68 Charger diagonal seatbelt position

[Bob T]

So, there I am, installing my new repop belt set with the chrysler tags sewn on 'cause the compliance inspection is on Saturday and I feel through the headliner for the depression where the factory hole is for the mount position and then I use a circle hole punch through the fabric and go to install the bolt but LO, the factory didnt weld the nut in place    ( trombone wah wah wah waaaah )

Hoping I can maybe stretch the headliner or cut it in such a way that the cut will remain under the plastic belt assembly and get a nut welded in place . Bummer

Anyone run into this one before

[Dino]

I've never checked, is it a nut that's supposed to be welded in place or clamped into a little metal housing?  If the latter you may be able to bend the tabs with a screwdriver enough to grab the nut.  When you try to put the bolt in does the nut stay in place but simply spin around or do you feel the nut is not staying put at all?

I would loosen the headliner to get access to the nut, you do not want to start cutting the liner.

If you feel the nut is turning with the bolt then you can try putting a bit of grease on the bolt and when you try to turn it into the nut put some pressure on it.  Once you catch a thread then you can keep turning but now you want to pull on the bolt so pressure is put on the face of the nut.  That way you can still get the bolt in there and tight BUT if you ever need to get it out, you're gonna be swearing a bit.  Mind you this is theoretical, I've had mixed results doing this but it sure doesn't hurt to try. 

[terrible one]

From what I understand it was later built '68s that got the shoulder belts, the earlier ones just had lap belts and thus no welded nut there. Perhaps your car didn't come with the shoulder belts originally.

[Bob T]

I've never checked, is it a nut that's supposed to be welded in place or clamped into a little metal housing?  If the latter you may be able to bend the tabs with a screwdriver enough to grab the nut.  When you try to put the bolt in does the nut stay in place but simply spin around or do you feel the nut is not staying put at all?

I would loosen the headliner to get access to the nut, you do not want to start cutting the liner.

If you feel the nut is turning with the bolt then you can try putting a bit of grease on the bolt and when you try to turn it into the nut put some pressure on it.  Once you catch a thread then you can keep turning but now you want to pull on the bolt so pressure is put on the face of the nut.  That way you can still get the bolt in there and tight BUT if you ever need to get it out, you're gonna be swearing a bit.  Mind you this is theoretical, I've had mixed results doing this but it sure doesn't hurt to try. 

Nah, is just a blank hole with no nut, so yeah, swearing a bit last night anyway  , did a thread search before I posted this , but nothing. I was able to take the long trim upper trim clip off and pull the liner out a bit and look/feel up there with a penlite but nobody home , so its get something welded to retain the nut without having to remove the headliner and screen,  Damn.

From what I understand it was later built '68s that got the shoulder belts, the earlier ones just had lap belts and thus no welded nut there. Perhaps your car didn't come with the shoulder belts originally.

You're probably on the money there Terrible One, its a 907 67 build, I had expected they all had nuts in place from the factory . Nuts to that    I got this belt set cause we prefer a diagonal belt as well, we do a few long trips or will do at least. ah well, press on. 

[Dans 68]

Shoulder belts were always an option in '68, so I'm tending towards a mistake by the factory in not having the nut in place. 

Dan

[Fred]

What a bummer BobT. I didn't know that the earlier builds didn't come with them. All that extra messing about. I guess I was really lucky in that case.  (mine was built in May 68).
Hope it all goes well for you.