Ray Brown and Impact Seat Belts used in 1966 GT350's

[6s1640]

Hi all,

There has been some interest in the 66 GT350 leather fobs on the seat belts.  I have talked with Denny (6S1568), selling the fobs and have the below images to share relevant to the variations of the Ray Brown and Impact seat belts.  In summary:

1)  The latch side image shows four variations, alternating between Ray Brown and Impact.  The first image on left shows a Ray Brown latch with a closed loop on the end of the latch.  The remaining three have an open loop.  I will conjecture the closed loop is the earliest version, at least for 1966.

2)  You will also notice the left two have no metal webbing, the third from left has the beginnings of a web and the far right seat belts has a full web.  This belt is fully provision for a leather fob.  This represents a transition to leather fob on loop side to the latch side.  I will conjecture this is for very late GT350's.

3)  On the loop half of the seat belt, most common with leather fob, the image showing the Ray Brown seat belt would suggest that the rougher side was also black.  I believe it is more common to see the rough side a natural color.  I do not have an image of the latch side with leather fob.  Maybe someone can post.  There also appears to be different sets of markings on the loop half, such as "O" or a Military Standard.

4)  The adjusters are very similar with the Ray Browns appearing a little beefier.

5)  The tags are shown front and back.  They are obviously different.  Both have reference to a material standard(s) to which the belt was made.

6)  There seams to be too styles of hooks.  The short I have found is consistent with Ray Brown and the long consistent with Impact.  However, this is not an absolute.  It is also possible that Ray Brown and Impact belts could have been intermixed after the cars were new by the current owner at the time to make a repair by replacing a belt half.  I have seen Ray Browns with long hooks

I believe the Ray Browns are most common in the early GT350's and the Impacts in the later cars.  The in between cars is where it gets messy, likely a mix of both manufactures.  It also seams to be typical the belt hardware was chromed, but not an absolute.  I have heard the very early 65 GT350's may have had a dull or gray finish hardware.

As part of a survey, if you care to post what your GT350 originally came with, please answer the below questions.

1) SAI VIN

2)  Latch end - (O) Open or  (C) closed

3)  Latch end - (A) No web, (B) partial web, (C) full web with holes for leather fob

4)  (R) Ray Brown or (I) Impact

5)  (S) Short or (L) long hook.

6)  (C) Chrome or (D) dull finish

So your answer might look like  6S123, 2O, 3A, 4R, 5S and 6C.  Or just spell it out.  If your belts don't match, make two listings.  Some cars came with two styles with in same manufacture and even a mix of both manufactures.

Let see what this survey gets us.  If you have question, go ahead and post.  If I made an error, straighten me out.

Hope this is useful.  Let see what else  we can learn together.

Thanks

Cory

[6s1640]

Here are the labels.  The Ray Brown Spec referenced is "SAE. 34B and GSA JJ-B-185-A "

[kingchief]

Thanks Cory...excellent work.

Steve

[chris NOS]

nice post! 

[SFM66H]

Cory - EXCEPTIONAL work, as always! Your comparison photos with captions are The Best! Thank You for starting this much needed thread on a very interesting component that many would like clarification on. I much look forward to your survey results.

I also have discussed this with "leather pad" Denny (6S1568), and we came to the same conclusion about mid-series cars like ours, that unless one happened to be at the dealership on day one, it's about impossible to know for sure which brand of belts a car came with when shipped from Shelby American.

I personally agree with your assessment of Ray Browns early and Impacts late. It's where to add the word "mid" that gets difficult!

Thanks again,
Kieth

[Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas]

mine must be a "Middle car" as it has one of each

[6s1640]

Hi all,

Here is a correction on one of the images with labeling.  Thanks Keith, you pass the test.  I also added images to show closed and open loop on the latch.  Hope that helps.

Cory

[DennyD]

6S2344      2C, 3A, 4R, 5L, 6C

[Jbarela]

Seller states these are from 6S2052
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-SHELBY-ORIGINAL-GT350-MUSTANG-SEAT-BELTS/184617522362?ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F0%2Fe11051.m43.l1123%2F7%3Feuid%3D03713ff301e9478bb9a20bc7bcfb903c%26bu%3D43143284322%26segname%3D11051%26crd%3D20210213201107%26osub%3D-1~1%26ch%3Dosgood%26loc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fulk%252Fitm%252F184617522362%26sojTags%3Dbu%3Dbu%2Cch%3Dch%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Curl%3Dloc%2Cosub%3Dosub%26srcrot%3De11051.m43.l1123%26rvr_id%3D0%26rvr_ts%3Dacadc9aa1770a7b30a60d45afffd2419&ul_noapp=true&pageci=d58a576d-9990-478d-8349-e3f4480cf24a

[gt350hr]

   On another post I mentioned SAI never used "Cummings and Sanders" which got me some backlash. I DO realize that Impact was made by Cummings and Sanders. My comment came from the fact that there are belts "out there" that have a LABEL that does NOT say Impact nor do they have the CS logo , BUT they do say Cummings and Sanders only. I will say these have been olive drab or dark gray and were probably government surplus. My point was simply ''that" label was not used for SAI. Later belts say Impact by American Safety . IIRC these were '67 vintage.

[J_Speegle]

3)  On the loop half of the seat belt, most common with leather fob, the image showing the Ray Brown seat belt would suggest that the rougher side was also black.  I believe it is more common to see the rough side a natural color.  I do not have an image of the latch side with leather fob.  Maybe someone can post.  There also appears to be different sets of markings on the loop half, such as "O" or a Military Standard.

Here are a couple of pictures of the leather fobs from a set of original Ray Browns




A few close up of the markings (same Ray Brown set) of the markings I found on the  loop half (front "O"s and back circle inside circles) and on the hook that might help the over all details. These are originals and left unrepaired since 1973 when I first rode in the car.

[SFM66H]

Hi all,

Here is a correction on one of the images with labeling.  Thanks Keith, you pass the test.  I also added images to show closed and open loop on the latch.  Hope that helps.

Cory

Thanks Cory - all good now!

Kieth

[J_Speegle]

1) 6S1203
2)  Latch end - (C) closed
3)  Latch end - (A) No web
4)  (R) Ray Brown
5)  (L) long hook
6)  (C) Chrome

[6S280]

1) 6S280
2)  Latch end - (O) Open
3)  Latch end - (B) partial web
4)  (R) Ray Brown
5)  (L) long hook
6)  (C) Chrome

[KR500]

1. 6S2069
2. 1 ea. Open; 1ea. Closed
3. 1 ea. A no web; 1 ea B partial web, this web is only about 1/3 the size as in the examples above.
4. Impact
5. Long
6. Chrome