Howdy!

2 questions in one day sorry! I’m building 1954 dodge C-series on a heavily modified 1989 dakota frame with a 512 motor. It’s street only- might see a few passes for WOT tuning or just fun but not even really a street strip build. I’d expect to run low 12s with terrible 60’ and probably over 110mph but really who knows. Anyway- fast truck but nothing crazy and won’t have to ever pass tech for under ten seconds or anything.

I plan to drive around a bunch- weekend driver type thing- and often with my kid and or wife. People in my area SUCK at driving and there is a lot of traffic sometimes mostly full of pill addicts that are texting. The truck has a very nicely recovered original bench seat so I want three seatbelts. I’d be happy with just lap belts but I’m not against harnesses. I just don’t want it to look like a racecar inside.

I figure if I have to weld in tabs for seatbelts I might as well have the local race fab shop bend me up a rollbar? I don’t want to go out through the roof back to the bed area but I guess I could. The cab has no floor yet just the beginnings of a frame so access is great.

Anybody got suggestions for seatbelts and possibly a roll bar? More stiffness would be a plus and safety is my goal but I’m not willing to go full race interior. Obviously they didn’t have seatbelts in ‘54 and the dakota belts were filthy and a super ugly color!

Thanks!

Radar

A rool bar or cage in a car is very dangerous, without a 5 point harness and a helmet. You can be killed very easily by hitting your head off of a rollbar tube. Metal is a lot harder than your head, and without a 5 point harness , your head won't be staying in 1 place in an accident.....

Just my opinion....

Thanks. I get it- we’ve all seen deathproof right? I don’t want a race cage.

The cab of the 54 pickup is all metal anyway and tall- made for men wearing hats. I am only thinking about a single reinforced bar tucked behind the B pillar and running along the roof. If it had a crossbar by the floor (reinforced floor frame) or just under the bench seat I could use it to weld lap belt attachment points. If it had a bar that sits just on top of the seat back for shoulder belts or harness belts it would be tucked in next to foam and springs and not be easy to get to with your head. It could be padded as well which would be safer than the steel dash or going through the windshield.

Anybody else got advice about how to best install seatbelts and possibly a reinforced single roll bar? Maybe it’s not a good idea? Should I just make the seat riser and floor really strong and find some aftermarket 70s muscle car style belts to bolt to it? Or should the belts go to the frame?

Thanks

It takes a fair amount of engineering to design a seat belt system for a child, up to 16 yrs. old. For an adult, especially the driver who holds onto the steering wheel, replicating a early 70's system, from a full sized land yacht, should be straightforward. The biggest deterrent for the passengers is the all metal dash and possibly the rear-view mirror if mounted on the dash, what a projectile. Working with a modern hugging seat with lap belts give a lot more support and protection. I agree that philly drivers suck in general and the cops only enforce the traffic laws in certain area especially where they know a ticket will get paid. What a zoo, Broad St, Roosevelt Blvd and I 95 !!!

You could probably just install 3" lap belts for strength and safety. Adding an X brace to the frame would probably be the best bet as opposed to a roll bar.

There has to be a middle ground between 1950s non safety and 2000s nerf world. I just want seatbelts for my bench seat.

Luckily the dash is pretty smooth.

I will mostly be occasionally cruising with my wife and daughter places like the park in my 25mph neighborhood or around the corner to the diner for sunday breakfast. All the hotrod stuff will be solo or with buddies. I would be happy with three lap belts but five point harnesses would be a nice upgrade right?

I don't know how it would fit in a truck but I just run the basic 6 point rollbar in my 63. It ties into the uni-body subframes to help stiffen the car and its legal down to 10.0 with a stock firewall. I just run the lap belt and the shoulder harness. Its a simple setup and they don't hassle me at the track as long as my belts are up to date. Its worth having the good safety belts for the lap belt and shoulder harness belts because if you would be in any kind of crash you don't want to get thrown around and bang your head on the rollbar as that could hurt you very bad. I would run at least the basic setup like I do of the safety lap belt and shoulder harness belts. Its worth it for your safety even on the street. And you don't have to wear the shoulder belts on the street if you don't want to but its a good idea to wear them. And if you go racing you will need them to race. Ron

Please do not consider lap belts. Get rid of the bench if you have to. I would do 4 point harnesses at minimum. I would also install head rests to mitigate a rear end hit. The A-pillars on 50's vehicles are deadly. Make sure your restraints will keep your head from contacting them.

Maybe you could do a harness mount that only goes to the top of the seat back, you could run it across the back of the seat and mount your 5 point shoulder harnesses to it.

Either you want to be SAFE or you want to pass PD tech.A few extra minutes before you roll is well worth the harness.How do you do it is up yo you!

I think this reply narrows it down to what is possible and the safest. A 3 point belt will provide for a lot more safety then any roll will in most expected accidents. Your bench seat without head rests? is your biggest hurdle.

Just for comparison, consider what a lightly swung alum bat feels like striking your head, and then watch some slo mo videos to reflect on much give the human body contorts while fully belted into a seat, it is incredible, your head will fins any roll bar, and it you think rubber roll bar padding is the solution, put it on your alum bat, and then give it a try.