Hey guys, so I know theres not a heck of a lot of safety features on the old girl except for 4000lbs of metal surrounding you but I was wondering what, if anything, you guys have ever done to improve the seat belt situation? I only have lap belts for the front bemch but i plan on doing a few road trips this year and would like something a bit more robust safety wise. Has anyone had any experience with maybe a racing harnes style effort? I see them all the time cheap as they can no longer be track certified but should be fine for road use. Are they uncomfortable? Where do they attach?
In order to install a 5 point harness all you have to do install mounts in the floor behind the bench seat. The downfall of course is that you will have brackets in the floor right where your rear passengers feet would be sitting.
cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
Hi yes. It's a 4 door no post (pillars). I never cared for the 4 doors but fell in love with the look of this one. Plus it was what I could afford at the time and now I'm hooked. Doesn't seem to be many around when looking for parts or at shows.
We always said that except for a convertible, the 4 door pillarless cars with the windows all down were the best for hunting rabbits out in the country!
And before anyone gets excited about me saying that, I am talking about 40 years ago when we were teenagers foolish enough to do stuff like that at night with a spotlight. Not a CHANCE that I would even think of that now, the consequences would be a zillion times worse than they were then.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Hi yes. It's a 4 door no post (pillars). I never cared for the 4 doors but fell in love with the look of this one. Plus it was what I could afford at the time and now I'm hooked. Doesn't seem to be many around when looking for parts or at shows.
in Oz we call them a four door pillarless, in america, maybe canada too, four door hardtop. The pillarless has nice lines, lower roofline than a sedan. We didn't get coupes and convertibles for the masses. we have some convertibles, mine is one, which allegedly were built as GMH corporate cars. In Oz, the one to have is the pillarless, made evermore popular thanks to supernatural...
Anyhooooo....I had 5 point harness' in mine. The missus wanted more than the lap belts so installed them. I had them over the top of the seats and back down to the floor behind the seats. Made the wife happy but honestly not the correct spot to save you in a crash of any significance. The massive shift in weight and the tendancy for the human meatsack wanting to continue from the sudden deceleration, the force will be applied to the back of the bench seat where the belt goes over. Seat break, head and chest hit dash....
they need to be bolted to the floor under the rear squab or the parcel rack. This is not real safe for the rear passengers. If we have them there in australia we are not allowed to have rear. Passengers. If you don't take passengers all good I guess...
some pillarless cars had a 3 point mounted from the roof but people considered this to spoil the look of the car. I wouldn't care myselF as long as it saves me...
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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
Could you use a similar set up to that found in my 69 LeSabre 4 dr hdtp? There are actually 2 belts for the driver and two for the passenger ( but only a lap belt in the center position )
For the driver the first is a lap belt which you already have, then there is a separate belt attached to the roof above the side windows. So 2 belts to do up. Ditto for the passenger seat.
Bit of a pain having to do up 2 belts every time but it does hold you in. This set up is pre days when the shoulder belts could be manually pulled out and only locked upon a collision ( some sort of pendulum action - I think )
I make a point of using both belts, for that bit of extra security, but admit it can be a pain having to undo the shoulder belt to adjust the radio etc,
We always said that except for a convertible, the 4 door pillarless cars with the windows all down were the best for hunting rabbits out in the country!
And before anyone gets excited about me saying that, I am talking about 40 years ago when we were teenagers foolish enough to do stuff like that at night with a spotlight. Not a CHANCE that I would even think of that now, the consequences would be a zillion times worse than they were then.
Only if you are shooting out of a car, parked on a road, at night, using a spotlight...
But, SSHHHHH! you must be vewy vewy cwiet....
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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
You asked about the comfort of the 5 point. I have been driving a few cars for the last couple of years with them and I find them to be a pain. On a couple of the cars I had the option to just wear the lap belt but I was told if it is equipped with the 5 point you have to wear it accordingly. I would never put one in my car. These were 5 to 6 hundred horse cars but unless you are on the race track with them seems unnecessary to me. I sometimes refer to my convertible as my 4 wheel motorcycle and I put lots of miles on it and am very comfortable just wearing a lap belt. I do the comparison between my buddies and their bikes and I think I have tons of protection. At least I don't have to wear a helmet.
I personally don't really understand why ANYBODY would want to put shoulder belts/harnesses in their classic car.....unless required for occasional racing...
My 63 Safari doesn't have any...and I find it quite pleasant NOT being tied down to the seat...
If it's MY destiny to DIE in a car crash with NO seat belts.....so BE it....
Shoulder belts....airbags and 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes....are all part of a MODERN car......and if you are THAT paranoid.....you shouldn't be driving an OLD classic car...JMO
Nothing wrong with some lap sash seat belts but racing harness style is an overkill...the roads are a completely different animal these days...and so are the drivers....
-- Edited by koolconvertible on Wednesday 13th of April 2016 12:08:01 AM
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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
I like wearing belts/harnesses. I'm not concerned about being killed in a crash. The idea of being injured severely when it could be prevented by being buckled in kind of sucks though.
We have a customer at work who is a real advocate for driving "free", no restraints. Time after time I see where people have died in rollovers because they got tossed out (my best friend and another man died that way when I was 19). So easy to prevent.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
We have a customer at work who is a real advocate for driving "free", no restraints. Time after time I see where people have died in rollovers because they got tossed out (my best friend and another man died that way when I was 19). So easy to prevent.
Your customer is, excuse me, STUPID.
I've heard of so many people tossed from cars and dying here on PEI since moving here. It's almost a monthly occurrence. A lot people (all different age groups) have bad driving habits, and think that seat belts are a nuisance, or are just too lazy to put them on.
Let's not talk about drunk driving on PEI ...
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Many yrs ago I had a 75 Nova.I was t-boned through the pass side of the car,not wearing my seat belt.
By the time the accident was over,I was thrown around,and ended up in a gully.Ended up with 4 busted ribs,and a few
stiches in the head and face from glass.Cops told me at the hospital the only thing that saved me that time was because
I wasn't wearing my seat belt.When the car came through mine,I only had 1/4 of the drivers seat left.They said I would
have been cut in 1/2 by the seat belt. Go figure.
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"The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worth while. Therefore strive for excellence, not perfection"
Many yrs ago I had a 75 Nova.I was t-boned through the pass side of the car,not wearing my seat belt. By the time the accident was over,I was thrown around,and ended up in a gully.Ended up with 4 busted ribs,and a few stiches in the head and face from glass.Cops told me at the hospital the only thing that saved me that time was because I wasn't wearing my seat belt.When the car came through mine,I only had 1/4 of the drivers seat left.They said I would have been cut in 1/2 by the seat belt. Go figure.
Was involved in a similar deal a lifetime ago, 1967 Malibu.
Floor was so damaged the seat belt would have cut the driver in half.
Unfortunately, the driver struck his head on the fixed windshield mirror and lost his life.
Glued on breakaway mirror might have saved his life in this case.
The first thing that my gran-daughter Abby said to me when she got in the Pontiac" grampa-there are no seatbelts!" She was just amazed and somewhat unsure of it's ability to safely trans port her. I asured her that I would take special care with her on board. She has survived trips to St. Paul and back and ten years on-- the car still has NO belts.
Anyone with a 64 Pontiac Parisienne who has original lap belts, would you be kind enough to post a photo of the male / female buckles. The set in mine, do not appear to be original and I'm wanting to replace them.
My firstl 64 I had years ago I believe had the silver solid, like airplane style. Would like to find a match.
Because i actually want to live long enough to retire someday, would never get into any car with out belts. I will bet that getting thrown through a windshield is no fun at all. I put lap belts in my 57 Pontiac, front and rear when i bought the car in 1996. I have put lap seat belts in my previous 57 Chev and had belts in my 56 Chev as well. Any one that is willing to drive with out belts, just does not think it will actually happen to them...... period. I do prefer lap belts that have the original look of 1950's seat belts. For anyone that cares, Chevrolet and Pontiac first offered optional seat belts in 1955. The 56 Chev i owned from 1981 to 1984 actually came equipped with original front lap belts and they are super rare. Live another day so you can enjoy your oldie tomorrow. Cheers. George
