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Seat belts on a BJ8 -64 Phase 2

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Danne

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Hi,

When I got the car, last week, it had these kind of seat belts installed. But the shoulder guide is attached on the side interior (1). This seems a bit strange, or? I mean the side interior trim cant hold a crash's weight. What do I do to correct this? What are the correct seat belt anchor points located?
Or am I missing something?

Does anyone have pictures on their 3 point belt installation?


sideview.jpgtopview.jpg

/Danne
 
The seat belts should anchor on the floor next to the drivers seat , the driveshaft tunnel and the rear wheel arch . The anchor in the rear wheel arch may be rectangular in shape but in later cars like mine it was round . Your car may have had the trim panels replaced and they didn't put the trim piece back in place where the anchor point is . Look in side the rear wheel arches from outside the car and you should be able to see the reinforcement plate in the wheel arch . You may have to jack the car up and pull the wheels off.
i only have the lap belts in my car so the anchor point just have a nice dome head nut on it .
 
#1 in your first photo, those two bolts to the right of #1 are for the seat belt.
Do not use the bolt in the 2nd photo. That panel is made of thin wood and can not take any force.
 
Ok! I thought those two bolts were for back seat belts. But if I put the belt in those (that would be a non-retractable belt I guess) I will still get a bit weird angle on the belt, since it's going over my shoulder. Should it be any guide holding the belt, for the shoulder?

I can get new ones that are non retractable, but aren't there any solutions for retractable 3 point belts?
 
Original style were not retractable. Original did not have a guide for the shoulder.
People who have installed retractable ones hopefully will post with where and how installed. Maybe some photos too.
 
There are articles in some of the older magazines like chatter that define how to install retractable seat belts in a Healey.
 
Do I need a guide for the belt at the shoulder if I use the rear wheel anchor?

TH, I'm not sure yet if I'm gonna use a tonneau, but thats a good point.

Still hoping for anyone to post pictures, both on retractable 3 point, and non-retractable 3 point.

/Danne
 
Keoke, I have googled for hours on pictures and tips on retractable belt installations with no luck:( Seems like it's not very common. If if were just me riding the car it would be fine with lap belt, but I want my 8 year old son to come along too, so it's mostly for his sake I want the three point (and preferably retractable).

/Danne
 
Like this ,-)

Austin-Healey-3000-RearSeatBelt.jpg
 
Okay, I don't claim to be an automotive safety engineer so take what I'm saying with all due caution. But I wonder how unsafe the shoulder harness guide location really is? The retracting belt mechanism is actually mounted by the floor (#2 in your picture) and the only thing the guide does is keep the belt from slipping off your shoulder. My 3-point belts are mounted at the standard mounting point (the two bolts mentioned by AUSMHLY) and my belt does slip off my shoulder. What would happen in your car in the event of a crash? I suspect the guide would tear from the panel, but the belt would still remain anchored to the floor.
 
Danne said:
Keoke, I have googled for hours on pictures and tips on retractable belt installations with no luck:( Seems like it's not very common. If if were just me riding the car it would be fine with lap belt, but I want my 8 year old son to come along too, so it's mostly for his sake I want the three point (and preferably retractable).

/Danne
Click to expand...

"YAHOO"-:glee:[h=3] Retractable Seat Belt - MG, Triumph, Austin ...[/h] www.victoriabritish.com/features/sm/smin1.htm

P.S. Over there a Tonneau would be very comforting.
 
HealeyRick, yes if I don't misunderstand you point out exactly what is wrong with my seat belt installation. It's no good. In the event of a crash I suspect my shoulder is going to be pressed downwards. My back will be compressed. So I think I have to do like on Keokes picture (like you also have I guess), non-retractable belts. If it slips off it's still better than my installation. The angle of the belt seems much better. It won't cause the same "compression" I reckon. Or what do you think?

/Danne
 
Biggreen, that is a non-retractable belt on your picture, right?

Keoke, the links you provided are nice retractable belts, but how are they installed, in a safety point of perspective?:smile: I can't find any installation guides anywhere.

/Danne
 
Last edited:
Danne, you may want to contact Steve Thornton, as I note that he installed retractable seat belts on his rally tribute Healey and if the installation is anything like the standard of the other upgrades Steve has done, I am sure it will answer your questions. His web site is : https://www.stevesaustinhealey.com and I am sure you can get contact info from there.

Andy
 
Now I have spoken to Steve Thomton, and yes he has installed 3-point retractable belts, but he has a different kind of car - a heavily modified healey. So it's not suitable for a more "original" car:( I guess the only way to go is to go with non-retraclable, like BigGreen has... Really strange there are no retractable solutions to a "original" car.

Danne
 
Can the retractable unit be bolted where the two factory seat belt bolts are in the rear side panel?
Might require making an adaptor.
 
The problem with mounting them in the rear is that most re-tractors require a verticle mounting because they use a pendulum setup for the locking of the retract-er. This would put the belt having to exit straight up, impossible with a rear mounting.
 
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