three point seat belts

[NormD]

Has anyone installed three point seat belts into 65 Mustang? If so, how difficult and how does it look?

thanks
norm

 

[enferno]

i bought mine at mustangs unlimited. the instructions they gave were complete crap. however, there are a BUNCH of threads on here explaining proper installation. it's not too difficult, just requires a few holes to be drilled., and they don't look half bad either.

 

[19stang66]

I did in my 66 coupe. Look stock and work good. Here's my thread of the install.
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=645510

 

[jerry S]

I did in my 66 coupe. Look stock and work good. Here's my thread of the install.
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=645510

I had the exact same ones and my experience from my accident last night was that my wife's belt broke off the roof mount and my belt that always rode high up on my neck almost cut my head off.

Assuming my car can be made road worthy again, I am getting a 6 point cage from Auto Weld Chassis and a 5 point belt.

 

[jikelly]

Yeah I want shoulder belts, but I think I'll have to install a cage for those to even work properly since I've got a convertible. If I install a roll bar/cage then I might as well do the 5 point belts as well.

 

[19stang66]

Well i feel safer now! Not. I'm going to move the inertia reel back to just before the rear seat and mount it to the floor. t_chelle showed me how she used some plastic clip things to help lower the contact point on your shoulder. I bought some and they work for the most part.

 

[bdepedro]

Before you install a 6 point harness, check with the pros. I've been told that it's very dangerous to run a harness without a rollbar. If I remember, the problem is attaching the shoulder straps to the floor boards as opposed to a roll bar. Maybe some racers out there can confirm or dismiss this but that is what I've been told. I'm concerned about the 3 point belts not holding as I was also planning on installing them as a safety upgrade to the stock lap belts.

 

[krash kendall]

. If I remember, the problem is attaching the shoulder straps to the floor boards as opposed to a roll bar.

In a forward collision the shoulder straps pull down as your body moves ahead resulting in compressed vertabrae if mounted to the floor. The attach points shouldn't be more than one inch lower than your shoulders.

 

[66forfun]

How will a roll bars help during street use with no helmet to cover the noggin? My bet is your head will loose! If the roof connection failed on the retrofit 3pt belts there needs to reinforcement to the crappy mounting point. Please check out that roof con and let us know if the bolt pulled out or the mount tore off the roof. Sorry to hear about your troubles. I still have the spear for a steering column, low back seats and lap belts off a roller coaster...all of which will be changed eventually.

 

[krash kendall]

I still have the spear for a steering column, low back seats and lap belts off a roller coaster...all of which will be changed eventually.

How about the "jam jar" master cylinder?

 

[bdepedro]

How will a roll bars help during street use with no helmet to cover the noggin? My bet is your head will loose! If the roof connection failed on the retrofit 3pt belts there needs to reinforcement to the crappy mounting point. Please check out that roof con and let us know if the bolt pulled out or the mount tore off the roof. Sorry to hear about your troubles. I still have the spear for a steering column, low back seats and lap belts off a roller coaster...all of which will be changed eventually.

I'm sure a full cage without a helmet would not be good in a collision. I'm sure you would come up enough out of your seat to make contact with the forward bars but I wonder if just a roll bar would have the present the same problem. Anybody know for sure? I'd also like to know exactly what failed in the 3 pt belts.

 

[Tim65GT]

Quote by jerry S:

I had the exact same ones and my experience from my accident last night was that my wife's belt broke off the roof mount and my belt that always rode high up on my neck almost cut my head off.

Quote by 66forfun:

If the roof connection failed on the retrofit 3pt belts there needs to reinforcement to the crappy mounting point. Please check out that roof con and let us know if the bolt pulled out or the mount tore off the roof.

I too am curious about the anchor point failing. More detail...any pics?

I put thick metal behind my anchor points, and It seems I would be crushed or the the belt would fail before the anchor points fail.

Here is a link to a thread that has a lot of discussion about 3 point belts and other links too. (and a pic of my anchor point)

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=611562

Sorry to hear about your situation. Hope everything works out.

 

[dennis112]

Remember that Jerry's car is a 69' and the seat belt mounting nut was installed by Ford. It is basically a crush nut. Ford starting installing the nut in some 67's, and all 68' and later cars.

My solution, as illustrated on my web page http://www.geocities.com/dennis_2685/seatbelt.html , was to add a 2" washer inside the roof channel. For this reason, my setup would be superior to the original Ford installation.

Disclaimer: This information found above is not intended to instruct or teach anyone in the proper or safe methods of working on or maintaining a car and the author takes no responsibility for the use of the information contained herein.

 

[bdepedro]

Dennis, your instructions indicate they are for 64-67. You also said that the 69-70s mounting points were different from the factory. Can your mod be made to 69-70s or is the mounting point that different?

 

[66forfun]

"How about the "jam jar" master cylinder?"
gone, swapped out for baer 13"/pbr's...halogen lights to see and be seen as well.

good solution with the washer dennis, would hate welding to a roof thats painted alread.

my 10 yr old nephue asked if it had airbags...lol.

 

[dennis112]

Dennis, your instructions indicate they are for 64-67. You also said that the 69-70s mounting points were different from the factory. Can your mod be made to 69-70s or is the mounting point that different?

The 64-67 designation was because those years did not have any provisions on the roof for a mounting point. The 68+ have the threaded hole provided and that was all I was trying to point out.

Although I have not personally messed with a 69-70, I would imagine that it would be possible to strengthen the roof in the same manor. After reading about Jerry's accident, it sounds like something to consider.

I wish he would post a pic of the damaged area to see what failed.

Adding the large washer for support may be a viable option. In theory you would drill out the existing nut (or drill another hole) and then follow the procedures outlined by snaking a similar nut washer assembly inside the roof support-preferably through the sail panel.

Disclaimer: This information found above is not intended to instruct or teach anyone in the proper or safe methods of working on or maintaining a car and the author takes no responsibility for the use of the information contained herein.

 

[bdepedro]

The 64-67 designation was because those years did not have any provisions on the roof for a mounting point. The 68+ have the threaded hole provided and that was all I was trying to point out.

Although I have not personally messed with a 69-70, I would imagine that it would be possible to strengthen the roof in the same manor. After reading about Jerry's accident, it sounds like something to consider.

I wish he would post a pic of the damaged area to see what failed.

Adding the large washer for support may be a viable option. In theory you would drill out the existing nut (or drill another hole) and then follow the procedures outlined by snaking a similar nut washer assembly inside the roof support-preferably through the sail panel.

Disclaimer: This information found above is not intended to instruct or teach anyone in the proper or safe methods of working on or maintaining a car and the author takes no responsibility for the use of the information contained herein.

Not to worry, no liability assumed here. I would also like to see a pic to see exactly what failed. Definitely something of concern. Definitely need shoulder belts but I also want to feel confindent about the strength in an accident. Seems to me that you're right about a similar strengthening procedure to help but I imagine the welding temp would damage the paint on the roof so I would need to wait until I repaint possibly.