1959 Big Back Window 3 point seatbelts

[dewey777]

So I am going to start this thread, I've done searches and commented on some other threads but have not actually talked with anyone who has done it.

Has anyone installed 3 point seat belts in a Big Back Window????????

I plunged ahead and drilled my pillar to find out that it is not completely hollow like it appears to be. What do I do now?

Here is a crude top view picture of what the inside of the pillar looks like. I could cut larger hole in the face of the pillar to install a flat bar in and a nut and then patch it in after but I wanted to get some ideas first.

The PO (previous owner) had installed the 3 points with a piece of flat metal and a nut up high (above the window) but it is way too high and the seatbelt does not even touch your shoulder. I want to lower it for comfort and safety. I will post some pics later.

[blackdiesel]

We have done 3 of then. We just drilled a 3/4" hole beside the fold your talkin about and welded in a 1/2" nut in it. You just want it about 4-5" above the seat back. If you get it to high you will regret it.

[dewey777]

I thought about that but wondered if there was any legality just welding a nut to sheet metal? Was hoping to have some metal in behind to help distribute the load.

[Tri5Nerd]

How safe is that with just welding a nut in the sheetmetal? I would think there are safer solution out there but I've not seen them. I'll be looking at this sometime soon.

Tri5

[blackdiesel]

It depends on the welder I guess. You should see some of the OEM mounts. Thats not just sheet metal there. It's 3 layers thick. I guess that we're (me, dad and grandpa and all that rides with us) are beting our life on it. You do as you like. He just ask what others have done.

[Mr GMC]

I wanted to put a three point in a 58 suburban I had but sold it before getting to it. My truck is already restored and it is stock so I hate to start cutting and drilling. Years ago I was rear ended in a 68 Chevy p/u. After my head hit the back glass my face hit the steering wheel. wish I had shoulder belts.

[Tri5Nerd]

Originally Posted by blackdiesel

It depends on the welder I guess. You should see some of the OEM mounts. Thats not just sheet metal there. It's 3 layers thick. I guess that we're (me, dad and grandpa and all that rides with us) are beting our life on it. You do as you like. He just ask what others have done.

Blackdiesel,
Not trying to offend you, I just wanted to know how safe and strong that would be, I didn't know that there were 3 layers of metal there and thought that someone else had another solution, I'm looking into using a seat with the belt built in the seat, the later year chevy trucks/suburbans. I join this forum to learn and try to provide info if I have it so I'm sorry if my question was offensive.

Tri5

[OrrieG]

I am using Yukon third row seats with the belts built in. I figure GM did the engineering. I am using the stock mounting method welded to a frame that uses the stock seat mounting bolts. I calced my connections and welds based on the stock seat floor bolts being the weakest link. My floors are solid with no rust. If I get in trouble enough to shear the floor bolts seat belts are going to be the least of my worries.

[OKGMC4]

Ya. I had the same safety concerns and ended up with Dodge seats with built in belts to make me feel better about it. I see trucks all the time with lap belts or no belts and stock bench seats. I also liked the high back idea to keep my head off the glass in a rear end collision, but they won't look as dorky in my small window cab as they would in a big back window. Trying to re-engineer 50's technology makes me appreciate the comforts of my late model daily driver!

[blackdiesel]

The seatbelt reel on the 06 dodge 2500 that I rebuilt the other day just had one bolt in the B-pillar that was about 1/2" from the edge of a big hole. It looked like it would be real easy to pull out to me. Testing a seatbelt mount would be about like try to catch a bullet in your mouth, you pitch it to them a couple of times to get the hang of it.... then you put the next one in a gun and as your pointing it at their head you tell him "this ones going to be a little FASTER". You just have to do what's comfortable for you, look at some OEM suff to get some ideas and go from there. and no offence taken

[bobinbc]

I have a big window truck as well and plan to look around for a real rusty and/or wrecked BW cab that I can cut up to have a look inside that pillar. If anyone has one they'd be willing to take the saw to I'd be really intererested in seeing pics.....anyone???

[dewey777]

Thanks for the replies, I might cut open the door side of the pillar and see if I can cut in a plate of some kind. Not sure when I will get to it but I will post pics if I go ahead.

Has anyone used the height adjustable mounts from a newer vehicle? I might check out the junkyard and see what they look like and if it's possible.....
(pic courtesy of google, only thing I could find)

[gono]

Any updates on this? I've read a few articles online but I'm curious if any one has pictures to go with their install. Good junkyards are hard to come by in my area so I would be online. If anyone could recommend a company/website that would be great.

[Litefoot Sr]

I have a big back window, and I used 3 point seats out of a 2006 Chevy Silverado. They do stick up above the window but if you tint the glass, it's not that noticiple. IMHA

[octanejunkie]

I am using adjustable height front seatbelts out of a 90s Tahoe. Works great.

I mounted them right behind the pillar so you don't see the sliding head piece from the window.
Seat is Astro van 3rd row w GM seatbelt receivers attached. Middle seatbelt is lap-belt only.

[gono]

Originally Posted by Litefoot Sr

I have a big back window, and I used 3 point seats out of a 2006 Chevy Silverado. They do stick up above the window but if you tint the glass, it's not that noticiple. IMHA

Do you happen to have any pictures?

[dsraven]

I know this is a small window cab but here is a pic of what it looks like with the skin off. I would say use a seat with belts in it or do some reinforcing behind there. what if you drilled an oversize hole in the cab where you want the nut anchor point, then slice a hole in the door jamb from the front facing edge and slide in a piece of flat bar (with a hole already drilled in it) then weld the nut to the bar (through the hole in the sheet metal) and cap it all up nicely when done. that way there is something back there at least. make sure to pull the flat bar against the sheet metal before you weld. maybe work?

[dsraven]

ok, that idea may not work. I found a pic of what that rear wall looks like with the outer skin off. it is an inner panel that you can see from inside the cab behind the tank. then a sandwiched support panel that is hidden between the inner and outer panels. then the outer skin. maybe you can blow that pic up enough to see what it looks like. you could try looking online for a pic of the replacement panel set and see what the parts look like. maybe then visualize how it goes together from looking at this pic? not much room there for the flat bar idea I had in the last post.
good luck

[gono]

Thanks for the pix. With the pix, I still might be able to figure out how to weld a plate in there. I was hesitant at first to use 3 point seat belts because of being visible through the big window. I wanted a clean stock look. That was before I had kids. So, my kids will want to go for rides with me and, well, enough said. Still not sure about the middle seat. might go with a 4 point harness.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dsraven

I know this is a small window cab but here is a pic of what it looks like with the skin off. I would say use a seat with belts in it or do some reinforcing behind there. what if you drilled an oversize hole in the cab where you want the nut anchor point, then slice a hole in the door jamb from the front facing edge and slide in a piece of flat bar (with a hole already drilled in it) then weld the nut to the bar (through the hole in the sheet metal) and cap it all up nicely when done. that way there is something back there at least. make sure to pull the flat bar against the sheet metal before you weld. maybe work?

I like this idea but the flat bar would be narrow, wouldn't it? Like 1/2"?
But if you make it long, say 12" you could drill through the sheet metal say 2 or 3 times above and below the actual shoulder anchor nut and rosette weld the sheet metal to the bar. Grind smooth, a little filler and primer and you're there. That'd be pretty strong, wouldn't it?

[dsraven]

if it was me I would really look at a seat with the belts in the seat for the 2 outside ones, and maybe lap belts for the middle? what do you have for seats now? buckets? bench? just saying that because the seats are already made to handle the belt, unlike the pillar. there is a lot of strain on an anchor if there would ever be a crash. better safe than sorry. the floor under the seat is wayyy easier to beef up than the pillar is.
what about a whole new channel, made up from 16 guage or something, that has a double plate anchor on the back side with a nut prewelded in flush and could be welded to the original post? would there be room? that would make it a lot stronger. might not look awesome though. you could dress it up or even put an adjustable anchor on the channel.

[gono]

right now I have a bench seat that my dad used in it when he drove it. So there's some sentimental value in keeping it. The seat frame was cut down so that the back of the bench is just below the window. The few seats if seen at car shows that have the belts built into them tend to be a bit taller than I would prefer. right now I'm leaning towards modifying the pillar.

[dsraven]

I know some guys are using the split bench from the 88-98 chevy pick ups. they remove the headrests and then the seats fit pretty good. they don't, however, have the seat belts in the seats. maybe a trip to picknpull is in order. walk the yard and see if there are some low back seats with belts built in?

[Litefoot Sr]

i attached photos of the Siverado seats I used, but unfortunately known are at the right angle showing the back of the seat from inside. One photo shows the seat from the rear before i installed the back glass, so you can see how high and the shape. The last pic shows the tinted glass installed so it pretty much disappears from the back. I'll try to get another shot from inside tomorrow.

[dsraven]

wow, nice paint. it looks like you dipped the truck. I always liked that blue. My dad's truck was that color, or close. 59 chev apache. sold a couple months before I got my license.