1968 Cutlass S Holiday Coupe Shoulder Belts Standard???

[harrydunn]

Greetings--

I'm trying to find information regarding whether or not a '68 Cutlass S Coupe has standard shoulder belts. If so, I'm assuming they'd be the cool-dude type that hang from the headliner when not in use? Thanks!

Thanks,

Mark

Columbia, MO

[gmoney]

Mark, I am quite sure that 69 was the first year for shoulder harnesses. I know that 69 was when they put in head rests and moved the ignition to the steering column.

[joe_padavano]

Actually, 1968 was the first year that front seat shoulder belts (along with side marker lights) were federally mandated, so yes, a 68 should have them. Note that shoulder belts were optionally available prior to 68, but all 68s (except convertibles) were required to have them.

[66400]

Shoulder belt law took effect on Jan. 1 1968 so a '68 model year car built in calender year 1967 was not required to have them. Look at the build date on the Fisher cowl plate, if the month is 08, 09, 10, 11, or 12 it was still an option. 01 and later builds were required to have shoulder belts.

Henry

[Kerry]

Hmmm! I have a '72 Cutlass Convertible. It only has Lab Belts.

[joe_padavano]

As I noted in my earlier post, convertibles were exempted in the Federal regs. On the other hand, shoulder belts (front and back) were optionally available in convertibles (at least according to the Fisher Body manual) but I've never seen one.

[rocketraider]

Look on your body trim tag and see if it has a small squared-off hole punched in it, usually close to the top edge. That was pre-Fed Fisher Body indication that a car had shoulder belt mounting provisions installed at the FB plant, whether or not the car was actually fitted with them.

[harrydunn]

Checked out the car and it does indeed have shoulder belts. Bought it Sunday evening and am bringing it home tonight. 51K original miles. Rough paint but mechanically solid. Minimal rust as it was a CA car for it's first 43K miles.

[pblack]

So if I had (have) factory shoulder belts in my '71 Cutlass Convert . . it would be a bit special?

[joe_padavano]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So if I had (have) factory shoulder belts in my '71 Cutlass Convert . . it would be a bit special? </div></div>

Yup. They were a seldom-seen factory option that year.

[pblack]

Cool!

[Guest rocketguy]

There was a black '67 442 at the Oldsmobile Centennial Celebration in Lansing that had them. VERY VERY rare option. The first year shoulder belts were available was '66. I have a '66 Freemont car that does not have them but it is prepped for them as evident by the hole punched in the cowl tag. I have forgotten what the build date on the car is. Incedently, the car was ordered with deluxe belts and PB but came with neither.