TheSamba.com :: View topic - How to: 1967 bug seatbelt restore with pics

Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:07 pm

I actually started out with the idea of prepping these for paint, but in the end they did not need it at all.

Just your usual run of the mill dry flakey 67 belts.

I cant seem to find the finished photos, the seatbelts are gone now, I sold them along with my 67. I will look for pics of them finished but think I may not have any.

But they turned out great. After these pics I lightly sanded them with fine grit paper and then soaked them with Armor-All. Good as new!

Add a little WD40 to the inner mechanism and they retract perfectly. Instant ebay money if you wanted to...

Moral of the story, dont be afraid to sand and scrape those old 67 belts.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:14 pm

Heres a pic of the finished product installed, pics arent the best, but you get the idea. Plastic turned out nice and very smooth after fine sanding! 8)

This is actually an NOS one I had for comparison.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:37 pm

OMG! I just about soiled myself looking at the NOS one. Wanna sell it :) !

As for the others, I suppose if you brush/scrape off enough of the deteriorated plastic, you can get to a solid surface. However, I would think that you would need to spray paint them to prevent further deterioration. Henry and Nimbus both have cars with painted seatbelt housings and they look really good.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:40 pm

Good job.

Those damned 67 belts are a little piece of the devils handiwork. No wonder they only made them one year.

I purchased roughly three used sets to make one good set. If you want real adventure, try removing the coil spring housing and rewinding that little treasure. Wear safety goggles :!: . Those rewind springs are like a V.C. trap.

And the best part is after all the work and sweat and $$, its like wearing a set of nylon vise-grips. Every time you hit a bump, that belt seems to get just a little bit tighter.

But I wouldn't trade em' for anything :wink:

Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:45 pm

67 Florida Deluxe wrote: OMG! I just about soiled myself looking at the NOS one. Wanna sell it :) !

As for the others, I suppose if you brush/scrape off enough of the deteriorated plastic, you can get to a solid surface. However, I would think that you would need to spray paint them to prevent further deterioration. Henry and Nimbus both have cars with painted seatbelt housings and they look really good.
it sold on ebay already-I dont have a 67 anymore :cry: but it had some flaws anyway, storage fatique as tehy call it, plus I had it in my67 for about 6 months so it wasnt NOS anymore to some

I kept them nice and armorall'd and out of the sun (garaged) therefore no need for paint, I just didnt want to see it flake off in the future

Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:47 pm

henrym wrote: Good job.

Those damned 67 belts are a little piece of the devils handiwork. No wonder they only made them one year.

I purchased roughly three used sets to make one good set. If you want real adventure, try removing the coil spring housing and rewinding that little treasure. Wear safety goggles :!: . Those rewind springs are like a V.C. trap.

And the best part is after all the work and sweat and $$, its like wearing a set of nylon vise-grips. Every time you hit a bump, that belt seems to get just a little bit tighter.

But I wouldn't trade em' for anything :wink:
too true on all points

Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:53 pm

henrym wrote: Good job.

Those damned 67 belts are a little piece of the devils handiwork. No wonder they only made them one year.

I purchased roughly three used sets to make one good set. If you want real adventure, try removing the coil spring housing and rewinding that little treasure. Wear safety goggles :!: . Those rewind springs are like a V.C. trap.

And the best part is after all the work and sweat and $$, its like wearing a set of nylon vise-grips. Every time you hit a bump, that belt seems to get just a little bit tighter.

But I wouldn't trade em' for anything :wink:

Well, well, well.... look who's back from Paris and is still grounded enough to discuss the lowly VW bug! Did you notice I mentioned your painted seatbelt housings as a positive thing? As much as I bust bisalls, I think you did a great job with your seatbelt housings, Henry :wink: . I hope your week in Paris was enough to hit the ol' reset button back here stateside and that Chicagoland is treating you well :) !

Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:31 am

67 Florida Deluxe wrote: Well, well, well.... look who's back from Paris and is still grounded enough to discuss the lowly VW bug! Did you notice I mentioned your painted seatbelt housings as a positive thing? As much as I bust bisalls, I think you did a great job with your seatbelt housings, Henry :wink: . I hope your week in Paris was enough to hit the ol' reset button back here stateside and that Chicagoland is treating you well :) !

Yep made it back safely--it was a nice (but quick) vacation. Now I need to get my butt moving and get this 2110 done before winter as I'll put the bug in storage around November 1 and make room for the woodworking machinery!

The paint on the seat belts has actually held up just fine except one or two chips around the edges. In the future, I'd use a special activated plastic primer that would help the paint bond even better.