Seat Belts ?

bige386

bige386

Senior Member
Just wondering how many of you have installed seat belts in your old Fords. When I bought my 46 Tudor Sedan There was a brand new set in the trunk. Iv been meaning to put them in but haven't done it yet. With the back seat foot rest in place it kind of make it hard to install them.
 
My dad and i were going to do it, but law here in Minnesota states, that if you have "Collector Plates", you may have your car stock, without seat bests or airbags.
 
If you plan to drive it, do yourself a favor and put seat belts in it, even if nothing more than lap belts! If you want it to look original, you can always tuck them away when showing it!

Seat belts DO save lives!
 
Three point belts in '31 coupe and '30 pickup, lap belts in '37 Chevy ... if they help just a little it is better than nothing ... but that is only my opinion and I don't try to change anyones mind ...

Vergil
 
My wife was just uncomfortable enough without seat belts that I took the longest one out of the back of my van and connected each end of it with the biggest screw-on chain links to the biggest forged I-bolts I could get connected through the floor with huge fender washers and lock nuts underneath. I know - it's not going to keep my chest from being impaled on the steering column etc. etc. But it will keep us inside of the car if it rolls or the doors open and keep my wife from launching though the windshield. And, I can disconnect it for car shows. No one seems to see the eye bolt hidden behind the door post.
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Then, for the Death Valley trip I decided to give the old ladies in the back some sense of security by installing lap belts back there. Again, connected with screw-on chain links to eye bolts through the floor so they can be removed for car shows.
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I put lap/shoulder inertia-reel driver/passenger belts and lap belt for centre passenger in my F1 when my boys were little - didn't want them bouncing around inside the cab ... or worse. I'd fallen out of my fathers V8 Pilot when I was five after the door flew open going around a corner - still remember the headache. No lasting damage, except I can't get these old Fords out of my system ...
 
If you are going to drive your car it is stupid and/or ignorant to do so without seat belts. Period.
 
I put inertia reel belts in my coupe as it's a daily driver. Even if it wasn't, I'd still prefer to have them. I've been going to fit lap belts for the rumble seat but as I never take passengers out on the road haven't got around to it yet.
 
The Early Ford V8 Club of America treats seatbelts as a safety item. At national meets no concourse points are/should be deducted for having them installed. Fire extinguishers on the other hand are mandatory... LouB.
 
I want to second what Scott H said about the belts from Wesco. I'm installing a set in both the front and rear of my '39 Deluxe Fordor. Great installation instructions and kit.
 
Here is my installation. Front seat has to come out to install but that will give you a chance to lube the slide rails. The rear seat footrest hides the anchor bolts for a neat installation
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john'
I got mine from J C Whitney
 
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I put 3 point non-retractable belts in my 36 pickup. It's not hard and safety is more important than looks (they don't look bad) in my book.

Bill
 
My dad told me a story of how back in the thirties he worked as a newspaper photographer. He said that one night they were at a wreck and could not find the driver's head. As they were walking back to their car, somebody kicked something. You can guess the rest.

The other thing he told me was how they always found the drivers in wrecks who had the neat banjo steering wheels with the spokes of the wheels perforating their chests.

My '36 roadster that I'm building with a Duval windshield and banjo wheel will have 3" racing type shoulder belts because of those stories. People may laugh when they see the mighty flathead in it and not think that those belts are warranted, but whose car is it?
 
The problem I see all too often is in the (poor) installation of belts.
They must be secured properly in order to do any good whatsoever.
A shoulder belt in a 36 roadster? I am curious as to what you plan to attach it to.
 
I used three point "westcott style" in my truck since my wife rides with me occasional. I will be adding them to the 36 also.

On the three point, the lap portion is bolted with the large supplied washers to the floor. Very solid. The lap portion is bolted to part of the door to back window support. Probably not the most solid anchoring as that would more then likely bend some if I was hit really hard. But I figured something is better then nothing and may help over just a 2 point.
 
I always put belts in anything. The older the less safe. The law says you don't have to have them in an oldie but when did they ever care about you?

If you don't put them in for yourself care enough about your passengers to put some in for them.
 
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