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Seat Belts
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14297		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  valiant effort [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Seat Belts
Hello,
I am the proud owner of a 1964 valiant. It does not have seat belts but I would like to install them. I can see that lap belts would be simple but I would like to go with shoulder belts as well. Has anyone done this and if so how was the top attached. I saw some belts at the junkyard in a conversion van that looked like they might work but not much area on a Valiant to attach them securely. Any ideas would be appreciated..thanks Mark
Author:  sandy in BC [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 1:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
I have these in my 65 Valaint Image

I also have them in several of my other vehicles including front and rear in my work 73 Suburban. They are inexpensive, easy to install and work very well. Highly recommended.

http://store.yahoo.net/wescoperformance ... belts.html
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sandy, I see a few different styles of seatbelts on the Wesco page. Which specific ones did you order? Looks like you can adjust them to suit your build, then getting in or out of them is a simple matter of the lap buckle, is that right?
Author:  emsvitil [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
So where do you mount the upper harness????????????

Hope it's not the floor behind the front seat as that's not a good location (spinal compression). The height of the upper harness should be close to the shoulders, but I think you can get away with lower the farther away it is (like if it was mounted in the backseat)

Also, for a 64, I don't think the pillar has the structural integrity (or mounting location) for a normal seat belt.....
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
Australia requires 3-point belts for driver and front passenger, and has for a very long time—on all cars, no matter the year of manufacture. As early as 1963, 3-point belts with the top pivot on the B-pillar were available as a dealer-installed option on Valiants in Australia. I do not know whether the B-pillars were reinforced from the factory or not, but I don't usually see external reinforcing plates on old Australian Valiants equipped with new or old 3-point belts.

So, two possibilities exist: Either the B-pillar is internally reinforced, or the upper mount is dangerously weak. Given Australia's extremely stringent and rigourous roadworthiness standards for vehicles of whatever age, I sort of doubt the latter is true. But, I have no documentation to support this assumption.

I have seen projects involving aftermarket internal reinforcement of the B-pillar. Cutting, welding, bodywork and repainting is obviously required.
Author:  GuyLR [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
The '66 A-bodies were supposed to have had a three point dealer installed belt option. I've never seen one with them however and never seen the reinforcements on either the pillar or the roof area as on the '67 and later wide bodied cars. I know my '65 Barracuda din't have any obvious reinforcements.
Author:  sandy in BC [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yep they have a floor mount for the upper harnesses. Yes.. to get out you just undo the latch.

I ordered these:

http://store.yahoo.net/wescoperformance/am4point.html

There is no way in a 65 hard top to do an upper belt from the roof....my 69 HT had a 3rd belt from the roof and that mount looked way cheezy.

My sons drive this car 50 miles a day and even if this belt is not "ideal" it is way better than no belt or the 40 year old factory belt.

The wesco install kit has huge washers and oversize bolts....recommended at $7.50 a side.

These people are a pleasure to deal with,,,I had my belts in a week after order,,,,in Canada.

It took me half an hour outside in the middle of winter to install these. I used a cordless drill and a couple of wrenches.

My sons were wearing these when they banged my work truck,,,,they swear by them,,,and keep them snug.
Author:  emsvitil [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
See

http://www.soloracer.com/harnschrothfaq.html


Scroll down towards the bottom for anchoring info............


This is not an endorsement for their belts, just information.......
Author:  emsvitil [ Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Yep they have a floor mount for the upper harnesses. Yes.. to get out you just undo the latch.

Do you have a picture of the rear mount?

How long is the rear strap? Long enough to mount just under the rear seat?
Author:  64 Convert [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Seat Belts
Quote:
Hello,
I am the proud owner of a 1964 valiant. It does not have seat belts but I would like to install them. I can see that lap belts would be simple but I would like to go with shoulder belts as well. Has anyone done this and if so how was the top attached. I saw some belts at the junkyard in a conversion van that looked like they might work but not much area on a Valiant to attach them securely. Any ideas would be appreciated..thanks Mark
I have seats from a Sebring convertible in my '64. They have integrated shoulder belts.
Author:  slantvaliant [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:50 am ]
Post subject: 
Another set of instructions, but for a daily driver street setup (3-point, useable rear seat) as opposed to Rally: http://www.andoauto.com/instruction9.htm
Author:  sandy in BC [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:20 am ]
Post subject: 
The rear strap is long enough to mount to the floor just behind the seat. My racing association rules for mounting 5/6 point belts mandate hat they MUST mount the shoulder harnesses below the shoulder(roll bar mount)
Author:  slantvaliant [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:49 am ]
Post subject: 
What kind of racing do you do with that outstanding '65, Sandy?
It's always a good point to look to the rulebook if you intend to race. The government, drivers, manufacturers, and the assorted racing bodies all have different, evolving, and sometimes conflicting ideas of what is safe. It's pretty embarassing to get nailed at the tech inspection.
It's even more embarassing to make the EMT's do their thing. ( I prefer that they be very, very bored.)
Author:  NewLancerMan [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:17 am ]
Post subject: 
I put in lap belts in my car because of two reasons:

1--the pillar just looked WAY too thin to be able to accept a 3pt harness. Not sure if the 4door lancer has a different pillar than a 2 door...so maybe someone else can comment. Dan posited perhaps its strong enough without reinforcement, but I dind't want to put it there and find out its not.

2--having a 3 point or racing harness belt with a seat without head restraints just seems silly. Sure you'll not fly forward and hit your head on the glass, roof or steering wheel, but you'll break your neck/spine on the whiplash going back.

I wasn't about to replace the bench seats with somethign else at the time, so I just went with wesco lap belts, which I am happy with. Better than nothing for side to side anchorage, if not all that much safer.

MJ
Author:  sandy in BC [ Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:17 am ]
Post subject: 
We dont race the Valaint....but it does traverse winter roads on some of the most challenging terrain in North America,,,in the hands of a 20 year old. This car has punted a large elk right out of Yoho National Park..(another tale)

We do race a 1960 nash Metropolitan mudbogger. We won our class this year....our fast pass 6.72,,,next fastest 10.25 (180 ft pit...3 ft deep)

"A" class 33" tires

Small block Chev 400cid , 041 heads Comp XE284, Chev Suburban Chassis,,,home built swing arm suspension.

Car comes out of the pit at about 50 mph @ 6000 rpm....we have our own pit at the beach ,,,,about 6ft deep....tune and test at home.

Our association rules: www.nwmra.com :state your harness must mount below the shoulders. (5 point harness)

Our cage has been upside down twice....and passes inspection.
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