Anyone know a good source for the '82 style door sill plates? As with most things for 1982, I see ones listed for the entire generation (82 - 92) but I know the 82s are different.

 

Really I though they were the same. Post up a picture of the 82. I have a set of a 91. They are in Tan. Oh I also have a set in black or maybe dark gray, will have to get them out and look again.

 

The 82 only sill plates have a slot for the seat belt to go through rather than the notch out for the entire seat belt assembly. Good luck finding those.

 

Still plenty of them in the salvage yards.

 

I have a NICE pair (Charcoal Grey) off a 1982 recaro

 

I have a tan set. Yeah, as said it is a slot versus the lip that joins the retractor housing.

 

Yeah -- I know they are rare. I haven't started my search yet, but figured I'd start here to see if anyone had a lead on them.

 

Am I off base or was the change of the seat belt tensiors from the '82 design to the '83 due to a requirement of a better inerti lock system?

 

I might know where a set of tan is... They are actually in a jucnk yard locally and I did not get them because they were lighter and the different style. If I recall they did not have any cracks or breaks. In fact, I had them in my hand but set them down once I found Lexan T-tops.

 

Its hard to say what GM's engineers were thinking. When the F-body went to a one piece front seat belt system with a shoulder belt in 1974 there was a belt retractor at the rocker panel and the roof. Then in 1978 they went to a fixed mount at the rocker and retractor on the roof which continued onto the 3rd-gen F-body in 1982. 1983 they decide to go back to two retractors again. Who knows?

 

And then in 1993, they went back to having a retractor in the roof only and a fixed mount on the floor. It is strange how they went back and forth on the design, especially the change from 82 to 83 since it wasn't at the beginning of a new generation body. I installed 4th gen belts in my 3rd gen and used a set of 82 sill plates to complete the look. They mount very nicely if you remove the 90 degree mounting plate used for the lower retractor.