Ok, I been looking and looking for an anwser to this question. The center console for a '67 Chevelle SS. I've seen them listed having the clips, and not having the clips on top of the console for the seatbelts.

I picked up a console that was in great shape about 6 years back. Now I am looking at getting it restored. I had two different anwser come back from console restorers reguarding these clips.

1. ALL 67 Chevelles with console had the clips as well as the retractors on the outside of the seats. 66 Chevelle did not have the clips or the retractors. So if you see a console without clips then its a 66 console.

2. clips were optional for '67

So any die-hards out there know the truth on this? The FAM shows clips on the picture page D55 A5. But doesn't mention if this was optional or not.

I saw A49 Custom Deluxe Seat-belts w/Retractors listed for options in 1967. How do you tell what a custom deluxe seat belt is? And does this mean clips installed?

Anyone help me clear this up?

Today must be good question day :)

I will tell you, that this is also one of those never definitely defined/answered questions.. BUT, we have discussed it here in the past.

66 NEVER got the seatbelt clips on the console.. That is 100% correct in my book.

67.. some did, and some didn't... what made the difference? we have tossed around the idea of it being a mid year change over... leftover 66 consoles used in 67's.. and the use of DELUXE SEATBELTS in 67's getting the clips on the console and standard belts not getting it...

We routinely get guys chiming in that they have an original unrestored 67 with clips and no deluxe belts, and then others who say something else.. all of which means little as statistically a handfull of responses is not a representative sample to conclude anything..

So, let er fly boys.. lets discuss it again...I'm sure Dale has some input on this and others.. love to learn something new that is not just guesses.

I'd go with POINT # 2 on your list., though not a true OPTION with an RPO code, but more of a if you get this, you get that type thing.

Deluxe seatbelts are the Stainless Steel Buckle type vs. the Standard Black heavy duty plastic. My 66 has the A49 option which gives you the deluxe seatbelt and retractors and of course no clips on console as it is a 66.

I've had several 67 SS and Malibu Chevelles in the 60s and 70s before the restoration era for those years was popular and all those with buckets and console have had the retainers. Standard or Deluxe belts have no bearing on the retainers or not. The AIM shows the retainers for all consoles, automatic (D55 A2) and manual transmission (D55 A5).

The only 67 Chevelles I have seen without the retainers are restored or modified Chevelles. I suspect a correct 67 console couldn't be located and a 66 was substituted or those purchased over the counter from a dealer wouldn't have the holes predrilled (so they'd work for 66 or 67) and the holes were never drilled. Chevrolet shows the same part number for the compartment assembly (body of console) but different numbers for the front (top) plates due to colors available.

Is it possible some early Chevelles at some plants used up remaining stocks of 66 consoles? I suppose anything is possible but how does one prove a negative without photos of someone's original car when it was purchased without the retainers? I'm with Mike on the 66 model year, no retainer clips. For the 67 model year, I consider a console without the retainer clips to be incorrect just like a 67 SS without the standard sport stripes to be incorrect.

The assembly manuals are printed quite a while before production begins, D55 A6 for example has a change to the drawing dated 7-19-66 to add the TH400 (M40) transmission. So, while the 66s were still being assembled in July of 66, 67 features were already known. Drawing D55 A2 shows it being redrawn 6-26-66 and it shows the retainers.

Conversely , I've seen early promo material that didn't show the retainers but those are printed in advance of production and that's not uncommon in early promotional material - much like the 66s with or without the blacked-out rear cove treatment.

For the 67 model year, I consider a console without the retainer clips to be incorrect just like a 67 SS without the standard sport stripes to be incorrect.
Dale could you please elaborate upon this statement? tia. JN

I can't answer your question,because I'm not sure that there really is one. All I can tell you is that I have a '67 SS that I ordered on December 7, 1966 and took delivery of on January 21st, '67. I ordered it with bucket seats, console and delux seat belts with retractors. It came without any clips on the console. Whether this was early enough to have a left over '66 console, I don't know. All I know is that mine didn't come with them.
Somebody mentioned the side stripes on 67s. I didn't want them and asked about it when I ordered it. I was told that they were an option. When mine came in, it had them. I was told that it became standard after I ordered it. More confusion, huh?

and so there ya have it :clonk: :D I told ya there is always a wrench in the spokes when we talk about these consoles. Guy knows what he ordered and what he got, hard to argue with that I always say.

The statement Dale made about the stripes is a good one.. confusing only in the that we tend to forget that ALL 67 SS's got a side sport stripe, and to further the confusion.. there was an Optional ( D-96 ) Stripe that was different from the standard stripe which could be ordered in place of the Standard Stripe.. uglier IMO.. but many like it..so yes, when we see a 67 SS without a stripe of some kind.. it is technically INCORRECT.

I knew someone would have the answer. I'm glad you all chimed in. Guess I need to locate some clips then, any suggestions where? :thumbsup:

My 67 SS was a very early build...so early, it had the 66 style coat hooks, and no clips on the console.

I think the early 67's at some plants did not get the clips. Mine was made in Atlanta. Might want to check your build date, and make the call.

rb6667

Console restorers could supply the clip for me. My car is a late '67 car. So probably needs the clips. Thanks for all the answers I got in a short amount of time.

I assume your car does not have the original console in it or you would not be asking the question.. ie., the console would have the drilled holes for the clips if it was supposed to have clips..I personally don't feel you NEED to have the clips.. just my opinion.

In your case, go for the hooks.

rb6667

I just want to build my car the correct way. If its suppose to have the clips, then I will install the clips.

Seems you guys here have answered the question that its suppose to have them, so...

And yes, when I got my car, original seats and console were missing. So I purchased an original console for it and stored it way. When I was looking at the FAM book, it had the clips. So I just wanted the answer if it was an option or not.

I'm going to have my console restored, and don't want to have to redo it cause its "wrong".

I'm not building my car to by a 100 point car, but I plan on making it correct as I can. And then keep it and pass it on to my son one day. Its best to get the correct stuff now, then many years later.

You guys sure help with the hard questions!

If its correct to have them and incorrect not to, thats what I was looking for.

Also my car is a May '67 Fremont build, so I believe that would have been well past the "use up the '66 console" idea.

So is the final answer, yes its suppose to be there? Just want to make sure this isn't still a grey area for answers.

Mine was a July built with standard belts and the clips.

Dale could you please elaborate upon this statement? tia. JN

Again, in my opinion based on GM documents...The AIM shows seat belt retainer clips in drawings as early as June of 1966. If any console equipped Chevelles came through after 3/12 to 4 months of production (Aug/Sept/Oct/Nov) something is wrong...not necessarily incorrect wrong, but something not right wrong. As for the S.S. stripes, again GMs own documentation shows the stripes on the lower body sill were standard equipment on the Super Sport series where the D96 stripes (over the wheel openings) were optional - although I've seen early promo shots of 67 S.S. Chevelles without the stripes. Go figure.

I wasn't long out of high school back then and I know many people didn't like stripes and preferred the smooth, clean look. I bought my first 67 S.S. in October of 67 and knew the original owner. He worked at a Chevrolet dealership and was working the day the car was delived on the truck. He had the stripes off the car before the cleanup shop had the shipping plastic off the interior. His preference.

I can't answer your question,because I'm not sure that there really is one. All I can tell you is that I have a '67 SS that I ordered on December 7, 1966 and took delivery of on January 21st, '67. I ordered it with bucket seats, console and delux seat belts with retractors. It came without any clips on the console. Whether this was early enough to have a left over '66 console, I don't know. All I know is that mine didn't come with them.

Certainly can't repute 1st hand knowledge, and congrats on keeping the same car all these years. :thumbsup:

Through some basic calculations of the number of Malibu and S.S. coupes/convertibles/El Caminos built through the end of November (roughly 80,000) that statistically could have had a console ordered (about 26% of series/models possible), that's almost 21,000 console units from the 5 plants. Any plant that was still using inventory of 66 parts by that time would, IMO, have serious inventory control problems.

Of course, poor inventory control might have allowed the Malibu wood-grained dash strip to be installed on S.S. cars. I've seen a few from different plants (and had one myself) but everyone says that can't be. If asembly plants can't keep up with console inventory, maybe they couldn't keep up with dash strips either; even though both dash strips would have been in normal inventory where 66 consoles should have been long gone.

Bottom line here, I can't (and wouldn't attempt) repute your integrity or knowledge of your own car that you've had for almost 40 years, not my style. I do find it very much out of the norm however. :confused:


Somebody mentioned the side stripes on 67s. I didn't want them and asked about it when I ordered it. I was told that they were an option. When mine came in, it had them. I was told that it became standard after I ordered it. More confusion, huh?

Even Chevrolet's Advance General Information (August 15, 1966) shows in the Options & Accessories when installed by Chevrolet section, "Stripes, Special Body Side Accent: SS 396 models only. Replaces the standard stripes."

No offense but knowing car salesmen (back in the day) I can imagine the guy telling you what you wanted to hear then simply ignored your request (or didn't call you back) when it came time to order the car. If your really didn't like them, the body shop could easily remove them with a bit of heat. Bet you kept them though, right?

I dont have much to add but my 66SS was still an original bucket seat car but has 68 buckets (plastic backs) and a 67 console. It does have the clips on the top but I took them off and still have them. I dont remember if I saved the bolts to hold them in place though.

I ordered my 67 in January at Reliable Chevrolet in Meridian, MS and took delivery 2nd week of March. It came with buckets, 4speed, factory gauges which still work and console with clock which doesn't work. Was 325 horse motor, black interior, and Bolero Red paint. It has the standard seat belts and they have the retractors with the housing cover that covers the retractor at the floor. It has the 67 console not a 66. It did not come with clips for the seat belt buckles. The car came without any stripes on the side, and never had any as we were on hand when the carrier arrived with a load of chevy's for the dealership

and so there ya have it :clonk: :D I told ya there is always a wrench in the spokes when we talk about these consoles. Guy knows what he ordered and what he got, hard to argue with that I always say.



NEXT!

What can I say? Car apparently wasn't assembled according to the AIM for whatever reason. It's like the controversy over whether every 67 SS came with a black dash strip. I've seen serveral with the wood-grained strip that owners swear they've never changed but everybody considers them wrong because it wasn't suppose to happen according to published specs.

I'm certainly not doubting your (or anybody else's) word here about your car. All I'm saying is that published specs call for retainer clips on all consoles and the sport stripes were standard on the SS396 series. Until someone can verify through some sort of GM memo, service bulletin, etc. that there was a change for whatever reason or a substitution due to shortages, I gotta go with published specifications. :thumbsup:

Dale is determinded to be the last word/post on this subject :D

Have to to keep you from having it, Mike. :D

Thats okay Mike if Dale has the last word, my wife usually does too. As far as the wood grain dash strip, I rember seeing a couple of chevelles at the dealership with it on them, really liked the way it looked and tried to order it for the 67 SS with no luck. There was no way to order it. It came as part of a package on the other chevelle models.