1965 Seat Belts???

[collins10672]

as i stated earlier in the thread i have a flint michigan built 66 cab and it has the plugs,but i have not taken them out to see if the nuts are installed.someone else earlier in the thread speculated that only the very late and last built 1966 trucks were equipped with these and maybe that was the case since they are extremely rare to find and considering i have owned about 5 66's and this is the only one i have owned like this.i have had several other friends with 66's through the years and none of their trucks had the shoulder harness plugs either so this is something very rare.

[factorystock]

Most 66's built middle to late in model year production would have the plug. I posted this photo before. Definately one of the rarer options.

[MikeS.]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Most 66's built middle to late in model year production would have the plug. I posted this photo before. Definately one of the rarer options.

That is a great photo, thanks for sharing.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by collins10672

1965 chevrolet trucks had seat belts optionally installed.starting in 1966 required by federal law chevrolet trucks had seat belts,2 speed windshield wipers and backup lamps installed as standard equipment.starting in 1968 cars and trucks had to have side marker lamps installed also.very few 1965 chevrolet trucks came with seat belts since not many people were into safety features at the time.hope this helps.

Is this correct? There's a small discussion on a '60-66 Facebook group, so I'm trying to clarify. I had initially stated that I read on this forum that the truck seat belts became standard in 1966, & they were optional up until then. But when researching, I'm finding other info that says the Federal Mandate was in 1968. So does this mean that the belts became standard installation in '66 but weren't mandated till '68?...or was the federal law implemented in '66 as suggested by the quote above?

[chevyrestoguy]

Whether it's factory installed or not, whether the cutoff year for mandated belts falls within the year of your truck, or if it's law or not, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE BELTS IN ANYTHING YOU BUILD, REGARDLESS. Seatbelts DO save lives, and statistics have proven it time and time again.

I'm off my soap box now......

[64shortbox]

I absolutely HATE the seat belt law here in California. The law was put on the ballot twice and was voted down by the people both times. The good old CA government still forced it down our throats "to save lives" funny thing is the seat belt law has absolutely NOTHING to do with saving lives, it's about saving the insurance companys money period. It was the insurance lobby that got this law passed. Here's the kicker, 3 of my immediate family members survived 2 separate accidents because they were NOT wearing their seat belts. Had they been wearing their seat belts they would have been killed in the accidents. Admittedly they were both T bone accidents but wearing seat belts should be our choice & not mandated by the government or shall I say the insurance lobby.

[Bowed]

A random online quote


" if you install belts, who is liable? It's a bag of worms ".

A random online quote



" even if they were available. Had
a customer come in with seat belts
to install in '58 Ford that did
not have them OEM. [B]My attorney
said,"If seat belts were originally
installed in car and you (me) were
to replace because of wear/poor
condition, I'm protected from a
lawsuit. If I install belts after
the fact and any failure occurs
and someone is hurt/killed I'm
legally responsible for any and
all financial/physical/property
damage that occurs as a result
of belt/install failure."[/B]

I'm not a lawyer so I can't give advise on seat belt installation and the law . With that said if I am going to install seat belts in a vehicle that did not have them originally , I would look into any liabilities I might face and how they would affect me .




.

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

I absolutely HATE the seat belt law here in California. The law was put on the ballot twice and was voted down by the people both times. The good old CA government still forced it down our throats "to save lives" funny thing is the seat belt law has absolutely NOTHING to do with saving lives, it's about saving the insurance companys money period. It was the insurance lobby that got this law passed. Here's the kicker, 3 of my immediate family members survived 2 separate accidents because they were NOT wearing their seat belts. Had they been wearing their seat belts they would have been killed in the accidents. Admittedly they were both T bone accidents but wearing seat belts should be our choice & not mandated by the government or shall I say the insurance lobby.

Not to start an arguement, but do you actually believe that seatbelts can cause more deaths than they save?

I have been in some serious accidents in my 30+ years of being a driver and a passenger (never at fault, knock on wood). I have been in head-on collisions at 50 mph, center-punched a telephone pole and sheared it off at 35 mph, been t-boned in the middle of a high speed intersection, and had two severe roll-overs. I have to say that if I HADN'T been buckled in, I might not be typing this right now. One of the rollovers was down a steep embankment, and I surely would have been thrown out and crushed from my rolling car had I not been wearing a seatbelt.

I have had this discussion for years with friends who don't wear their belts. I have heard the "what if I get upside down in a raging river" and "what if I'm knocked and the car catches fire" reasoning and I just don't buy it. I grew up in a generation where nobody wore a seatbelt. I started wearing a seatbelt because I was in the military, and you couldn't come on base unless you were buckled in. At first, it felt weird to be wearing a belt. Once it became a natural habit and I did it every time I got in the car, I can't pull out of my driveway without naturally buckling up.

We all have our own reason to buckle up or not, but I am living proof that buckling up keeps you alive. I don't care if the State mandates them because I'll wear one if it's law or not.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

Whether it's factory installed or not, whether the cutoff year for mandated belts falls within the year of your truck, or if it's law or not, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE BELTS IN ANYTHING YOU BUILD, REGARDLESS. Seatbelts DO save lives, and statistics have proven it time and time again.

I'm off my soap box now......

Yeah, I agree. I'm wanting to know for statistical/historical reasons. Mine didn't have them when I bought it & still doesn't yet. However, I do plan to install them if I ever get it road-worthy again. I've always worn my seat belt, so it feels a bit weird when I don't have the option!

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

wearing seat belts should be our choice & not mandated by the government or shall I say the insurance lobby.

Having lived in FL & down the road from Myrtle Beach now, I will say that I don't think it's fair that certain states allow motorcycle riders the choice to wear helmets. Seems to me it should be the same for seat belts. That said, I've always worn a helmet when I ride an ATV or street bike, just as I've worn a seat belt. IMO, it's just the safest option.

[Irishbleueyes]

My 65 came with them factory and its from WA. But its only lap belts, whose gonna know if you have them or not??

[64shortbox]

chevyrestoguy,
You are correct that seat belts save more lives in most accidents than those that don't. I was just saying that it should be our choice whether we wear them or not and it shouldn't be up to the government or insurance to mandate what we do in our own vehicles. I myself was involved in a pretty bad accident - it was my fault. I stood a company truck on its nose smashing the frontend so bad the hood of the truck was bent over the roof. If that wasn't bad enough the truck rolled down the embankment landing on its roof. I was NOT wearing a seatbelt but when I knew I was in trouble I leaned in towards the passenger side and wedged one hand against the roof. I was still trying to cut the wheel hard left and mashed the gas trying to steer the truck down the embankment rather than roll it but it didn't help. I would have walked away without a scratch but a tool box I had in the front floorboard hit me in the back of the head before it went through the back window.
I do wear my seatbelt in my daily driver every time I get in it. I have purchased seatbelts for my 64 C-10 though I haven't put them in yet. I doubt I'll use them though. I bought them to please my wife. I never wear my seatbelts when driving my 71 Caddy Hearse at 23 feet long, 6,680 lbs empty that thing is like a freight train and the person with the largest mass will usually win with a smaller vehicle.
My beef is that the seatbelt law got pushed through to save the insurance companys money. The it saves lives slogan is just to make it sound better, though in most cases you will definitely fair better wearing a seatbelt than not just as you stated.

[OldTrucksRule]

I put the self retracting lap belts in my 65 with no shoulder straps. I am just so used to wearing belts that I was uncomfortable not having them and it is just a safety thing with me. I put the non retractable kind in the center of my bench in case I have that many passengers.

[cwojbaker]

Originally Posted by OldTrucksRule

I put the self retracting lap belts in my 65 with no shoulder straps. I am just so used to wearing belts that I was uncomfortable not having them and it is just a safety thing with me. I put the non retractable kind in the center of my bench in case I have that many passengers.

Im the same way OldTrucks...just don't feel comfortable anymore without them.

[Trsmotrhed]

Not sure why someone wouldn't want to wear a safety belt. Pretty sure one saved my life or severe bodily injury. I walked away from this wreck.

[Strodder]

Wow. Some one was looking out for you.

[Fastest32]

We have some expandable 3/8 nuts that we use to install trunk chains in the trunks of the patrol cars. I wonder if they would be good enough to hold the top nut on a shoulder harness. It takes a huge riveter with a stud on the end to compress the nut.bwhat do y'all think?

[Sharps40]

I have Baltimore 64 and 65 C10s. Neither have any provision for seat belts from the factory....both had lap belts added by me for safety.

Glad I did when the 64 was hit head on by a Honda moving at high speed....kept me behind the wheel and able to pilot to a stop after the Honda went in, under and out.

Put seat belts in and use them.

[Clyde65]

Federal Law passed in 1967 required seat belts in ALL passenger vehicles beginning january 1, 1968. I believe manufacturers saw the writing on the wall since debating was started in 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_be..._United_States

However, States could mandate it prior if they so chose.

Most manufacturers had the option on almost ANY vehicle they produced since the early 40's, so if you wanted them, you could have the dealer install them.

I learned this when I did Safety inspections in Texas, My truck didnt come with them, but when it came down to my kids being in the truck, I put in seatbelts period.

just my .02

[ChrisDollins]

I'm curious, in my 66 which has been in the family all of its life, and a close relative who has a 66 that his grandfather bought new, neither had seat belts. Shoulder nor lap. I will be putting belts in mine, feel naked without them lol.

Chris

[Sharps40]

There is really no hard and fast rule that can be nailed down nearly 50 years later. Essentially, either your cab has GM installed belts or GM provisions for belts or it dosn't.

There will be lots of debates on when Chevy Officially started installing belts as other than an option but the only real proof will be cab by cab inspection!

If ya don't have em add em....most effective automotive safety device ever invented....ever! Remember, 75% of people ejected from moving vehicals...Die. (Yes, I'm a safety manager.) Don't be an ejection statistic, wear a seatbelt.

Remember also, your dash is the old school steel splatter type. The shop techie wipes the dried splatter from yer face off of the steel with a damp towel and vacuums yer teeth off the floor mats when they are fixin the truck. Don't be a face splatter, wear a seat belt.

[ahaynes106]

Originally Posted by Rich 5150 69

Calif requires all vehicle to have belts. I used `05 siverado seats with the integregated seat belts.

Did these mount right in or did you have to do anything special? I am in a 65 GMC.

[OldTrucksRule]

CA law does not require the old vehicles that were not equipped with seat belts to have them. It just makes good common sense to install them anyway, no matter what the law says. I placed them the approximate distance apart on my bench seat and then drilled the holes in the bottom of the cab to mount them with very large heavy washers. Better than nothing.

[Robert Haas]

My 1965 GMC half ton did not come with seat belts. During my build I did install them having to drill the cab floor in the process. I used proper hardware and legal aftermarket "Fisher" style belts.

Having been in a side impact collision in a vehicle equipped with a bench seat and no seat belts 1958 Chevy) ,........ I can assure you the horror of flying sideways across the inside of that truck only stopping by slamming into the passenger door resulting in multiple broken bones and internal damage. Yea I am a huge believer in a set of belts.

[1963chevyc20]

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[aotte1]

Adding photo of the shoulder belt fastener, back side of B pillar. This is from 66’ C20 Fremont plant build Truck.

Les