what i thought was going to be the hardest part of the install turned out to be the easiest. Locating the third bolt plate in the roof line was as easy as drilling a 7/16 hole where i wanted the bolt to be located. (Straight up from the front edge of the rear side window). There is a flat surface at this location . Flip the bracket over and mark the two holes for locating rivets.
Now thread a mechanics wire (5 ft piece) from the drilled hole to the 1 1/2" square hole behind the sail panel. Tie string to the plate as a safety if wire comes off. Pull plate along roof line until 3/8 threaded hole is visible, insert bolt as a handle and locate rivet holes. Install rivets and then you are ready to attache the 3rd point of your seat belt. The other 2 points are factory located in the floor pan.
-- Edited by pontiax on Monday 12th of November 2018 03:40:20 PM
Thats awesome! Great idea. I always though lap belt only would do very little in a front end impact. I think we've been wearing them so long that it wouldn't be an inconvenience in a older car.
Who's belt is that? Does it have retractors, or does it have to be snugged manually?
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
Thats awesome! Great idea. I always though lap belt only would do very little in a front end impact. I think we've been wearing them so long that it wouldn't be an inconvenience in a older car.
Who's belt is that? Does it have retractors, or does it have to be snugged manually?
Made by Seatbelt Solutions in USA. seatbeltsolutions.com
yes they are retractable. I thought they would be akward for rear passenger entry. But if you step over instead of thru, the retractors allow enough slack to easily get into the back seat. See my other post for the rear belt installation.
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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb of torque.
Interestingly enough, I have five grandchildren who are always overly zealous to go for a ride in Granddad's convertible or "vertable" as our one granddaughter calls it. Additionally, there is a constant battle as to which one gets to ride in the front. It is all part of the fun, especially going for ice cream at the Milky Way.
Thanks for the pics. So its the lap portion that retracts in and out?
No, it is the shoulder belt that retracts in and out . this way you can lean forward to reach the radio and the pendulum gear will stop this in a sudden stop.
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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb of torque.
Made by Seatbelt Solutions in USA. seatbeltsolutions.com
I dealt with them also. Good company. They did what I wanted, even down to putting the original "Dominion tags" on my refurbished belts.
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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.
Thanks for posting this. I will probably install 3-point belts on the next old car I get. I've never been involved in a collision (knock on wood), but I'd have to think the lap belts alone would just hold you in place while you face planted the steering wheel or dash. I do recall a news special years ago when rear seat only had lap belts - apparently there were a lot of back/spinal injuries as a result of your body folding in two during a collision.
None of us expect to ever be in an accident, but they do happen. Makes sense to at least have the basic safety equipment in your car to help protect you and your passengers.
One question I do have, though, is how does the lap portion of the belt fit? From the pics the buckle looks a little high, but it may just be an illusion.
Proper lap belt position, from the NHTSA site, is:
The lap belt should be adjusted so that it is snug and lies low across your hips after fastening.
This is a good topic for discussion. I have wondered about 3 point belts as well. The 68 B Body apparently has the shoulder attachment point already in the car and the option for the shoulder restraint was an option (for what I understand) It is covered up by the ceiling material.
But, further to MC's above note, the lap portion does look a bit high in the pics. But, is the height of the lap restraint that will go across your hips lower abdomen determined by the length of the rigid sleeve? The rigid sleeve is where your belt would attach on the right hand side and mounted to the floor. I was looking on another website, Wesco www.wescoperformance.com/resebe.html and they have an 8 inch and an 11 inch rigid sleeve so, I am wondering if the height is influenced by how high the buckle is on that right hand side?
-- Edited by 68 Grande on Tuesday 13th of November 2018 01:02:13 PM
I imagine if the sleeve/buckle end is too long, it would mean the buckle is resting against your hip, which might be uncomfortable or cause some small injury in a collision.
Looking at the top photo again, I think if the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled tighter, then the sleeve will angle further forward, and be alright. It just looked a little unusual in the photo.
But, yes, I think it's a good topic of discussion. Usually in the hobby nobody wants to talk about safety - it's not fun or 'sexy', but I think it's good to get the idea out there to at least think about it. After all, it's not only your own safety to think about, but your spouse, kids or grandkids as the case may be.
Liking the original installation back at the beginning of this thread. Do have a question though. How hard would it be to do this install if the headliner was still in place?
In the case of my seat belts, with the consul in place the long length of the rigid sleeve is necessary. It looks high but does cross my hips.
with the 63-64 b body, the sail panel and roof line chrome would have to be removed to access the proper location. Part of the headliner would have to be pulled back.
Picture is finished product in a 63 olds.
-- Edited by pontiax on Wednesday 14th of November 2018 08:09:39 PM
Finished product looks real good. I know I am going to be doing the same upgrade as well in the near future as the single lap belt makes me feel very exposed.
