What are you guys doing for seatbelts?

[deco_droid]

because i'm assuming a lot of these old pre-60s cars do not have them. do you just drill holes in the floor and install generic lapbelts or what? and if so, is that strong enough? i know in my old mustang, the holes in the floor are threaded probably 2 inches deep, so it's not just a nut on the back side of sheetmetal holding my huge self in my seat.

[N8N]

because i'm assuming a lot of these old pre-60s cars do not have them. do you just drill holes in the floor and install generic lapbelts or what? and if so, is that strong enough? i know in my old mustang, the holes in the floor are threaded probably 2 inches deep, so it's not just a nut on the back side of sheetmetal holding my huge self in my seat.

The aftermarket "repro" seat belts sold by any number of vendors come with nuts and large fender washers, to spread the load on the floor. Properly installing those will give you anchors functionally equivalent to those factory installed on the 60's cars. If you feel the need to do more, you could cut larger reinforcement plates from plate steel, or use a "better" aftermarket anchor like this:

http://www.julianos.com/anchor_plate.html

nate

[Mike Sal]

there was some discussions a few weeks ago regarding installing shoulderbelts into studebakers. If you've got a sedan, it's pretty easy. a little more effort is required to do a safe install into a hardtop car.
Mike Sal

[deco_droid]

thanks nate, looks like that product would be quite effective.

and just looking at lapbelts presently -- if i wanted to add a monster v8 someday, i might have to add a rollbar with 5 point belts...

[Dougie]

I picked up my first Studebaker (a 62 Lark) a week ago, and driving it home 40 miles gave me an appreciation for modern safety equipment. It had only lap belts, and I was surprised at how noticeable the missing shoulder belt was. I thought a lot about the single circuit master cylinder and the steering column that would impale me if the brakes failed. I'm going to adding a V8 and one of the first things will be 3 point belts and a dual master cylinder.

[sbca96]

... and extra difficult with a convertible.

Tom

If you've got a sedan, it's pretty easy. a little more effort is required to do a safe install into a hardtop car.

[mrobertweiss]

SBCA: I have placed a captured nut , 7/16 Fine, in the hardtop 53 C/K roof channel, this assumes your headliner is out. You can weld it, or make the opening aft, and slide it in forward , using silicone to hold it in place for eventual bolt threading after all is done. The shoulder harness base can be mounted in the 14 guage sheet metal where the rear seats mount, in an upright position. I use 1/4 inch steel plate for the floors under the seats, and weld and bolt to affix everything. The 1/4 inch plate can be tapped for the seat runners as well. All of this gives a secure attachment for the shoulder harness, rather than just relying on the stock sheet metal at variuos pints, alone. I have some photos if you're interested- thanks, m weiss

[50Champ]

I can't get myself to drill several holes in the floor of my extremely original '50 Champion so I've been driving it without them for the last two years. That's the main reason why I have it up for sale (for $13,500)-because my wife isn't comfortable riding in it without belts....

[Edsel G. Tattooer]

I can't get myself to drill several holes in the floor of my extremely original '50 Champion so I've been driving it without them for the last two years. That's the main reason why I have it up for sale (for $13,500)-because my wife isn't comfortable riding in it without belts....

Grow a pair man, it's just a car. it's not a diamond that cant be put back together. Drill them holes and then weld the holes shut be for you sell it. No harm done and your life might just be spared because you did it in the mean time.

[Studebaker Jake]

on my truck the seat has its own frame. i drilled out one of the holes that bolts it to the floor and put in a nice big bolt and washer for one end of the seatbelt. the other end is welded to the seat frame

[Welcome]

>>>What are you guys doing for seatbelts?<<<

NOTHING!

Nothing because the wife will NOT use seat belts in our ’56 Hawk ...even if I installed them!!!

Years ago (she won't allow me to mention how many) the wife driving her ’57 Silver Hawk made a left turn in front of oncoming traffic and got more or less head-on’ed. Results: The driver’s door flew open and she was “unceremoniously deposited” on the pavement in the middle of the U.S. 31 & Ireland Rd. intersection in South Bend. She was treated and released with only scrapes & bruises, but her '57 Hawk was a complete total. Of course she does not know what the outcome would have been had she been belted (held in place) directly in front of a solid (non-collapsible) steering shaft in a vehicle void of all the other modern day safety features …but she’s not willing to find out!!!

Bottom-line; If it gives one a "warm-fuzzy-feeling" to rig some sort of untested belt system in a ‘50’s type vehicle, then unquestionably it should be THEIR own decision.

[johnod]

I can't get myself to drill several holes in the floor of my extremely original '50 Champion so I've been driving it without them for the last two years. That's the main reason why I have it up for sale (for $13,500)-because my wife isn't comfortable riding in it without belts....

On the bright side she won't be driving it then will she?

[Edsel G. Tattooer]

I can't get myself to drill several holes in the floor of my extremely original '50 Champion so I've been driving it without them for the last two years. That's the main reason why I have it up for sale (for $13,500)-because my wife isn't comfortable riding in it without belts....

You will feel better when you sell it and they put the holes in it? Hire someone to do it. That will keep your knees from knocking while doing the job.