55.2-59 seat belts in a 59

[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.