OK I am looking to buy a 78 Camaro Type LT. Pretty clean car but it has a few issues. One being the front seat belts will not retract. I know there are new ones available but right now I am having a hard enough time getting the purchase money together. I was wondering do any other GM cars other than the Camaro and Firebird share the same seat belt assembly that I may be able to find in my local wrecking yards? My yards dont have much for Camaros of these years since they get picked clean pretty fast.

Massey

 

One of three things probably happened...the coil up spring broke (not very common), the belt got yanked out too far and now it's trying to wind itself backwards (which it can't), or the spring tension has weakened and it's not strong enough to pull the belt through the trim panel, etc. If you remove the retractor, you'll see a plastic cover on one side of the body. The coil spring is inside there. You can very carefully pop that cover up, but not off. Make sure you hold the cover down or the spring will go zing. You want the cover up just enough to clear the lock tabs that snap into the side of the housing. Then you can turn the cover/spring in the direction that winds the spring tighter. I've done this many times, with perfect results.

 

If I can get this car I will check that out. To me it feels like there is corrosion keeping it all from working properly. It would not retract even at the slightest pull.

Massey

 

Once you yank the retractor out, what it needs might become more obvious. You may be lucky to where the mechanism only needs a good lube and a working-in. I believe yours has an inertia bar that slides in a slot that's on both sides of the housing. That bar could be rusted in the slots and wedged against the belt.