65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

Ron leave your car correct as it is. There are a lot of issues such as non syncro first gear three speeds, high pressure oil gauges on base engines, the seat belt retractors & boots, use of capacitors, drum brake vibration springs, bleeder/no bleeder master cylinders that non learned judges miss call. The list goes on and on. Just keep in perspective this is just a hobby not war..........

[Jack H.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

Ron, the judge's job is to make a ruling. He/she is allowed to use their personal knowledge to supplement what's written in the JG book. Sometimes you'll find different judges making different scoring calls especially in grey areas like this (early '65 car and seat belt boot/retractor).

About the best you can do is to read (and carry a copy of) Noland Adams' Vol 2 book where he talks about this on page 258. Now, while Noland is a long time NCRS member, his book hasn't been truly updated in a LONG time and what's in it is NOT gospel. However, on this subject he does give survey data and states: "At the same time serial number 105733 was built (late December 1964), these [retractor] cups began to be installed along with the retractors. But, some Corvettes in this serial number range did not have cups..."

During the interior debrief, I'd POLITELY initiate an appeal if the judges deducted for the absense of either retractors or cups on your car. That's your right and you can push the appeal to the Team Leader, the Meet Judging Chair, and the National Judging Chair if he's in attendance.

My personal take is this has LONG been known to be a grey area and in the absense of hard proof, the benefit of doubt goes to the owner/car at NCRS....

[Gary W.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

Any advice on how to prevent a judge from deducting... or any suggestions on where to locate a pair of SILVER boots would be great.

Ron - I think they sell Silver boots at the same place you get chicken lips and duck's teeth ) I've looked everywhere and can't find any. ( Cheers, Gary.

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

Now, while Noland is a long time NCRS member, his book hasn't been truly updated in a LONG time and what's in it is NOT gospel.

That applies to the JG as well.

[Ronald C.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

the saga continues. at regional in MN i took some deducts for having the boots on my early 65 (nov 64 production date). then at bloomington i took a significant deduct. bloomingotn judges (which by the way were some of the same who had looked at my car at regional) felt that the early 65 car shoud have the 64 belts and NO retractors and no retractor boot. seems like a point of confusion.

by theway overall i enjoyed both the regional and bllomingotn car went Top Flihgt and Gold. Still need to make some improovemetns but this car is close to done... on to another?

[Martin T.]

Re: 65 Seat Belt Retractor/Boot Question

Why don't you go to the assembly manual and find the date for the seat belt change and let that be your guide? You may consider bringing a copy of the manual with you for judging.