73 Euro seat belts

[Ivan Fuller]

If you are unfortunate enough that the originals went missing over the years then 72/73 receivers are VERY difficult to find. Only a couple of sets in the last year or two sold across all of the forums and people know it.
You can start by paying $6-800 for a crusty pair of receivers. (As Stretch mentions you could modify VW ones, but to be a perfect copy is some work and time is money - um you also need an original to copy). Then add $2-300 for belts/reels. 74 on will work and there are losts of those around which is why they are only $200. One can get inventive and search the VW forums for NOS reels/belts which are around $100-150 each which is probably the way to go as you want to be confient the mechanism is ok Also the chrome will probably be ok. Purchase the webbing from stretch or have him re-web (freight around the world) or spend a couple of hours @$70/hr doing it yourself. Before doing so pull the crusty receivers apart, clean, tumble or media metal bits blast drop off to plating shop, pick up reassemble with new stickers - another couple of hours at least.
Labor 5hrs @ $70 = $350
Used Receivers inc freight = $750
NOS or used reels/belts $250
Plating (no chrome) $20
Stickers $20
Webbing $200?
Total $1575

Perhaps the ones on ebay werent such a bad deal, if a little negotiation went on which it usually does
Buy them and bolt them in wthout any of the stress.
(now if you have a set to start with to restore its a different story)

[pu911rsr]

Cees,

Your belts found a good home.

Phil

[Gearby]

It should probably be noted that 72 and 73 receivers are slightly different from each other . The 72 receivers have a smooth texture with a different screw on the back whereas the 73 receivers have the textured finish like the ones in the eBay auction. Other than that, they were the same. The few that have surfaced in the last few years were mostly 1973 receivers, the 1972 receivers seem to be almost impossible to find.