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Seat belts

davidkay
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:03 am

Seat belts

Post by davidkay »

Hi. I have a 1955 Daimler Conquest and would like to fit new retracting 3 way belts in the front and static 3 way belts in the rear. Has any member done this to their car. I don't think the rears will be a problem but the front door pillar could be. The car has static 3 way belts in the front that are fixed to the floor and comes over the front seats passing through a guide on the top of the seats. I have added a picture
showing the old belts that are useless when driving as you cannot reach hand brake and switches properly or not at all. Any advice would be great.

Dave
Attachments
IMG_1218_2.JPG

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theoldman
Extremely Wise Man
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Posts: 1110
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:39 pm
Location: Bacton on Sea, Norfolk UK

Re: Seat belts

Post by theoldman »

Have the floors and "B" posts been reinforced?

If not, I would not recommend fitting ANY type of belt to your car - they are likely to rip out of their mountings at a time you need them most..........................

Regarding the rear ones, again, anywhere you want to mount them needs reinforcing.

One needs to remember that unlike some relative "moderns" from say 1963 onward, these cars were never intended to have belts fitted and therefore the structure is not designed to take the stresses and strains of them.

All this is not just theory, i have seen the after effects.........................
Normal for Norfolk

Fossil
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:08 pm
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: Seat belts

Post by Fossil »

I have inertia reel front seat belts bolted to the body mounting point behind the front seats, coming up and over the seat back like yours. You need to find a long belt which will give you some freedom of movement before locking. I suggest that you Google "Securon seat belt stockists" and find one which gives the specifications of each unit including belt length. I've just taken delivery of a new pair with 297mm belts to give me more room, and there are longer lengths available particularly with vertical position reels. You should be able to find them at around £33.00 each.

I fitted lap belts in the rear because the parcel shelf is not strong enough for a 3 point belt top anchor, and have used reinforcing plates for all the front and rear mountings in the plain steel floor.

Regards

Geoff

Dobbinridesagain
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Posts: 420
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 8:22 pm
Location: Gloucester

Re: Seat belts

Post by Dobbinridesagain »

Despite their name, this company has long specialised in belts for classic cars. They can make belts in the proper webbing with the period-correct aircraft type buckles. And colour them to match your upholstery.
You don't have to have nasty modern plastic.
http://www.quickfitsbs.com/components_colours.php

Ivor

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Kbeal
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:01 pm

Re: Seat belts

Post by Kbeal »

Concur, they did a really good job on my dart about 17 years ago and still going strong.
Kevin

davidkay
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:03 am

Re: Seat belts

Post by davidkay »

Hi All.
Thanks for your advice. I will go with SECURON as they are british made and seem like a good product. Neil you say about reinforced
points for the belts. It has big steel plated at the front and I will have a garage look at the rear and advise the best way to go.
I really would feel a lot safer with belts as I have retired after over 50 years HGV/PSV driving and have seen some horrors after a crash
when people did not put their belt on or they had a car not fitted with belts like 1955 Daimlers.
All the best

Dave

Phillmore
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Location: Worcestershire Herefordshire border

Re: Seat belts

Post by Phillmore »

Another interesting originality versus safety situation. I have three classics all without seatbelts and I do like to maintain originality and think they make the inside of the car look untidy but . . . . . I am also acutely aware that without crumple zones, collapsible steering columns, air bags, safety glass and soft internal surfaces et al I am taking risks! Or maybe we drive more safely because of it?
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

davidkay
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:03 am

Re: Seat belts

Post by davidkay »

Hi Andy. I fully agree with what you say. But my car was owned by my in laws and as they drove around the south circular road some 19 year old drunk in a stolen triumph stag v8 hit them head on after hitting another car first. ALL 3 car were totally written off. My in laws although only doing about 30 mph and not using the front seat belts as fitted had some pretty bad injuries that took a very long time to get over. In their case if they had put the belts on they would not have suffered as they did for about a year and the mother in law would not have scars on her face. What more can I say.

Take care all you classic vehicle owners.

Dave

Fossil
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Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: Seat belts

Post by Fossil »

David

I agree with your thinking, it is wise to take other drivers into account. Thanks for your pm, I'll reply to it once I've refreshed my memory about the details of the Century Securon belt fit. I recall reading the comments of a coroner a few years ago following the death of an unrestrained front seat passenger in a large classic saloon with period wood and leather interior; he thought it highly regrettable that suitable safety features, which might have saved that person's life, were, for whatever reason, not fitted to some older cars used on public roads in current traffic conditions.

I used to rely on static belts of the period but they are very restrictive; after many years I replaced the older style static belts on my Dart with Securon inertia reel belts a few years ago and the difference in comfort and ease of access to controls is substantial; the Century is also comfortable for longer journeys with Securon I R belts, even with the floor to shoulder to buckle belt run, and access to all the switches and the handbrake is generally unhindered. The buckles are on 45cm stalks I think (will check) bolted to the floor just behind the seats in the centre of the floor with reinforcing plates.

The Dart inertia reel units are bolted to the outer chassis/body mounting point behind the front seat and the buckle stalks to the similar inner point. With a little care in use I find inertia reel belts with stalk mounted buckles easier to use and much less untidy than the static type; I think that this outweighs the advantages and originality of earlier static belts.

Regards

Geoff

Phillmore
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 1:25 pm
Location: Worcestershire Herefordshire border

Re: Seat belts

Post by Phillmore »

Yes David, common sense would dictate that retro fitted seat belts should be a must fit on all classics. I can't dispute that logic. Now you're making me consider it more seriously. Maybe we should have poll to see who have fitted belts, who have inherited them with their cars and who haven't fitted them?
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

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