Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Just wondering if any of you have put seatbelts in a 60-66 truck that didn't originally have them. If so, how'd you do it, and what did the finished product look like? The truck I'm getting doesn't have them, and even though by law they're not required on a vehicle if they weren't original equipment, I'd feel a heck of a lot safer with at least a lap belt strapping me in ;)

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I used the non-retractable ones that LMC has. They serve the purpose for a lapbelt, but not being retractable I have closed the doors on them more than once when they fell off the seat. I will be swapping them for retractable ones and put one of the non-retractables in the middle for the grandson's carseat.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

You might check out www.julianos.com. I bought belts , self-retracting, from them for another project and happy with the product offered.
Bob

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Fraser,

Here is how I did mine. I would definitely recommend the shoulder harness. You can drill a hole and fish a re-enforcing plate up to the hole from the bottom of the cab and then put the bolt in. It took me a few trys but finally got it. So the installation is just like factory in the later trucks. The belts bolt to the cab floor and use big washers on the back side.

I bought them here.

http://www.gotbelts.com/index.html

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I've seen this done once or twice before, but have always had this question. Are we all sure that a reinforcing plate behind the sheet metal (for the upper mount, like in the pic above) is enough? I want to do this with my truck, but my family will be riding with me, and I want to be sure they are safe.

How thick should the plate be, and how big? And should it need a couple of plug welds to secure it, or will the bolt really be enough? I'm ready to do this myself, I'm just a little nervous...

Thanks!

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

oops...double posted!

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Great ideas/pics guys! I'm a little nervous to do this myself, never installed seatbelts in a vehicle before...

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Now's the first time...make sure you install a large washer or backing plate under the floor that the lower mounting bolt goes through..Usually supplied with the belt set..
Bob

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Like Big Fenders said. You can buy the correct hardware, re-enforcing plates and washers from the seat belt guys. The re-enforcing plate for the shoulder harness is welded in location in the factory mount but the strength comes from the force required to "pull it through" the mounting hole, not from the "tack welds" that hold it in place for mounting. The aftermarket hardware is as safe and I believe as good as the factory mount.

TR

PS I was talking to an engineer with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and he said that a good seat belt / shoulder harness combination is as safe as it gets. Air bags add nothing for someone who is properly belted in (frontal crashes). Side air bags are a different story.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Usually when you buy a kit it comes with all the hardware. That includes big washers and stuff.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I always favored the look of the chrome buckles, just be aware they get hot enough to burn you when left in direct sunlight on a hot day. These were all we had back in the early 60's and burning your fingers or belly was a common complaint.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I did retractable 3 piont belts same as TR65 and Chevy Fleetside.Got mine from SoCal Speed Shop. Tack the nut to the reinforcer and fish it up in the cab for the top mount. I removed the gas filler neck for access. use a unibit to drill the hole. For the floor mounts I had to go right through one of the cab reinforcing channels. No biggie, just a longer bolt. Use Grade 8 hardware.

I think it would take a hell of a hit to distort the cab inner sheetmetal. Consider where you'd be without the shoulder belt. Biting in to that dash.
Ralph

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Ralph,
do you remember the diameter for the shouder mount bolt?

I plan on doing the same as you guys, and I want to drill my hole now before I paint the cab.

thanks,
tad

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

My friend's truck has some spring loaded retracters added to the seat belts (chrome latch like the ones pictured above).

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

+1 on all of the above. I didn't tack weld anything, though. Rather, I used a piece of electrical tape to hold the whole flat washer/lock washer/nut together, then taped all that to an old hacksaw blade. Just kinda felt around till I caught the grade-8 bolt, got it started a couple threads, then pulled the blade and tape off. I was able to reach far enough up to grab the nut w/ a wrench to tighten. Also removed the filler tube for the drivers side. The retracts got mounted throught the cab support channel, so I needed a longer bolt for that.
I figure that any hit hard enough to pull that 3" flat washer through the cab metal is going to leave me with more to worry about than distorted sheet metal, but I used grade-8 just for piece of mind anyway.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

To Heater63 - I don't remember the bolt diameter. I did mine long after the truck was painted. Just masking taped the area over where I was drilling, marked, punched, and drilled with a unibit.
Ralph

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

After reading this post, I am going to use retractable shoulder belts for the driver and right passenger and non-retractable lap for center. Can any of you that have completed your install give us the belt lengths that you used?

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I just ordered up a pair of 140" 3 point retractable from Seatbelt Planet.com. The bolt on their shoulder mounts are 7/16" fine thread. They sell these plates as well, for $9 I figured they're worth the time alone.

http://www.seatbeltplanet.com/seatbe...cts/28/view/84

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Yepper.

TR

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

I used Simpson lap belts in my '65 Chevy for that "racey" look.

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

The PO weldid the nuts to the wall for a three point harness. Do you think that is as safe as drilling a hole and using a back plate?

Re: Aftermarket Seatbelts???
 

Are the seats any good? If not you could upgrade them to a newer style seat with an integrated shoulder harness like this:

http://www.suburbanseats.com/images/...ver%20Seat.jpg


Lotsa folks do that.