The Good, The Bad And The Ugly....

[LuckyDevil]

The bad first.....

Here in Oklahoma people aren't used to snow, every body was freaking out and closing schools and acting a fool over a few inches of the fluffy stuff. My work closed so I was stuck at the house.

The good.....

I used this opportunity to tear the car apart. Just went out in the garage and turned on my trusty little space heater and went to town. After removing the back half of the interior, I thought I had messed up bad!

The ugly.....

Let the picture speak for itself.

Long story short, I got my seatbelts installed for the back seat. Now my little girls can all ride with me. I also found out how the back windows come apart and why they weren't working correctly. I got the windows fixed, belts installed, everything cleaned, and miraculously, I got it all back together again.

I do have a question for you, how would be the best way to install the front seatbelts? I really dont want to drill holes in the floorpan. Anybody mount them to the seat itself?

[randroid]

Lucky,

It warms the cockles of this aging heart to see that somebody can start a project and finish it in the same day. Well done, Lad!

You are going to need to come to terms with drilling holes in the floor pan for a few very solid reasons, not the least of which is it is the least evil of a number of evils. Although it is an evil alternative, the seats are made to survive a reasonable collision and have their mounts be strong enough to support them, but should you add the weight of three passengers (I think 500# would be a reasonable 'guestimate') I don't think the seat could be held accountable if it went through the windshield or hit the dash just after the passengers. So put the mounts through the floor making certain they're not also attached to the frame (for reasons explained in an earlier post).

I put myself through college working factories, and one of those jobs was 'tricking' vans. Whenever I needed to drill through the body I would load the bolt passing through it with clear silicon plus a glob of silicon on both sides of the hole. It seals everything from any destructive elements while helping to lock the nut to the bolt. If nothing else it made me feel better about doing the drilling but if that isn't to your liking then drill the hole and paint everything around it before you pass a bolt through it so long as you still use silicon. You shouldn't need to worry about rust damage during your lifetime. A better alternative to silicon is 'Ten-X' but I've only seen it available in the Pacific Northwest.

-Randy

(PS: My brother lives in the SE Arizona desert and every three years they get a little snow that lasts a couple days. Having been there once when this happens I can easily relate to how you feel about locals not knowing how to drive on snow, but I can assure you there are plenty of folks here in Northern Colorado who need several weeks to remember how to do it every year, year after year.)

[Robert Horne]

The seats in my 15 passenger van have the bench seat belts attached to the rear frame of the seats. The bench seats have locks where as the seats can come out easy. The seat in my 38 Plymouth, is a 3rd row seat from a Chevy Surbaban. It also has the seat belts attached to the seat frame.

[Gary Manes]

I live in Oklahoma somewhere under this sheet of ice. I wish my 1948 Chrysler New Yorker was road worthy right now. With the fluid drive it is move effective on the slippery roads than my others.

Also, during the first ice storm after I got her back on the road a pot metal piece in the wiper stud broke, so now (as yet) no wipers.

If I had a few more items corrected, I would definitely drive it to Tulsa tonight to pick up my wife at the airport. It is rock solid cruising down the avenues. I expected her to be more "tipsy" with side winds but such is not the case.

My wife keeps coming up with things that use up my "disposable" income. However, I am hoping this year to get the 1948 Desoto running. I like it better because of the symetry, and the FLYING LADY hood ornament. It also has a sunvisor. Just too, too cool.

[greg g]

What ever you figure out DO NOT ATTACH the belts to the frame. You want to stay with the body and not the frame, as the seperation of body from the frame in a violent crash is a posibility. You do not want the body to pass around you while you re attached to the frame.

Juliano's rod shop sells belts and purpose made anchor reinforcements. They also have photo essay how to do its on several different old vehicles.

Edited January 30, 2010 by greg g

[RobertKB]

What ever you figure out DO NOT ATTACH the belts to the frame. You want to stay with the body nad not the frame, as the seperatio of body from the frame in a violent crash is a posibility. You do not want the body to pass around you while you re attached to the frame.

Juliano's rod shop sells belts and purpose made anchor reinforcements. They also have photo essay how to do its on several different old vehicles.

Excellent advice.

Juliano's offers lots of nice belts and choice of colours. http://www.seatbeltsplus.com/product/1201-74.html

Here is another source also.

http://www.seatbeltsplus.com/product/1201-74.html

[PatS....]

You could attach the belts to the seat, but the older cars seats were not very well secured to the car:

I will be re-securing the seat to the floor and installing a reinforcement to the floor to attach the lap/shoulder belts to. Also will be seriously considering bearclaw latches to keep the doors closed.

The solid steering column is also a concern...not too sure what to do about that, though.

Of course, as long as it sits on blocks in the garage, it's quite safe ;(

[Captain Neon]

I can assure you there are plenty of folks here in Northern Colorado who need several weeks to remember how to do it every year, year after year.)

Also a lot of people that still drive like Fort Collins and Loveland are still islands surrounded by sugar beet fields. One needs good brakes in Northern Colorado to protect life and property from the non-observant that pull out in front of others. Couple this w/ the retirees that have "discovered" Loveland and their diminished vision and reflexes, and it is no wonder that Stan's Auto Repair has such a booming business with a fleet of new International flatbed tow trucks.

[Greenbomb]

Lucky:

Your first picture is very familiar- that's where I'm at now. Got all the mouse nests out and everything cleaned up and am in the "engineering" stage. My brother will be doing the fabric work and I'll be doing the "Grunt/Gopher" stuff. AND I get to pay for it all! Gotta get the windshield and rear window rubbers changed out first, though. Getting antsy to get it done.

"...diminished vision and reflexes..." Hmmm...dat be me! Also add the latest habit of steering the same direction I'm looking. Ain't gettin' old grand!!!

[bobjob55]

for safety sake,, mount it too the floor,,make sure that bolt is big enough,, and use FENDER WASHERS...not just flat washers.. they are 2-3 times larger than flat.. i've seen wrecks in drag cars that belt -bolt tore through floor boards.. just make sure that washer is pretty big and strong.. i usually use fender washer then a flat washer and seems to be a good secure fit.. you can find what is recommended for racing at jegs or summit.. you can't be too careful,, only not enough..

[Plymouthy Adams]

some of the sites selling sealtbelts will also sell sepeately the mounting kits...they are reasonable enough in price..their backing washers are more than adequate

[1940_dodge]

You could attach the belts to the seat, but the older cars seats were not very well secured to the car:

I will be re-securing the seat to the floor and installing a reinforcement to the floor to attach the lap/shoulder belts to. Also will be seriously considering bearclaw latches to keep the doors closed.

The solid steering column is also a concern...not too sure what to do about that, though.

Of course, as long as it sits on blocks in the garage, it's quite safe ;(

Every single one of those tests was absolutely terrifying.

[TodFitch]

Every single one of those tests was absolutely terrifying.

The YouTube title said GM but the cars had UCLA on them. Here is something else from UCLA:

http://www.archive.org/details/safety_through_seat_belts