just because i used to work at a body shop and have seen some.... uhhh bad accidents....

what is an appropriate kit to upgrade my 67 valiant lap seat belts? and if its universal ill throw it in my 63 falcon too (which currently has no seat belts)

suggestions?

more importantly, how difficult is a proper install while retaining the safety of the belts?

Spend money on seatbelts that are both new and good, then hope you never have to get your money's worth out of them.

I used to recommend retrofitting 4-point Wesco belts as I did on my '71, but not any more (the article is correct in its facts and physics, and everything said about 5-point harnesses is equally true of the 4-point variety, except the additional injuries that a 5-point can do to your 'nads).

When I get rid of the separate lap/shoulder straps in my '73, I'm putting in these up-to-date, reputable-brand ECE-approved 3-point seat belts (linked vendor is reliable; I've been buying there for a decade). More info on mounting at the maker's website. If I needed mounting hardware, I'd buy it again from Wesco, but the Securon belts are a much better-designed product than anything Wesco carries.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

dan, your link to the seat belts isnt working. but i have also been wondering about seat belts since i am in need of going out to buy new seats..

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74 plymouth duster, 225 single barrel slant six

Link fixed.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Dan makes some good points regarding later A bodies that have a roof mounting point for a 3 point belt. However my 65 Valaint came without the reinforcement necessary to hang anything other than a lap belt. I suspect the 67 and 63 Falcon are the same. The Wesco 4 point belts were an easy and safe alternative if you have no pillar mount

Any A body is a threat when it comes to a roll over. Ill take my chances with the 4 point before Ill ever go back to an ancient lap belt.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

That difficulty is addressed with careful selection of Wesco attachment hardware -- follow the link. My '62 is getting a set of the Securon 3-point belts, too.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

go to ebay and search for "XV Mopar Three Point Retractable Seat Belt -Bucket Seat"
i bought these belts, but haven't had the chance to go over to my moms house to open up the package and inspect them. i did call up the company and had a nice talk with them about mounting. i got an email the same day with this in it:
"With these belt setups you’ll be able to upgrade the safety of your ride using the same belts we use on our XV custom built cars. We’re also offering matching lap belts for the rear seats.

One of the key features of this product is that it correctly positions the shoulder belt over your shoulder and chest using a fixed drop. Without this feature the belt gets positioned across your neck, whereas ours will put it in the correct location using the factory shoulder belt mounting point over the door *.

Our belts feature:

-Locking Retractor, which allow freedom of movement but then lock automatically when needed
-Built in drop length to correctly position belt across your chest
-Push button release with custom XV logo
-Bolts in directly in minutes with no drilling required.
-Available only in black
-Designed to work with bucket seat applications

These belts will bolt in directly to Mopar A body cars that have a provision for a shoulder belt.

NOTE: These belts are not designed for use in convertibles."


i'm installing them this weekend. i'll let you know how they turn out. [/i]

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70 Plymouth Valiant 4dr

Do these XV belts meet any safety standards applicable to seat belts? Are they DOT- or ADR-certified or ECE-approved? I don't see any indication that they are, and if the answer is no, installing them would be unwise.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

So on an early A body were are you attaching the diagnol strap?

http://www.wescoperformance.com/retrofi ... -door.html

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Neato. Thanks Ed

the xv seatbelts are federally approved. the paperwork that comes with the belts has it on there. i do like the drop down extender that places the belt directly over my shoulder and not across my neck or face.

they cost the same as the WESCO belts. if i would of done more research i would of bought from them instead of xv.

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70 Plymouth Valiant 4dr

More detail, please. What exactly does the paperwork say? I ask because there is no such thing as Federal "approval" in the US. That's not how our auto safety regulations work. Anyone claiming to be selling "DOT-approved" headlamps or brake parts or seatbelts or whatever is either misspeaking or is lying, and it's important to know which.

So what do we have instead of approval? We have self-certification: the manufacturer or importer of a vehicle or regulated item of vehicle equipment certifies, i.e., promises by marking "DOT", that his product meets all applicable provisions of all applicable regulations. There is no government testing or approval required before the vehicle or equipment goes on the market. If a pile of twisted metal and dead bodies suggests an item of equipment doesn't in fact meet the requirements, there might be a DOT investigation, and if a deficiency is found, the maker or importer can be made to pay civil penalty fines...that is if the maker or importer can be found. Remember a few years ago that outfit in NJ that was importing grossly unsafe Chinese tires that caused death and destruction? They conveniently declared bankruptcy and "went out of business" just in time to avoid DOT fines.

This is why "Oh, yeah, it says 'DOT'" isn't anywhere near assurance enough. I wanna know (you oughtta wanna know) exactly who's making the seat belts, where, and what reputation they have.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

i'll get you the exact phrasing on the paperwork.
in the mean time, check out http://xvmotorsports.com/
seems like a company specializing in rebuilding custom cars might be reputable.

just saying.

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70 Plymouth Valiant 4dr

Please. I'd like to see it.
Reputable for putting cars together, perhaps. Reputable for making and properly testing seatbelts? Um…no, how do you figure? I don't necessarily say they're not qualified, or that they haven't done the necessary work to make sure these belts are safe and legally-compliant. They very well might be, and they very well might have. The product looks interesting enough that I'm considering changing my plans and putting them in my '73. But I want to see a great deal more detail before I believe that a company like this makes a product like that properly.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.