seat belt question

[xs29bb1]

These are the belts that came on my car when I got it.  Were these the deluxe seat belts? (I was told that the deluxe belts had chrome buckles) 

For all I know they could be just some random belts that were thrown on at some point.  What I'm seeing as "deluxe belts" now have a black wrinkle finish on top - I don't know if that's correct.

Any help greatly appreciated - I'm trying to have correct Deluxe belts on the car.

[ODZKing]

What year we talking here?

[xs29bb1]

68 r/t.

[ODZKing]

Second Gen guys likely know more than me.
I know for first gens "deluxe" simply means color matched to interior. 66-7 there was only 1 belt, chrome.
What does the tag say, what is the part number and year?
Here is a 68 from EBay, Imperial yes but the part number on the belt.  Early production 68 no doubt.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Chrysler-Seat-Belts-Original-Imperial-/261383715209?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cdbaef989

[xs29bb1]

Unfortunately we can't seem to find the belts - meaning its likely that before the guy shipped us the car he removed them. We've got boxes of everything that was taken off the car and they're not there.

So what that means is that if the chrome buckles with the black wrinkle finish on top is correct, we'll install those. If a plain chrome buckle is correct, we can probably remove the finish off the ones we have and then dip the buckles if need be.

If it helps, my car is an early 68. (November 67). In another thread, someone mentioned that deluxe seat belts meant chrome buckles. So I guess what I need to know is, does that mean straight chrome (like the ones in the pic) or is chrome with a black wrinkle finish the way they came?

[xs29bb1]

I did a little more digging and it seems that they switched to the black wrinkle finish in 68.... However my car was built in November 67 and it seems to have had straight chrome in the car at one point. I guess what I now need to find out is when did they switch over. Was it model year, calendar year, some other month?

And then, was this the "deluxe belt"?

[ODZKing]

Well, looking at the parts book here is my take on it. And frankly I am surprised some of the other 2nd gen guys who would know more than me about it haven't weighed in yet. But here goes.
Being an early build, I would say you have chrome buckles.
Looking at the 68 and 69 parts book, 68 shows 4724(xxx color) as part number (no label #).
However looks to me like they switched in 69 as it lists another #. 4762xxx. Difficult to tell but my  is that since it was an early build, go with chrome.  They look nicer anyway (IMHO). 

[rarefish]

I had also had questions about the 68 Deluxe Seat Belt option. Check out my posting.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,107352.0.html

[ODZKing]

Hmm, with that said I wonder if "Deluxe" means the clips and shoulder harness?   

[Ghoste]

Is what "Deluxe" entails also year dependent?

[xs29bb1]

According to the info on the other thread. (from another link within that thread) deluxe meant "color keyed chrome buckles". Meaning if you had black interior for example, you'd get the chrome buckles with the black wrinkle finish, I guess

From everything I've seen, this started in 68. 64-67 had plain chrome buckles. If you look at the reproduction belts from Year One or whoever, that's how they break them down as well. (although they're not called deluxe - just that 64-67 is chrome and 68-whatever has the chrome buckles with the colored wrinkle finish)

My car being made in 67 and having plain chrome buckles in the car when I got it made me think that perhaps the switch from plain chrome to colored was not a model year change but some time early in the actual 68 production

I've since been informed that no 68s had the plain chrome buckles. So maybe the belts on my car were swapped in at some point. In any case, my plan now is to just go with the wrinkled finish chrome buckles.

[chargervic]

Here's my 
I'm working on two Dec 1, 67 build R/Ts. The buckles I've seen are all the wrinkle finish. However, the outer front belt had no retractor (or the little chrome slip-on version) and there were no rubber covers over the anchor bolts, both inner and outer anchors. The running change to retractors and anchor covers seems to happen sometime in December 67. I've had quite a bit of support from other early build owners and find this info to be correct. Shoulder belts were an option, both front and rear. One of these Dec 1,67 R/T's has rear shoulder belts, a very rare option. This car was built without front shoulder belts although they were specified on the build sheet. Another production line Ooops. Neither car has retractors. All these belts have wrinkle finish buckles as does my wife's April 68 build car. I've been around these cars since they were new and do not remember chrome buckles for this model.
Hope this helps.

[xs29bb1]

Here's my  
I'm working on two Dec 1, 67 build R/Ts. The buckles I've seen are all the wrinkle finish. However, the outer front belt had no retractor (or the little chrome slip-on version) and there were no rubber covers over the anchor bolts, both inner and outer anchors. The running change to retractors and anchor covers seems to happen sometime in December 67. I've had quite a bit of support from other early build owners and find this info to be correct. Shoulder belts were an option, both front and rear. One of these Dec 1,67 R/T's has rear shoulder belts, a very rare option. This car was built without front shoulder belts although they were specified on the build sheet. Another production line Ooops. Neither car has retractors. All these belts have wrinkle finish buckles as does my wife's April 68 build car. I've been around these cars since they were new and do not remember chrome buckles for this model.
Hope this helps.

Thanks a bunch!! This is exactly the info I got and am working with.  We're keeping the wrinkle finish as I was told that no 68s had chrome buckles.  Thanks again - much appreciated.  I feel better about it w/ some additional info that agrees w/ what I'm doing  

[VegasCharger]

   My 68 Charger build date 1-18-68 has wrinkle finish buckles. Retractors I can't confirm because my car had aftermarket belts in the front and originals in the back.    I am going to use retractors with the recent info I've piled up and much thanks on this added info to steer me into the right direction.  I'm also going to have front shoulder belts due to my sun visors having the retainer clips.