I would like to add 3 point retractable seatbelts to my 1972 Cutlass Convertible. Does anyone make a kit or has anyone attempted this?

 

i believe it was a factory option, I think steven gerard has it in his car

thers a pic in this thread fyi

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...nvertible.html

 

yep my car came with them. You can order repos from any of the parts stores and add them to your car. The length of the female end will most likely be shorter than the factor ones came though. Also I'm not sure anyone reproduces the brushed stainless buckle but if you are looking to add them for safety a matching pair may not matter to you.

I have done a bunch of research and it also seems as if a shoulderbelt is supposed to be mounted within approximately 15 degrees up or down of horizontal of the passengers shoulder height. Typically these older shoulderbelts will be a greater angle than that since they mount so much lower near the rear piston of the convertible top. It may seem like they are better than nothing but I have read that they can cause paralysis in an accident if used. So I rarely use the shoulderbelt, they say a lap belt by itself is better than the old separate system in these cars as compared to a "real" three point harness in a newer car.

 

Hitting your head on the dash because you only have a lap belt is pretty much guaranteed to cause injury. I paid attention during the probability and statistics classes in school, so I'll take the small chance of paralysis over the certainty of injury any day.

Back to the OP's question, keep in mind that the OEM seatbelts for these cars were not inertia-reel retractable belts like the ones in new cars. The shoulder belts were non-retracting, just like the hardtop belts. Adjustment was on the inboard buckle end, as with the lap belt. The factory belt arrangement WAS federally tested at the time these cars were new and met the requirements then in place. I would hesitate to install something non-factory without the engineering analysis and test that went into the factory design, specifically the attach points for the shoulder belts. Similarly, inertial reel belts are sensitive to installation orientation. If they were not factory installed and tested, I'd hesitate to use them in a non-oem installation.

Of course, retrofitting belts into an older car that was never factory-equipped is a crap shoot. All you can do in that case is the best job you can, but you'll never have the factory engineering and testing that was done in later model cars.

 

I'm with you on this one Joe. I have them in my 1970 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. Once they are buckled, you can't move around much. But I think it is a nice secure feeling when you are in traffic or cruising down the interstate. If you need to lean forward, you have to unbuckle the shoulder belt. There are 2 separate ends on the right (left for passenger), female for the lap and male for the shoulder belt. The shoulder belt buckle attaches to the lower rear door panel, into a plastic male end.

 

My 72 Monte has them. I keep them folded up most of the time. Using them, I can barely reach the radio, but you can go forward and right a bit. Did Olds use the belts with the keyhole in the tab, and the shoulder belt with the round tab as well? Chevy went to that system, over the independent buckles in 72 I believe and it may have been cross-divisional.

 

I'm planning to install seatbelts in my 69 Cutlass convertible. I worked with Steve from SeatbeltPlanet. I emailed him PDFs of the body manual pages for convertible seatbelts, and it sounds like he can reproduce, even the sleeves that go through the boot. I will probably do it in the spring. His contact information is below. You can message me if you want the scan of the pages.

Steve Pekrul, Sales Manager
Tel Toll Free: (877) 435-6363
stevepekrul@seatbeltplanet.com
Visit us at http://www.seatbeltplanet.com/

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. This is a tough one. I retro fitted retractable seatbelts in my 70 Charger. They appeared to work great but thankfully I never tested them. But that was a hardtop. Joe you are correct. Hitting your head on the wheel is gotta be worse than any damage the belt would do. At least I would be willing to take that risk. I don't think I would use them if they weren't retractable. I am leaning toward talking to Oldzman's guy at SeatbeltPlanet. I will keep you posted on how this goes.

 

They were also factory installed in my '72 conv. I have them on all the time I'm driving.

On a side note, all 2 door, 4 door, wagons, & probably convertibles had provisions from the factory for rear seat shoulder belts. I checked one of the manuals & sure enough, the anchor nuts are installed in some if not all cars. I put a set of sholder belts in the second seat of my Vista & there are provisions right under the vista glass for shoulder belts for the third seat passengers. I've never seen a car equipped with them, but mine has them.

 

Not sure if its trued but I have heard it was such a pain to install the shoulder belts in the convertibles and the back seats that the dealers just didn't push them as an option. Supposedly they came in the trunk even when factory ordered and had to be installed at the dealer. Wonder how true that was. I have only seen one car with factory ordered rear shoulder belts installed.