55.2-59 seat belts in a 59

[davecarney2]

What are you all running for seat belts in your 2nd series. Wanting to put them in my 59. Pictures would be greatly appreciated. Being that there is no upper mount how did you go about that?

Thanks in advance

[mr48chev]

I'd suggest new from Juliano's or another respected seat belt mfg.

When we put the belts in my 48 after my wife fell out when the door flew open on her we used donor belts and used lengths of 2 inch flat bar under the floor board to spread any pull on them over a wide area. They won't pull out of the floor no matter what. That was 41 years ago when I was as broke as a church mouse though.

[nvrdone]

im not sure about your '59 but we just put a set of Juliano's belts in my'49. quality is great with good instructions. so far im happy. I tried the mix & match thing & found that every brand and model car has different latches & buckles. you might find a set out of a late model truck, but id be hesitant to use a used belt.

[Rickysnickers]

So, on a related subject. My '57 is a large back window model. There's little room between the back window and the door. Anybody with this body type use 3 point seatbelts? If so, how did you mount them?

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by davecarney2

What are you all running for seat belts in your 2nd series. Wanting to put them in my 59. Pictures would be greatly appreciated. Being that there is no upper mount how did you go about that?

Thanks in advance

We welded in a backing plate for shoulder belt mounting point between the back window and the door in our 53 Chevy Truck. We made backing plates that looked like this https://www.seatbeltplanet.com/i-304...SADEgKkevD_BwE

Then drill a hole in the interior sheet metal panel in the corner where the shoulder belt mounting point will be, fish the plates up through the space between interior and exterior sheet metal, then tack weld backing plates in place.

Then you buy a set of seat belts from a number of places. We also reinforced the floor where the seat belt retractor and center end of seat belt will bolt through the floor.

Sorry, not near my truck for a few months, so no pics to share.

You can also get seats from around a 2006 Silverado that have seat belts and shoulder belts built into the seat, but the seats are quite large. I tried those for my AD but they were going to be too big for what we wanted.

Wade

[MD2020]

55-59 driver side
for a nut on the back side

Above your left shoulder.
welded a nut on the back side of the plate
[[[[(<-----Cut a radius (concave)on a 2 x 6 board and hammered the plate until it fit the body line.

[dsraven]

how about seats with integral belts that are engineered to take the stress of impact. on big back window units the amount of metal there between the glass is minimal. on small back window trucks there is more metal but questionable strength in my opinion. I have cut apart many many vehicles in my career and know the metal behind the seat belt anchor points is a lot bigger than the area between the windows of a small window truck and it is usually placed somewhere more structurally strong than mid panel.
up to you but make it solid enough to withstand an impact from collision, otherwise all the belts do is keep your body inside the structure, sometimes.

[Rickysnickers]

You always offer very good advise and help. I have looked at the Silverado seats and they are just too big, in my opinion, for the cab of my truck. I wish some of the aftermarket seat manufacturers would offer a reasonably price seat with integrated belt option.

Originally Posted by dsraven

how about seats with integral belts that are engineered to take the stress of impact. on big back window units the amount of metal there between the glass is minimal. on small back window trucks there is more metal but questionable strength in my opinion. I have cut apart many many vehicles in my career and know the metal behind the seat belt anchor points is a lot bigger than the area between the windows of a small window truck and it is usually placed somewhere more structurally strong than mid panel.
up to you but make it solid enough to withstand an impact from collision, otherwise all the belts do is keep your body inside the structure, sometimes.

[Johns327]

Dave,
The “B” column on the TF big windows suck. What Dan did is a great option but it’s not a bolt in. The belt in the seat, easy but you see it in the back window and the seats are big. I saw one option with race belts attached to the panel behind the seat, a lot of buckling involved when you put it on/off.

I’m facing the same problem, my cab is painted and my window is installed, goofing with either of these is not popular with me.

If you search this site on this subject you’ll run across some pretty good articles on this.

Dan, could you show a couple of pictures on yours installed. I’m curious how far up the column you went. The Juliano site said “until comfortable” but I am worried that really high up may not leave enough strap to go around the gut, LOL.

I’ve attached some data that shows the folded up mess that makes up the colum.

John

[MD2020]

Quote dsraven"on small back window trucks there is more metal but questionable strength in my opinion"
What I have in those pictures is more than enough.
30 Years of Metal Fabrication.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I put Juliano's shoulder belts in my '55 big window.

No, there isn't a lot of metal there. It's a number of layers of sheet metal. I opened it up, welded in a layer of 1/8" metal strap with a lug nut and replaced the sheet metal. Good enough? Well, as good as you're gonna get. My face, nose or teeth won't meet the steering wheel or metal dash unless it's a very serious hit.

Face it, if we get in a truly serious accident in these 60 year old trucks we ARE going to get hurt. Much more so than in a modern pickup truck. No collapsing steering column or front architecture. The engine isn't going to be driven under the cab, it's going be driven into us! If you still have the gas tank in the cab with you, well...UGH...think of Paul Walker's death.

[BlouDon]

Having purchased myself a '59, I'm also very interested in this topic.

[idbeast]

MD2020...
Here are a couple of the pictures you asked about I'll get you some more of what you want next weekend.
Jim W

[davecarney2]

so in the meantime I know its not as safe as a 3 point but suggestions on lap belts? Anyone put 4 point harnesses in? Maybe a bar behind the seat with a 4 point might be another option. Anyone have pictures of that set up?

[BBPanel]

I did a 4-point (http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=678817) - I inserted a steel bar just below the window line to attach mounting points to. I don't think it was very well received (in post above) but its probably no safer or worse than any other mounting point - but that's something you have to decide for yourself. Here are a couple of pics:

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by davecarney2

so in the meantime I know its not as safe as a 3 point but suggestions on lap belts? Anyone put 4 point harnesses in? Maybe a bar behind the seat with a 4 point might be another option. Anyone have pictures of that set up?

I believe it is best if the shoulder belt mount is at the height of the top of your shoulder or within 4" below this point. See second page here http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/s...eat_belts.html

This is for a race car, but I am thinking street vehicle would be similar.

[BlouDon]

My truck now has seat 3-point retractable belts - for what they may be worth....

I slid up a 8" length of L-shaped bracket, 3/8" thick steel behind the inner shell of the B-pillar and bolted the shoulder bracket to it through a hole drilled through the inner shell. I did this close to where the inner shell is welded to the outer, in the hope of having sufficient strength there. Floor items mounted as per pics.

[MD2020]

Cool, Thanks idbeast

[BIGglaSS]

Belts from Julianos

Brackets are made from 3/16" steel and grade 8 bolts.I fished the brackets up through the pillar.






On the floor:


From the underside:

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sorry I hadn't come back to this thread in awhile.

I'm too late to tell most of you a lesson I learned too late on my installation:

We centered the shoulder belt hole in the pillar logically assuming that would be best - it is not. The hole should be closer to the edge of the pillar toward door opening so the belt hangar will be "level". Otherwise; like mine is, it hangs canted because the window is in the way. This makes the shoulder belt retractor hang up while trying to buckle it. Since I'm final painted I just have to live with it.

So, to you the come along later than me and the guys I gave bum advice to, hope this helps.

[mr48chev]

Those are some nice seat belt installations and that flat makes me happy. It even makes me happier that no one came on and claimed since these trucks weren't made with belts they didn't want or need them. It's been 41 years since my wife fell out of the 48 and she still packs the scars from hitting the gravel.

There is another reason I am hard core on seat belts though. in about June 1068 I had been flying for around 20 minutes in the left front seat of this OH 6 as the scout observer when I looked down and I had forgotten to fasten my seat belt and shoulder harness. 15 minutes later we took some hits in the tail section and one cut the tail rotor driveshaft about 2/3 the way in half. about a half hour later and maybe 5-6 miles from there we were in a rather tight right hand turn when the tail rotor driveshaft broke and we went into a spin and crashed into a thick forest that was maybe 50/60 ft tall trees. All three of us walked away from the crash.