1974 Plymouth Barracuda - rear seat belt question

[jrgoodman]

Hoping someone here can answer this.  I have a 74 Barracuda with the double seat belt the goes over your chest.  1 belt starts in the rear section next to rear seat.  I just purchased new rear side panels and I for the life of me, cannot see how that part of the seat interacts with the side panel.  I would appreciate a close picture of a rear seat and where the seat belt is suppose to exit the panel ?   a light color pic would be great but any help is needed - thanks

[anlauto]

In the new rear interior panels, you'll have to cut a hole in them for the seat belt to exit through the panel....

Someone should have a picture...

[anlauto]

Found this Challenger one....same idea

[jrgoodman]

I kinda figured that, but the question would be not a hole, but a slit to slide them through, being they all 1 piece, and see no way to put them through a hole?

[anlauto]

Yes, they do have a access slit in them as well, hopefully some one with a 74 will have a better picture.

[greentween]

I would highly recommend considering changing the belts to the XV ones. Then you don't need to make those cuts. Maybe there are other aftermarket ones which would be same as the XV ones that I changed my 74 to?

Do you still have the trim piece that "fills in" the huge rectangular cut? If I remember correct there is a trim piece that covers that big rectangle opening in the panel. I have my original belts in the attic but without access to get a picture right now.

[Cudajason]

I kinda figured that, but the question would be not a hole, but a slit to slide them through, being they all 1 piece, and see no way to put them through a hole?

@jrgoodman   I can take a pic of mine tonight.  As far as I know they are original to my 74.

I would highly recommend considering changing the belts to the XV ones. Then you don't need to make those cuts. Maybe there are other aftermarket ones which would be same as the XV ones that I changed my 74 to?

Do you still have the trim piece that "fills in" the huge rectangular cut? If I remember correct there is a trim piece that covers that big rectangle opening in the panel. I have my original belts in the attic but without access to get a picture right now.

@greentween do you have pics of the XV belts?

They are no longer in business but I would like to see how they were mounted.

Jason

[PLY474]

Photos attached.  It looks like I need to do some cleaning.  It's funny how I don't see that stuff without the camera flash. 

I like the 1974 3-point belts.  In my mind, they give the car a modern feel.  They do not always extend smoothly though, and will sometimes lock up if moved too quickly.  There is this TSB that I plan to try in the Spring (Thank you, http://www.hamtramck-historical.com).

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1974/23-15-74D%20page1.jpg
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1974/23-15-74D%20page2.jpg
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1974/23-15-74D%20page3.jpg
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1974/23-15-74D%20page4.jpg

[PLY474]

I found this picture, from my car, of the numbers on the inside of the driver's side 1974 Plymouth rear panel.

[anlauto]

Excellent photos PLY474   

[greentween]

OEM belt opening trim piece. Sloted originally as far as I know.

[greentween]

XV rear belt. Rewind unit mounts to front lower bolt. I think they are a more modern design and as such don't need the other rear lower bolt where the stock rewind unit mounts.

Not saying they are better than the stock ones, but in your case since you have new panels maybe should consider.

If I remember correct the stock ones lockup easy when you pull them over to buckle. And then when it did that you had to let them rewind back all the way and you could then try again. That's why I changed them. The new ones may lock when you pull them to buckle up, but you just let it rewind a little and the catch resets then you try again.

These are from XV, but I'm pretty sure they are common and they just put their logo on them.