Seat Belts

[67cammy]

Can anyone tell me if I need to fit seat belts made in Aus to get through rego or can I buy original type ones from the US.
Also I put a new ignition switch in, put the key in and it turns fine but I cant get the key out :confused: whats the go there

[blackoutsteve]

Not sure about the key.. I would just assume that it's not returning all the way back to off.

You need to have seat belts that comply with Australian standards, and you only need laps in all seating positions.
Sash belts are part of the ADRs (Australian Design Rules) that came in on Jan 01 (or Jan 14??) of 1969. So, your 1968 Camaro and my 1969 Camaro (being a 3rd week of November 68 build) are exempt from having to have sash belts..

So.. Go and by some universal lap-style Klippin belts from Autobarn or Super-Junk, fit them for the RWC/Engineer's report, then replace them with some nice OE belts.
If you want sash belts, they were an option in all 1st Gens (Mandatory during the 1969 model year) and the mounting points are in your car already, above the rear window winder in the roof.. (Please don't go drilling any damn holes in the wrong places like I've seen so many times!)

If you want retractor/inertia, you might be able to fit something out of an early US-GM that looks authentic and not out of place.

eBay has plenty of people selling belts, but log into ebay.com (not au) to see them all. Most will ship here no problem.

I have the OER Delux lap belts and recently bought a pair of restored shoulder/sash belts too.
If you need any help, ask while it's all still fresh in my mind!! :p

[67cammy]

Thanks Steve that helps a lot. After rego I'll probably end up with the retractor lap belts, although the shoulder belts would be a better option safety wise, but then your left with seeing them hanging down all the time. Dunno, not 100% sure yet. I'll get a big hammer on that lock and see what happens.:eek: (joke). Cheers

[blackoutsteve]

Thanks Steve that helps a lot. After rego I'll probably end up with the retractor lap belts, although the shoulder belts would be a better option safety wise, but then your left with seeing them hanging down all the time. Dunno, not 100% sure yet. I'll get a big hammer on that lock and see what happens.:eek: (joke). Cheers

The OE shoulder belts don't hang down. They are held up with clips when not in use. They're quite neat.

[67cammy]

Oh OK. So the two threaded holes in the roof are just to hook the belt on when not in use. Where does the shoulder belt secure to. I obviously havent taken much notice of belts before.

[69coupe]

67Cammy
I got new HQ Holden belts and took the Camaro fittings to a Boot maker to sow in. Worked a treat and had all the right labels for the roadworthy. :) :)

[67cammy]

Thanks 69 Coupe. That sounds like a plan. I think I might go that route. :) Any chance of you putting a photo up of them?
Got these carbon fibre fender braces today. Nice stuff.

748

749

[RSZ28]

Very slick underbonnet. More pics?

Looks like you are in Adelaide, so maybe the seatbelt provisions are different there. Each state has their own regs.

You can probably get some advice from a child seat fitment place on the SA regs. These guys do a lot of belts too. Or a place that does seat and/or seat belt conversions on buses. They generally know what is required, but arent necessarily 100% on the existing regs.

FYI - In NSW RTA requires lap sash X 4, and a lap is ok in the middle at the back. (Exception seems to be club rego).

The hole for the Camaro sash belts for the driver positions is behind the headlining roughly above the rear window winder. There are 2 x 5/16" UNC weld nuts and a centre hole. You may be able to feel them through the headlining. It is possible to get a 3" X 2" plate with a 7/16 UNF nut welded on in there to fix a normal 7/16 UNF seat belt upper mount bolt to. The 3 X 2 plate is a NSW requirement to have 6 square inches of reinforcement to bolt to. This is similar to a factory belt mount.

There are also two sash fix points for the rear passengers on the rear parcel shelf toward each sail panel.

Retractors a little more difficult to fit cleanly, but possible. Certainly adds to the safety margin.

Cheers,

[blackoutsteve]

FYI - In NSW RTA requires lap sash X 4, and a lap is ok in the middle at the back. (Exception seems to be club rego).


The ADRs are Australia wide..
The same ADR tags were riveted to all cars from Jan 1969. There was not a different tag for cars sold in each state. ;)

[RSZ28]

The ADRs are Australia wide..
The same ADR tags were riveted to all cars from Jan 1969. There was not a different tag for cars sold in each state. ;)

Correct on ADR's, they are implemented through federal law, but that does not stop the state authorities exceeding ADR requirements for safety and registration purposes especially where no ADR was in force.

Queensland has a formal compliance program - LO1 LO2 etc., NSW has minimum requirements for things like seatbelts (they require ADR'd seat belts be fitted) and anything that requires mounting where no factory mount is requires an engineers certification, SA is very strict on modifications and often insists that i.e. a 69 LHD car is 100% original down to the color/s. :eek:

Victoria seems the most relaxed on things like seat belts.

Cheers.

[67cammy]

Yep your right about SA being strict. I couldnt modify anything on my 67 with it being LHD. Not even aftermarket wheels. I could only have red indicators LHD, RHD needed to be amber. Crazy

[67cammy]

[QUOTE=RSZ28;5330]Very slick underbonnet. More pics?

Here ya go RSZ28. Nothing fancy here. A baby 355. Scat forged crank, Scat forged I beam rods, Forged flat top Speed-Pro pistons, Hellfire rings gapped for 150hp nitrous ( will have ZEX perimeter plate ), Moroso racing oil pickup, HV oil pump, zero decked block, Dart Iron Eagle heads, stainless steel Ferrier 2.02 1.6 valves, small Crane hydraulic drag race cam, Crane springs, Crane Gold rockers, Trend pushrods. Edelbrock RPM Air Gap, Holley 650HP Street,(these arent the extractors to be used )
Built mild for daily driving but strong to take a bit of nitrous at the track if Adelaide ever gets one again. ( I'll probably be too old to use it by then )

751

[RSZ28]

Here ya go RSZ28. Nothing fancy here. A baby 355. Scat forged crank, Scat forged I beam rods, Forged flat top Speed-Pro pistons, Hellfire rings gapped for 150hp nitrous ( will have ZEX perimeter plate ), Moroso racing oil pickup, HV oil pump, zero decked block, Dart Iron Eagle heads, stainless steel Ferrier 2.02 1.6 valves, small Crane hydraulic drag race cam, Crane springs, Crane Gold rockers, Trend pushrods. Edelbrock RPM Air Gap, Holley 650HP Street,(these arent the extractors to be used )
Built mild for daily driving but strong to take a bit of nitrous at the track if Adelaide ever gets one again. ( I'll probably be too old to use it by then )



Very clean. Sets a great standard. Air con too I see?

FYI - some stuff here on Seat Belts in SA. Refers to LHD & RHD cars, but their site also makes reference to LHD converted to RHD.

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/fact_sheet_left_hand_drive.pdf

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/Info_bulletin_3.pdf

Seems LHD converted to RHD is a little ambiguous: SA requires seat belts in two front seats from early 1964 up until ADR's came in....but not in a pre 1967 LHD car, but required on two front seats only from 67 - 68 in LHD. (crosseyed).

Guess a call to Transport SA may help clear up, or confuse things even further.

I put lap sash in the front of my 68, lap sash in the rear sides, lap in the middle. These were required for rego in NSW. I prefer lap sash anyway. Prevents a face plant on the dash.

Trust this helps.

[67cammy]

So much information just for simple seat belts! No air con. Thats a remote oil filter. I had a kick out sump on there and with the extractors there was no way to get at the filter. The sump has been changed now so the remote filter isnt there anymore. These arent the extractors I'll use.
Thanks for the help

[RSZ28]

So much information just for simple seat belts! No air con. Thats a remote oil filter. I had a kick out sump on there and with the extractors there was no way to get at the filter. The sump has been changed now so the remote filter isnt there anymore.
Thanks for the help

Oki doki. Are the fasteners under the bonnet stainless, or regular zinc plated bolts, or replated originals, or repro original parts from i.e. Ricks? They look excellent.

Came across this FYI: http://goldcoastmusclecars.com.au/muscle-car-details.php?car=102

Some pics on this ad with inertia reels fitted. Reel is hidden in rear seat side panels. Might give you some ideas.

Cheers.

[67cammy]

mmm those belts look really nice. I like that setup a lot. Ta.
The fasteners are just zinc plated originals as are the bonnet hinges. When funds allow I will change them for those cool billet hinges :)

[blackoutsteve]

Just bear in mind that those shoulder belts are anchored in the wrong location. ;)

[RSZ28]

Just bear in mind that those shoulder belts are anchored in the wrong location. ;)

True enough. A reasonable location, but as Steve points out, not the factory location mount for lap sash. Would have been engineer approved for QLD. I recall my LJ and LC XU-1's had the upper mount in this location. Maybe also HK, HT, HG Monaros (not sure on these? Anyone?).

Added in a shot of my driver's side lap sash seat belt upper mount - this is fixed to the factory mount point. It gives an idea of the location in relation to sail panel and is slightly rearward of vertical line from window winder. HQ coupes had the seat belts in roughly the Camaro position.

Will switch to inertia reels some time in the future. Have not decided on a good location for reel box yet.

756

Trust this helps.

Cheers.

[67cammy]

Yep that helps heaps. Thanks for that. Just what I wanted to see.
Cheers :D

[J.J.]

i'm going through this same problem trying to get my 69 camaro rego'd in VIC

[blackoutsteve]

What's your build date?

[J.J.]

What's your build date?

how do i check?

[RSZ28]

how do i check?


Have a peek at this page:

http://camaros.org/numbers.shtml#CowlTag

At: 1969 Camaro Fisher Body Cowl Tag Examples

Your trim/cowl tag should be somewhere in the region of your brake booster on the firewall.

Looks like:

761

This one is a 10D. 4th week october 1968. Why is it 68 when nothing shows this....? It is a Norwood car. Norwood cars had an "X" code on the trim tag, but only from during December 1968. This one has no X code. It is pre December 68.

Another reason...the VIN on this car was 124379N529105. An early VIN. 29,105th 69 built (at Norwood Ohio).

If your date code is 09A/B/C/D or 10A/B/C/D or 11A/B/C/D or 12A/B/C/D, the body was built in late 1968. Pre Jan 69. (could be some F's too if 5 week month).

Not sure when they stopped building 69's, it may have been later in 1969 than normal due to a delay getting the 70 up and running (if my memory serves correctly), so if you have an 09A/B/C/D car or 10A/B/C/D, you also need to check if the VIN is early or late in the series. Late = built late 69. Early = late 68.

Is your car a "N"orwood car...and if so does it have an X code? If it does....you might be in luck and it is an X33 or X77 and you dont know it!

August 1969 X77 Trim Tag = Z28:

762

Trust this helps. Post your trim tag and we can take a look!

Cheers.

[J.J.]

car is at the mechanics, i'll have to get a pic.

but i know my car was built is LA

[blackoutsteve]

..Why is it 68 when nothing shows this....?

Because all American cars are built around 6 months prior to their model year, so buyers feel they're getting the absolute latest model. Just like magazines. A May issue is usually released somewhere around March.

The 69 production period was August 68 to June 69 for Van Nuys (LA) and August 68 to November 69 for Norwood.

For Norwood cars where there are two Augusts through to Novembers, the VIN and the trim tag's sequencing number would indicate whether it was an early or late production car.
Easy! :)

EDIT:
The 10D tag above would have a matching vin in the 512134 - 530337 range if 1968 or 692608 - 707932 range if 1969.

[RSZ28]

The 10D tag above would have a matching vin in the 530000-551900 range if 1968 or 707900-712000 range if 1969.

Where you get your VIN from info from Steve? The 10D car above has a VIN 124379N529105. :confused: Camaros.Org lists October 68 ran ~512134-530337. Interesting if there is a differing source to Camaros.Org. :eek:

[blackoutsteve]

All the vin numbers are approximates. I don't think anyone knows precisely what the numbers are for each month of production.

In fact, I've just realized I given November numbers.. Sorry :rolleyes:

Oct 68 512134 - 530337
Oct 69 692608 - 707932

"Camaro Restoration Guide 1967-1969" Jason Scott ISBN 0-7603-0160-3

[OzRiv]

Just a quick note about the seatbelts in the QLD camaro, when I did the belts in my Riv, the VASS engi told me that mounting the top sash in that location was legal, but a BAD idea, as it is below the drivers shoulder height, and will compress you spine in an accident, potentially leading to a life spent in a wheelchair! I fitted mine to the roof, it's a pillarless car and I would prefer that the belts were not dangeling there all the time, but a spine that is not crushed to bits is more important to me.

[67cammy]

Good point OzRiv. Wouldnt of thought of that one.

[RSZ28]

Just a quick note about the seatbelts in the QLD camaro, when I did the belts in my Riv, the VASS engi told me that mounting the top sash in that location was legal, but a BAD idea, as it is below the drivers shoulder height, and will compress you spine in an accident, potentially leading to a life spent in a wheelchair! I fitted mine to the roof, it's a pillarless car and I would prefer that the belts were not dangeling there all the time, but a spine that is not crushed to bits is more important to me.

Thanks OzRiv! I went for the factory mount for safety and ease of installation, though I wasnt aware of exactly what the safety issue was... Once I compared to modern cars and their mounts, the factory position on the 68 still looked pretty close.

Lap sash also better than lap for prevention of face planting the dash.

FYI - bumped into a dude with a 55 the other day. He was proud to say he didnt need seat belts. And didnt have any. :eek: Seatbelts have saved me in an accident. I think that proves that they do mostly help.