style receptacle (1985ish-88), where it bolts to the seat frame. Mustangs don't have those, but otherwise the actual belt is the same size, and the sleeve is pretty much the same length as well. You have to crank down the seat belt bolt (T-50) really tight to keep it from flopping around. Otherwise it's perfectly usable.
BTW, I also got the matching Regatta Blue interior spray paint from LMMR to paint those covers. Wow, does that paint ever work incredibly well. A bit expensive @ $18 US to have a can shipped to my door...but the results were outstanding. Highly recommended if you have to paint. Mustangs used about 60% of the colors that we had for our interiors so matching should be perfect for most of us.
EDIT: I found the photos I took before of the comparison...
(http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/seatbelts1.jpg)
L-R: SN95 belt receptacle; Fox Mustang belt receptacle; Fox Cougar/T-Bird receptacle (c. 1985)
I'm happy to note that the new replacement Fox Mustang covers are longer than the one pictured. They're just about as long as the Cougar/T-Bird style covers.
So I should stop on the TBird ones then? I didn't know you had Mustanger ones in there!
NO! Don't stop...a technically-correct cover for restoration is still needed. In fact I'll be your first customer. :D
For now, though, in a pinch the Mustang sleeves WILL work.
Roger that boss! :hick:
Great info, Eric!
I think I'll wait for the correct ones to be made. Its not that big of a deal to me.
if u want a different option that ive seen done before is find a clear plastic type tube than you can slide over the mounting tab of the seat belt. looks fairly nice i think.
if eric's your first costomer, ill be your second! i might even buy a few sets just incase, every car i'v seen ever in the junkyard has them messed up...
ill sign up too! the "inside" (side thats right next to my thigh) of the plastic cover on each of mine has a 1 inch by 1 inch piece broken off, so id definitely like to get new ones sometime.
and I will be next..........
, these are going to be more popular then I thought. Eric, is there a difference between the 83-86 and the 87-88 ones? All I have is a set of NOS 87-88 style and a few dollars to try and have them re-popped. What are you guys willing to pay for a set?
There is a difference in seat frames, basically how the seat belts attach:
(http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/seattracks2.jpg)
The 1987-88 buckle assembly has a hook that attaches to the extra tab on the back of the seat frame itself (top).
The 1983-86 style have a metal tang that sticks out of the buckle assembly and that tang feeds into the slot right underneath the mounting hole for the Torx bolt (bottom).
Both are different because I guess Ford tried to keep them from rotating on the seat frame. I really don't see the advantage of one over the other in practical, everyday use.
But as far as the covers go...I think they could probably be the same for both. I'll compare when I get home tonight. Price-wise...if you could keep the cost around the Mustang ones (~$25 US/pair) then I think you'll have a nice response here.
I highly doubt $25/pair will happen. I could probably get $50 pair and still have very good quality. I don't know about color-matching though, might have to dye them.
I'd say $50/pr would even be reasonable. That's still probably cheaper than Ford would've charged back in the day...
Painting wouldn't be a problem. The last time I checked, http://www.50resto.com had these colors for the Mustang that are also the same as the Cougar/T-Bird:
Scarlet Red - Vinyl: MET-FV23 Lacquer: MET-FL23
Charcoal Grey - Vinyl: MET-FV19 Lacquer: MET-FL19
Smoke Grey - Vinyl: MET-FV24 Lacquer: MET-FL24
Regatta Blue - Vinyl: MET-FV37 Lacquer: MET-FL37
Sandlewood - Vinyl: MET-FV22 Lacquer: MET-FL22
That would leave some owners to hunt down other paint themselves (Shadow Blue, Cinnabar, Wheat, Oxford Grey, etc.) but there are other manufacturers of interior paint, and I'm sure there's a close enough color out there for nearly all the interiors.
I think it's a good solution, either way.
Plus the paint fumes make me feel good. :hick:
An un-broken set would be nice to have....
There's a pair of red ones locally that are intact if you need a spare set for reproductions. I need to get out there again soon to get more of that red interior before its junked. It has those, along with the panels with lights in the back seat. Very little room to work with though, being surrounded by s cars.