Front Shoulder Seat Belt

[sidewalkman]

The only engineering is to come up with something equivalent to the factory connection. My body man, who did the welding for me where I told him to place it, was concerned that this location wasn't strong enough. But the factory metal here is the same gauge as where the floor points are, and his length of weld was much more than the factory.

After the welding I imagine some repainting was in order?

[simplyconnected]

...But the factory metal here is the same gauge as where the floor points are, and his length of weld was much more than the factory.

That's why we always back up the location with heavier steel.

In the case of a floor pan, it's a heavy square, usually 1/4" thick with an extruded 1/2" hole (or a 1/2" Nylok nut).

In the case of a door pillar or roof rail, it's also a heavy strip of steel.

Both additions of steel are either MIG welded, projection welded or button welded in place. The idea is to spread the tension over a large area.

[Yadkin]

After the welding I imagine some repainting was in order?

I did this work before paint, but the weld area is not on exterior metal. A careful welder should have no problem keeping the surrounding area cool enough not to damage paint.

[Yadkin]

That's why we always back up the location with heavier steel.

In the case of a floor pan, it's a heavy square, usually 1/4" thick with an extruded 1/2" hole (or a 1/2" Nylok nut).

In the case of a door pillar or roof rail, it's also a heavy strip of steel.

Both additions of steel are either MIG welded, projection welded or button welded in place. The idea is to spread the tension over a large area.

As I recall the factory reinforced area is oblong, no sharp edges that would tend to tear the substrate.

[YellowRose]

Front Shoulder Seat Belt

I am in contact with David, Jeremy, and Darryl Heiner in Australia. Darryl did the shoulder harness seat belt installation on Jerermy's '60 430MEL Black Raven that used to belong to Bart Como! He still has it. I am working on putting together a Tech Tip on how to install retractable rear seat belts like David did in his '58 AND the Shoulder Harness set up that Darryl does for the guys Down Under. Unfortunately, when Darryl changed companies, he lost his pix. He has given me some additional information though. I am trying to piece together a step-by-step Tech Tip to help those who want to install front seat Shoulder Harnesses in their Squarebirds.

David has suggested this. If someone has a Squarebird with the headliner removed, please take some photos of the C section where the harness would go. We need to see what that section looks like because that is where the top of Shoulder Harness attaches to. We think that area is built up, but, unfortunately, neither Dave, Jeremy or Darryl have pix of that area. BUT I DO! One Pic and I will post it below. In the pic below you will see, from Davids '58, where that top of the Shoulder Harness attaches to the C Column. When Darrly does these installs, (and he has done many of them Down Under) with the headliner out, he welds in a plate in that area to strengthen the anchoring of that harness. When the interior is intact, and to prevent fire, he lifts up the headliner in that area and uses self tapping screws in the mounting plate on each side, then covers it up with the headline. Here also is a picture of the metal plates he uses and I will give you the dimensions in the Tech Tip.

[YellowRose]

You may want to check out Page 1 also, which started this thread!

I am pleased to inform you that I have made contact with Jeremy Bycroft ~ Aussie TBird! Jeremy has responded to my in email and in fact called me from Down Under and we spoke for awhile. He also send me some pix of his installation. He also informed me that Darryl Heiner has not been heard from for some time now. He made the retractable FRONT seat over-shoulder seat belt set up that Jeremy has in his 1960 Squarebird that he bought years ago from Bart Como. She is still operational. Darryl also came up with the Manual Rear seat over-shoulder seat belt harness. I will do my best to explain what he told me how it was installed and post the pix he sent me. If I get things wrong,perhaps he can log in and set me straight or answer any questions you might have. Here is what he said.

Installation Of Retractable Front Seat Over Shoulder Seat Belts & Manual Rear Over Shoulder Rear Seat Belts

Basically, the entire back seat and side panels need to be removed to do this fitment of seat belts. Hope this helps.

Take out the back seat, arm rests and rear side panel out . Install a shim between the arm rest and side panel You do not have to reinforce the C column. It is strong enough metal like the floor pans to anchor the seat belt set up to it. He also said that you do NOT drill all the way through that C column mounting point and it did not damage the exterior or paint of the outside C Column area.

The retractable Belt set up slides between the side panel & the arm rest.

The back seat does have over the shoulder manual seat belts.

The pics of the rear over-shoulder seat belts show them coming out between the rear seat and parcel shelf. There is a pic of the front bucket seat tilted forward, where the front belt clasp end is fitted to the floor. This is bolted through the floor and has a plate and nut on the underside of the car next to the drive shaft. Other pics show the anchor point to the frame in the lower roof section.

When you pull the back seat out there is an anchor point for those manual seat belts.

He used aftermarket standard retractable seat belt setups with a choice of color, red in his case to match the interior.

Jeremy Bycroft ~ Aussie Tbird

Here are the pix.