Trusting old seat belts

[Michidan]

What are opinions on the aging of our seat belts? I can use anything I want in my 52, and nice new ones area available in many styles. They are not even expensive.
However I do have a great set out of my old 66 Buick that I kept in a plastic bag the last 20 years. I love the heavy chrome push button buckles on these.
Should 40 year old seat belt webbing be trusted? It is not frayed or moldy. What are we all doing in our old daily driver Studebakers?

Dan
52 hardtop

https://www.studebakerhardtop.com

[goodkarmech]

IMHO, As long as they are not too stiff or moldy, or have been exposed to excessive sunlight, I'd use the belts you have. I have all original belts in my collector cars, and I feel pretty safe with them.

Al Reed
North Bay Area, CA

[DEEPNHOCK]

Almost all racing associations have a definite age limit on seat belts.
Granted, it is a different arena, but it is still your most prized possesion you are talking about...
That is you and your passengers.
I would always opt for the newest safety equipment possible.
And changing seat belts from an aftermarket set from 1952 to an OE set from 1966 is NOT an upgrade.
My opinion. Put new seat belts on.
I can sleep easy with that opinion.
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by Michidan

What are opinions on the aging of our seat belts? I can use anything I want in my 52, and nice new ones area available in many styles. They are not even expensive.
However I do have a great set out of my old 66 Buick that I kept in a plastic bag the last 20 years. I love the heavy chrome push button buckles on these.
Should 40 year old seat belt webbing be trusted? It is not frayed or moldy. What are we all doing in our old daily driver Studebakers?

Dan
52 hardtop

https://www.studebakerhardtop.com

[sweetolbob]

The problem with using the old belts is the only way to test them is to be in an accident. I have three pre-1950 vehicles that I use occasionally and drive with my wife, kids and grandkids. If I had an accident that hurt any of them because of poor safety equipment, I'd never forgive myself. My vehicles all have new belts and shoulder belts. If the big buckles are that important, at least have new belts sewn on to them. As a sidenote, Plastic slows down oxygen and light but does not stop their permeation and these are the main elements that degrade fabric performance. Just my humble opinion

[Swifster]

quote:Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK

Almost all racing associations have a definite age limit on seat belts.
Granted, it is a different arena, but it is still your most prized possesion you are talking about...
That is you and your passengers.
I would always opt for the newest safety equipment possible.
And changing seat belts from an aftermarket set from 1952 to an OE set from 1966 is NOT an upgrade.
My opinion. Put new seat belts on.
I can sleep easy with that opinion.
Jeff[8D]

Jeff, you are right to a point. I've had belts from RJS in my racing cars, and a pair of these belts were over 5 years old when installed in the car. How? SCCA requires the belts be replaced every two years. My belts had not been removed from the plastic bag and the box it came in. I took the belts back to RJS and they inspected them, declared them good. The belts were retagged and were good for two years of racing.

Sunlight and oxygen are the enemy. There are some companies that reweb belts for older cars. If the older belts have been protected, they should be fine.

quote:Originally posted by Michidan

What are opinions on the aging of our seat belts? I can use anything I want in my 52, and nice new ones area available in many styles. They are not even expensive.
However I do have a great set out of my old 66 Buick that I kept in a plastic bag the last 20 years. I love the heavy chrome push button buckles on these.
Should 40 year old seat belt webbing be trusted? It is not frayed or moldy. What are we all doing in our old daily driver Studebakers?

Dan
52 hardtop

https://www.studebakerhardtop.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $1755.45)

[chocolate turkey]

Seat belts are like brake parts, the newer the better! I wouldn't compromise for looks either.

Brian K. Curtis,
1925 Duplex-Phaeton ER
1949 1/2 ton pickup
1963 GT Hawk custom
1966 Daytona 2dr

[DEEPNHOCK]

A lot of manufacturers are date stamping the tags on the belts and sanctioning bodies are looking at the date stamp(s) now.
I don't know about the SCCA, but I was talking in generalities.
My interest was one of safety for all those involved.
I would rather see an old crusty seat belt get used [u]EVERY</u> time than a brand new seat belt not buckled up.
Locally, we just lost three young ladies to a multiple ejection rollover accident... Yep. No seat belts.
Life is too fragile to not take the proper precautions.
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by Swifster
Jeff, you are right to a point. I've had belts from RJS in my racing cars, and a pair of these belts were over 5 years old when installed in the car. How? SCCA requires the belts be replaced every two years. My belts had not been removed from the plastic bag and the box it came in. I took the belts back to RJS and they inspected them, declared them good. The belts were retagged and were good for two years of racing.
Sunlight and oxygen are the enemy. There are some companies that reweb belts for older cars. If the older belts have been protected, they should be fine.

[rusty65]

Let me get on the bandwagon here.If a used-part hound-dogger like me can spring for new seatbelts,you should too.You can always sell those tri-shield belts to a Buick collector and recoup some of your money.It's a win-win!

[Michidan]

Even these old Buick belts are data coded by GM. They are still in good enough shape that the tags are there.
We have to replace the 5 point harness in Dads drag car every three years. I think it pretty common for every sanctioning body. Our local track is IHRA.

Fact is, I already have the brand new ones installed in the back seat of the 52. Like you guys I figured safety first, and ordered the new ones.

I still have not installed in the front. I ask this question about "our" seat belts for everyone really. If consensus here is that 1966 belts are not to be trusted, that means every Studebaker ever made is past due for new belts. And I bet not too many have received them.

If the issue is not age but condition, then I feel OK about these Buick belts. (actually not tri-sheilds but they do have the fisher body coach on the button). But unfortunately things like UV degradation cannot be seen visually.

In the end I am sure I'll install new up front too.

Dan
52 hardtop

https://www.studebakerhardtop.com

[bondobilly]

Has anyone come up with a method that actually would prevent the old style seat backs from moving forward during impact. I have been toying with ideas, none that really work.

Any suggestions?

[rockne10]

Bill,

You would need to add a stout pin with a good weld to the bottom frame and a spring-loaded release latch to the seat back, just like modern two-door sedans. I don't remember when the locking seat backs became mandated but, maybe you could find a simple mechanism that could be adapted from a junkyard car of that time period.

[63Avanti]

Hmmmm....
I am one of the lucky ones with the original "optional" 1963 Avanti seat belts, with correct logo et.al. I am certain that any and all "tests" are in effect destructive on the webbing, I see no way to ensure that these 45 year old belts are any good in an accident. Now that you brought the topic up, and many thanks for that!!!!!, I will be re-webbing my belts in a compatible web, and let the judges go to .......


Terry, North Texas
1963 Avanti R2, 63SR1065
(in stage 1 resto "Project A")

http://sterkel.org/avanti

1985 Kubota L2202(Diesel)
1999 Toyota rice burner
1986 Ford 150 Long Bed

New resolution.
I will continue to respond, to the best of my ability, to any query,
challenge or alternative view relevant to my original post.
I will not respond to anything off (the original) topic...

[sals54]

I put shoulder belts in my 54 coupe. I don't like the idea of eating he edge of the steering wheel with my teeth in the event of an accident. I also moved my seat back about 6 inches for more clearance from the steering wheel and to make driving more comfortable. 6'-2" and 220 makes for tight clearance under the stock wheel at times. Don't even get me started on trying to get into an Avanti, Ugh.
Next time you're in your Studebaker, lean forward and see where your face will contact the steering wheel in the event of an accident. That may change you mind about having a shoulder belt. Remember that its not US, its THEM. I have been in 6 accidents in my life. Not one of them caused my me. And thankfully, never in one of my Studebakers.

[bondobilly]

quote:Originally posted by sals54

I also moved my seat back about 6 inches for more clearance from the steering wheel and to make driving more comfortable. 6'-2" and 220 makes for tight clearance under the stock wheel at times. Don't even get me started on trying to get into an Avanti, Ugh.

I posted this to the General Discussion area if I remember, but I also moved the seat back in the Hawk. While making it almost impossible for any normal adult to sit in the back, I feel more safe now. I cut the legs off of an old seat frame, and welded them to the existing legs. I was able to get 3.5 more inches over the original pattern, and with the power seat frame, I can get another four moving back.

As for adding some sort of spring activated gizmo that would lock the seat back, I have played around, all I can come up with is almost destroying the side panels of the seats. The only place to lock the seat is at the pivot point.

I believe 1962 was the first year for locking seat backs.

BG

[bowss@aol.com]

I was just in an accident last week with my '62 Stude. I slid into the back end of a tow truck on the interstate due to slick roads. Crumbled the hood, grill and front fenders. Seatbelts held me in place.