Remove & replace rear seat belts, install child restraints 1997 SC

Hi all,

Can someone advise how you access the rear seat belt top anchor points?

Am sure you need to remove the parcel shelf but this seems a bit tricky without breaking something.

Can they also advise how this trim comes out (step by step) as I am not seeing from the previous posts.

Am in Australia and recently imported this 1997 SC Riviera with only 10,800 on the odometer.

A real shame to tear this apart but our authorities only want Australian Standards Seatbelts and three top tether child restraint anchors.

Have the rear seat out so far

TIA
Rodney

RodneyRiviera wrote:

Hi all,

Can someone advise how you access the rear seat belt top anchor points?

Am sure you need to remove the parcel shelf but this seems a bit tricky without breaking something.

Can they also advise how this trim comes out (step by step) as I am not seeing from the previous posts.

Am in Australia and recently imported this 1997 SC Riviera with only 10,800 on the odometer.

A real shame to tear this apart but our authorities only want Australian Standards Seatbelts and three top tether child restraint anchors.

Have the rear seat out so far

TIA
Rodney

I can help you out a bit here but you absolutely need to find and buy a service manual set. They come up often enough on ebay.com in the USA.  

The top tether child restraint anchors were not standard on this vehicle but if I remember correctly could be obtained (and installed) via any General Motors dealer.

I **think** the part number is 25612093 and I think this link is an example: https://parts.matickchevy.com/p/Buick__Riviera/Seat-belt-ASSEMBLY/59849584/25612093.html  I think you will need 3 of the kits.

That p/n gets you the US "LATCH" system for the Riviera.

You would want to talk to someone in the body shop at George Matick Chevrolet, which is the place I provided you with a link to that LATCH kit. The Matick body shop is,IIRC, the largest such in the state of Michigan in the US.  They may have a more senior tech who's done such installs and can tell you what's involved.  IIRC all that is involved is detaching then sliding out the rear package shelf, finding the blind holes to anchor the LATCH kit, and reinstalling.

Good luck.

Albert

I have some pics in this thread that might be helpful. Scroll past the pics of the door panels. I haven't got the package shelf out but I have most of the rear interior out.

Jack the R wrote:

I have some pics in this thread that might be helpful.  Scroll past the pics of the door panels.  I haven't got the package shelf out but I have most of the rear interior out.  

I've had my parcel shelf out a few times, most recently to replace the carpet on it (I have enough left to do another, it's red) and getting it out it's not a big deal. The tricks if I remember right are you have to go into the trunk and detach the hi-mounted stop lamp from the steel panel it's mounted to and you have to take the rear seatback out. This is a good time to recover the C pillar panels, they will *never* be easier to get to (got that material too).

Albertj

albertj wrote:

Jack the R wrote:

I have some pics in this thread that might be helpful.  Scroll past the pics of the door panels.  I haven't got the package shelf out but I have most of the rear interior out.  

I've had my parcel shelf out a few times, most recently to replace the carpet on it (I have enough left to do another, it's red) and getting it out it's not a big deal. The tricks if I remember right are you have to go into the trunk and detach the hi-mounted stop lamp from the steel panel it's mounted to and you have to take the rear seatback out.  This is a good time to recover the C pillar panels, they will *never* be easier to get to (got that material too).

Albertj

Thanks, that gives a clue. Got a Torx bit yesterday that fits the seat belt bolts and will tackle some more today. Got all the rear seat out so far, bit by bit!