Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars?

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 04:53 PM

How did you go about it? Did you use a kit? Adapt parts from a newer junk car?

How do you determine where you're going to mount the anchor so that it is structurally sound and won't cut into your neck, etc?

Thanks in advance!

Posted By: A_Roldan

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 05:40 PM

Someone posted about these XV Motorsports ones before. These are the ones I intend to buy when I'm ready to put seat belts in. It says on their web site you need someone to install the top anchor threads if your car isn't equiped. I guess you'd need to have a qualified body shop do that?... maybe someone will come along that has done this already... anyway, here is the link:

XV Motorsports Seat Belts

~Angel

Posted By: dart67

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 06:20 PM

I did it on my 67 Dart. Been a while.......but IIRC,the belts came w/everything to mount. Cut out a square section ( about 2"X2") and welded in the nut in its place. The nut came w/metal already welded on it. It fit into the hole I had already cut out. Seems like the instructions give you an idea where to mount. Run over my shoulder and down to hip at attachment point. Work like driving a newer model.

Can't remember what company I bought from.

Posted By: dwbiggs

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 06:49 PM

Ahhh....I love my '74 more and more.

Posted By: jcc

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 07:15 PM

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

Posted By: dart67

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/28/08 08:13 PM

I forgot to mention.....I installed seats out of a 99 or '00 Z28? Had the attachment at the top corner of the seat the belt ran thru.

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/29/08 08:11 PM

Quote:

Someone posted about these XV Motorsports ones before. These are the ones I intend to buy when I'm ready to put seat belts in. It says on their web site you need someone to install the top anchor threads if your car isn't equiped. I guess you'd need to have a qualified body shop do that?... maybe someone will come along that has done this already... anyway, here is the link:

XV Motorsports Seat Belts

~Angel

Thanks for the link. They have good photos of the installed parts, which appear to work fairly well in this application (better belt placement than original).

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/29/08 08:14 PM

Quote:

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

There's an idea that I never considered. Did you have to strengthen up the mount points on the floor for the seat?

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/29/08 08:15 PM

Quote:

I did it on my 67 Dart. Been a while.......but IIRC,the belts came w/everything to mount. Cut out a square section ( about 2"X2") and welded in the nut in its place. The nut came w/metal already welded on it. It fit into the hole I had already cut out. Seems like the instructions give you an idea where to mount. Run over my shoulder and down to hip at attachment point. Work like driving a newer model.

Can't remember what company I bought from.

Thanks for the info. Do you have any pics?

Posted By: Pauls69

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/29/08 09:11 PM

Quote:

Quote:

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

There's an idea that I never considered. Did you have to strengthen up the mount points on the floor for the seat?

i've also seen those integrated shoulder belt seats on newer gm pickups/suv's.

Posted By: nomore65BelvJim

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/29/08 09:22 PM

Check the how-to section at Juliano's

lots of great pictures of the process and they carry the belts and hardware too

Posted By: jcc

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/30/08 02:11 AM

Quote:

Quote:

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

There's an idea that I never considered. Did you have to strengthen up the mount points on the floor for the seat?

Yes I did, since it is a daily driver ( in So Fla

) and I am shall we say rather robust in stature, and mainly because all the selt belt restraining forces are now transfered to the seat to the floor boards, I tried to spread the loads out, used larger grade 8 fasteners, big washers everywhere, and even tied it into the driveshaft safety loop mounting. I liked the end result, feel a lot safer, and would do it again, plus my seats are now electric.

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/30/08 01:05 PM

Quote:

Check the how-to section at Juliano's lots of great pictures of the process and they carry the belts and hardware too

Awesome site. Thanks for the link!

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 05/30/08 01:07 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

There's an idea that I never considered. Did you have to strengthen up the mount points on the floor for the seat?

Yes I did, since it is a daily driver ( in So Fla ) and I am shall we say rather robust in stature, and mainly because all the selt belt restraining forces are now transfered to the seat to the floor boards, I tried to spread the loads out, used larger grade 8 fasteners, big washers everywhere, and even tied it into the driveshaft safety loop mounting. I liked the end result, feel a lot safer, and would do it again, plus my seats are now electric.

Excellent information. Thanks!

Posted By: boden

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/31/08 03:17 AM

Quote:

With little good mounting points on a 62 Dart Hardtop, I just installed Sebring Leather Convertible seats with Integral Shoulder belts.

Me too! It took quite a bit of fabrication though and reinforcing the floor in my 73 Duster.

Posted By: uh60lbhawk

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/31/08 03:56 AM

I'm a newbie to the forums and probably stating the obvious, but...

My 69 charger came with shoulder belts. They snap up to the ceiling when not in use, or you can clip them to the lap belt.

I never realised cars form that era had them until I bought my car.

Posted By: nomore65BelvJim

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old cars? - 05/31/08 04:19 AM

IIRC All cars built January 1st 1969 or later were required by law to have shoulder belts. They were optional in previous years, not sure how many years back they were available.

And welcome to the forum Clinton

Posted By: ChryCoGuy

Re: Has anybody installed shoulder belts in their old c - 06/02/08 09:22 PM

Quote:

I'm a newbie to the forums and probably stating the obvious, but...

My 69 charger came with shoulder belts. They snap up to the ceiling when not in use, or you can clip them to the lap belt.

I never realised cars form that era had them until I bought my car.

Welcome to the forum!

I guess I should have been more specific with my question, but I was referring to pre-68s without shoulder belts, although I've heard a few people express concerns about the '68-'70 design with the separate shoulder belt in that it crosses over at their neck instead of further over on their shoulder. Fortunately I never had a wreck with my '68s or '70 that I once owned to test the theory.