Seat Belts

[Mopar-Boy]

Thanks @TodFitch.  I am going to use the metal floor directly behind the seat.  It's amazing that the seat sliders are mounted to the wooden floor and nothing else.  So I agree that it is difficult to decide the best way to mount them, AND that anything that shears the body in a 95 year old car is not likely to leave the passengers in great shape regardless of mounting position.

 

[Eneto-55]

On 2/5/2024 at 9:22 AM, Mopar-Boy said:

Thanks @TodFitch.  I am going to use the metal floor directly behind the seat.  It's amazing that the seat sliders are mounted to the wooden floor and nothing else.  So I agree that it is difficult to decide the best way to mount them, AND that anything that shears the body in a 95 year old car is not likely to leave the passengers in great shape regardless of mounting position.

 

Just a thought, but if the seat comes loose and you have seat belts, then it's your body that is restraining the weight of the seat from flying forward. Maybe add some straps across the wood underneath, to reinforce the seat's connection to the body.

Edited February 7 by Eneto-55

[Mopar-Boy]

13 hours ago, Eneto-55 said:

Just a thought, but if the seat comes loose and you have seat belts, then it's you body that is restraining the weight of the seat from flying forward. Maybe add some straps across the wood underneath, to reinforce the seat's connection to the body.

Yep, I'm struggling with this decision for sure.  Was hoping to get a lot of comments on the risks (just like these).  Thanks.

[ggdad1951]

All I know is I never want to be in an accident in my old stuff.....regardless, likely severe injuries and honestly...I don't know if I'd want to make it out "in one piece" with massive internal injuries with a non system designed seatbelt system.  In FEF I roll the dice every drive:  accident likey I'd be dead.  In TODD I have factory belts on a modern seat fastened to the cab sturdily with a colapsable steering wheel in front of me....but no crumple zone or air bags....just litterally tons of mass to push on the other vehicle.

[JBNeal]

19 hours ago, Mopar-Boy said:

Yep, I'm struggling with this decision for sure.  Was hoping to get a lot of comments on the risks (just like these).  Thanks.

If'n ya take a gander at a modern body-on-frame vehicle, you'll see that seat belt mounts are to reinforced areas of the steel floor with larger grade 5 bolts.  The steel reinforcement looks like a doubler plate so that the bolt does not pull through the sheet metal, either through a catastrophic event or from daily use. 

 

Lost was a pic of a Pilot-House that I found on the internets where that restored buggy clearly centered a light pole and was sitting in a salvage...apparently, the shiny bench seat was covered in Armor-All, contrary to product warnings, and the driver made a sharp left turn going too fast and lost grip of the steering wheel, sliding over to the passenger side to witness his restoration work's demise.  So I look at seat belt usage in a more positive light as a means to avoid an accident on a Sunday drive as well as to reduce injuries in an aggressive accident.