Seat Belt
 

Has anyone considered removing most of the wood in door post, both Tudor & Fordor, installing a very thick piece of steel with a taped hole for the seat belt attachment, then a small amount of wood. This could be a shoulder type belt!

Any comments, of course both Pro's & Con's.

Re: Seat Belt
 

No real need. If the wood is solid, just fab an anchor plate and recess it into the wood.

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I put a 2x2 steel behind the door post of my pick up mounted seat and shoulder belt and belt retractor .

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Mounting on wood is fine. But if your in a accident I would trust steel over wood anyday.

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What are your expectations with the shoulder belt if you are in an accident? The lap belt will take the majority of the G-forces of the occupant. I would be more concerned with being able to securely anchor the lap belts instead of the shoulder restraint.

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Mounting a seat belt to wood is not allowed here, even with some of the best woods in the world for that kind of use. Even the requirements for mounting to steel are very stringent.

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I didn't want to cut my car up so I put a bolt in cage in when I was doing autocross, hillclimbs and rally's. There's no part of the original structure strong enough for legal belts.

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When installing seat belts you should consider the government design requirements when making the attachment points. The structural components of a pelvic restraint must each withstand a force of 2500 lbs. and the upper restraint (shoulder belt) a force of 1500 lbs. These are Canadian standards but US are probably the same. Obviously we can't design and test a compliant system, but at least build something that will give a reasonable level of safety over nothing at all.


I thought about cutting a slot in the door post of my Fordor for a steel bar also, but decided it was impractical and not strong enough. Instead I put a steel brace across the roof and attached the shoulder belts to angle iron brackets at each end. You can sort of see it in this picture. The force would pull down and forward. At best, I think my 3-point belts might reduce injuries in a low speed collision in a car never designed with passenger safety in mind. I hope I never have to test it.

I don't think my picture showed up - I posted one a few years ago, try a search for "seat belts" or "shoulder belts"

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/data:...O0cQlOhVR//9k=

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Trying photo again...

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mine are bolted to the floor behind the seat

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Your shoulder harness is also bolted to the floor? That was my first thought but have seen the steel plate idea in the side pillar so just wondering which way to go. I think the floor idea would be easier "mounting" I just wonder how the belt would hold as the seat starts to move in a crash.

Re: Seat Belt
 

1. There is no way a shoulder belt attached to a wood pillar or even to a piece of steel recessed into a wood pillar will not tear out even in a slow speed front end collision.

2. Mounting a shoulder belt to the floor directly behind the seat is a bad idea. In a frontal collision, your body will violently move forward, forcing the shoulder belt downward with a force enough to crush your spine. With no suitably strong door pillar in our cars, the best location in a tudor or four door sedan is at the floor behind the rear seat. In a coupe or roadster, the attachment point would be horizontal from the top of the seat back into the trunk or rumble seat compartment.

I have installed shoulder belts in three of my antique cars with documentation and photos on this forum. I do not know how to post a link to them but using the search function, you should be able to access the posts if interested.

Glen

Re: Seat Belt
 

I think this is the thread Lona is referring to?

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=847774

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Thanks for you help in showing a link to the roadster 3-point belt installation. There is also another post on installing retractable 3-point seat belts in a sedan if you would be kind enough to post a link to that too.

Glen

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I have three points belts in my fordor attached to the door post. seemed a better idea than none at all. i have experienced roll overs in moderns at low speed. locally two young guys died in a slow speed no belt van crash. broke both their necks.

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Have thought about possible installation of seat belts. Even with it being an open top Deluxe Roadster I don't see more than lap belts being used.

The other flip of the coin is why mess with it. I ride motorcycles on the street and do track days were you hit 140+ mph every single lap.

At this point I should look at my guardian angel and see what condition they are in.

Re: Seat Belt
 

lap belts only may keep you in the car but your upper body will rotate around the belt and your head will hit the steering wheel or the windshield. If you are installing lap belts, why not spend a little extra time and install shoulder restraints at the same time.

Glen

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I think I found it... finally!

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...at+belts+sedan

Maybe for the protection of your passengers?

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Y-Blockhead,

Thanks again for your help in posting the link to my second description on how to install three point seat belts in a sedan. I would be most appreciative if you could PM me on how you make a link like that so I will be able to do it in the future.

Glen

Re: Seat Belt
 

Here is how I paste a link into a post.

Using my mouse I put the cursor at the beginning of the address in the address bar, hold down the clicker and drag it across to the end of the address. Doing this will highlight it.

Then I press and hold down the Ctrl button and then press the C button.
This will copy anything that is highlighted.

Then I place my cursor at the point in what ever document I'm in at the point I want it to appear.

Then I press and hold the Ctrl button and press the V button.

Poof... there it is.


Works with any address, text etc... you want to copy and paste.