65 seat belt buckles

[Bill W.]

Is the textured surface of the seat belt buckle on the underside of the buckle as well as the outside ? Does it show through the center decal ?

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Come on guys somebody knows . What do your restored buckles look like ? All the paint was flaking off mine .

[David L.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Bill,

Pictured below are a 64 buckle on the left (paint removed) and a 65-early/mid 66 buckle on the right. I happen to had these photo in my files. I believe that I still have the buckles but I am not 100% sure.

Dave

[James W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Bill,

I will look at my unrestored '65 tonight and tryto get you an answer.

James West

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

This is a red '65 buckle/belt I have and I think the ink stamp date on the bottom is 10_2x_64 (stare at it a while). So yes, texture was also on bottom.

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Thanks Wayne , Great picture I didnt know they were ink stamped . What color ink would have been used on a black buckle ?

[Loren L.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Isn't the threshold question here whether or not ALL such buckles painted with 'TEXTURED" paint? Or was it just SOME colors? Or just during a certain period, from ______ through ______? Anybody penetrated the walls of Irving Air Chute or know a former employee.......

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Loren , Good question . The first time I seen one of the textured buckles I thought it was just a really bad paint job . I would like to know the answers two .

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

What ever GM used to get the texture it sure does not agree with the aluminum. If it is anything like the headlight buckets the aluminum reacts better with the green zinc chromate applied first.

The seat belt buckles need all the help they can get to retain the painted finish. If '65 is a driver chips are inevitable. I know as my '65 buckles now look very used with chips.

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Gene on a aluminum or a zinc part you need to use Zinc Chromate (If you can find it ) or acid etching primer . I use Dupont Vari Prime acid etching primer on all metal parts .

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Gene on a aluminum or a zinc part you need to use Zinc Chromate (If you can find it ) or acid etching primer . I use Dupont Vari Prime acid etching primer on all metal parts .

That is a good choice. Zinc Chromate that GM used is difficult to find today.

[Loren L.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

What ever GM used to get the texture it sure does not agree with the aluminum. If it is anything like the headlight buckets the aluminum reacts better with the green zinc chromate applied first.

The seat belt buckles need all the help they can get to retain the painted finish. If '65 is a driver chips are inevitable. I know as my '65 buckles now look very used with chips.

Perhaps they were NOT textured - the appearance is due to the reaction to the aluminum????

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Loren a few years ago There was a set of restored Snake Oyl belts for sale that were textured ???

[Loren L.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Bill, all I'm doing is asking "Are we sure?" and "based on...." - the core questions involved in the creation of the NCRS manuals in their infancy.

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 seat belt buckles

Bill, all I'm doing is asking "Are we sure?" and "based on...." - the core questions involved in the creation of the NCRS manuals in their infancy.

Loren,
My exposure to this question is not conclusive. My early '65 did have a very fine texture prior to restoration on both sides of the buckles as the previous "Red" one in the photo shows. The only difference being mine are blue.

Some of the paint lifting is contributing to the texture look but I think there was texture originally.

One can not duplicate this fine texture with texture paint as it is too big and course with regular lacquer. I restored mine doing a very dry spray that was close simulation but not correct. Durability was not good either. Anybody know of a spray that does look fine enough texture and can be sprayed over with the correct color?