Seat Belt Trim Guides or Bezels

[Michael O’Harran]

I just noticed in someone's pics of their rear seat, seat belt trim guides in the rear quarter panel trim. It got me looking at what I've bought compared to what I should have etc. Looking for some advice from others who have already past this point in their cars and what did you all do and how did it work out, because trying to randomly look through rear seat pics for my answers is not going far enough.

72' Mach 1. So I found a pick of my old rear quarter panel and it appears to have a factory cut rectangle with the old seat belt hanging out loose. No trim/bezel to look complete. I saw pics like this in others that do have a bezel that makes the seat belt look tight. That leads be to believe those seat belts are retractable and the bezel is a also a catch. It looks like the other end of the 2 point belts constantly come out of the seat at the joint between the back and bottom at the hump. Most staged rear seat pics show the rear seat belts as non-retractable, buckles across the seat with slack pulled. I looked at what I bought and I purchased the same, non-retractable rear seat belts. I looked at my replacement rear quarter panels and they do not have the seat belt hole cut out of them, but then again, my new door panels did not have speaker holes cut either so maybe that's no uncommon? I looked at my rear seat cover on order it it has the seat belt holes precut near the hump. So then looking for this seat belt trim for the quarter panels, I then found flat guides that look like that would go into the pre-cut holes near the hump. Now I' even more confused. With everyone elses' experience, do I need these seat belt guides for both ends? Does not not matter? Do I need retractable rears? They did not pop up as immediately found reproduced parts so I'd like to know what others did and how professional it came out. They sure seem expensive and would love to skip if it won't mess up the end look. Thanks.

 

[sprinter]

somebody must be making some of those bezels with a 3-d printer? I need 1 more and need to install proper 3 point in front seats as well. would like to use original styles

 

[Doug's 73 Mach1]

The bezels are only used in the quarter panel rectangular holes. In the hump area, the buckle end of the seat belt passes through the seat cushion and rest on the seat. The outboard belt is non retractable on 71s and use bezels like the blue one. 72/73s use retractable outboard belts which pass through bezels like the black ones. I have what is pictured for sale if interested $40/set plus shipping.

 

[Michael O’Harran]

The bezels are only used in the quarter panel rectangular holes. In the hump area, the buckle end of the seat belt passes through the seat cushion and rest on the seat. The outboard belt is non retractable on 71s and use bezels like the blue one. 72/73s use retractable outboard belts which pass through bezels like the black ones. I have what is pictured for sale if interested $40/set plus shipping.
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Thank you. We’ll little details like this are easy to miss when you do one restoration only and your lessons learned can’t be later when there is only the one restoration. So, my replacement quarter panel I got didn’t have the rectangular holes so the seat belts I got, not retractable will come from between the edge of the seat and the panel. Kinda late for me as best I understand it. If something changes I will reach back. Thanks.

 

[Doug's 73 Mach1]

The replacement panels might have left out the rectangular holes as the ones for 71 were smaller than the ones for 72/73. Buyer could then cut the size needed.