Thought I'd share my junkyard find that I made today... When I purchased my (daughter's) Camaro a few months ago the seat belts were flopped over in the front seat from the plastic breaking over the years of use being in the sun. This was one of the things I had on my list to replace but was low in priority - that is until last week when I drove it last week. When I tried to push the buckle into the receiver it would not go in at all. I asked my daughter about it and she said the last time she drove it she had a hard time getting it to unbuckle. Seat belts just got moved to high priority.


I looked here and on ebay for answers and replacements but was not about to pay $170 for new replacements. Today, I went to my local LKQ, paid my $2 to get in and walked the yard looking for candidates. I know the 4th Gens are different and the 2 Camaros were worse than mine and the 1 Firebird had red interior. So I started looking in other GM passenger cars...


Here's what I found that are REALLY close to our 3rd Gen belts:


2000-2005 Cavaliers
???? Sunfire
???? Cobalts


The catch is that you have to find 2 cars to get a matching set. I grabbed the passenger side seat belt from a couple Cavaliers - the driver side is shorter and bolts to the seat frame. I noticed the Sunfire and Cobalt belts looked the same as well. I measured measured my 3rd Gen belt and it is 15 inches - the ones I grabbed from the donor cars are 15 inches. They're not a perfect match but I think they are very close. The problem I had was finding 2 light gray to match my interior. Since I was in a pinch I just grabbed 2 dark gray - I don't think they look too bad.

 

Thanks for the tip.
The purists will cringe, but I think it is a good idea for those on a budget.

 

I forgot to mention that I only paid $8.25 per seat belt - $16.50 is a whole lot better than $170 when originality is not a factor and functionality is.

 

Please be careful with that, I tried swapping receivers but when I gave the belt a good yank if broke free.

 

Been using the cavalier receivers now going on 8? years. Good find.

 

4th gen camaro receivers work as well.

 

Any of those similar GM plastic button seatbelt recievers will break sooner
or later!
Why bother with them and look for almost any female reciever and sleeve
from most late 70s to early 90s GM car. The belt ends are made from
metal and will hold up longer and look better.
Purists be damed!.....................LOL!


These came from a Olds Cutlass

 

Will seatbelts from other cars work as well? I found a bunch of SN95 Mustangs with good seatbelts in black. My stock red ones are ugly and sun faded. Can anyone recommend some belts from other cars that might fit? Sadly, the 3rd gens are mostly gone from the JYs from out here.

 

Most female end recievers from other GM cars should work.

See my previous post.................