Higgins

I would like to install some seat belts in my 63 Starfire hardtop. Any suggestions on exactly where to drill holes in the floor for the mounting bolts? Also, has anyone installed a 3-point belt? If so, how and where did you mount the shoulder belt anchor?
Thanks
Higgins

joe_padavano

Seat belts were a dealer-installed option for your car. Reinforced, threaded hard points are already in place for the belts. Look under the car and you'll see them, with rubber plugs pushed in place from the top side. You'll need to lift the carpet to get the plugs out, then make a hole in the carpet over the holes to install the belts. I seem to recall that the ones in my 62 required an unusual size bolt, something like 7/16 fine thread. Be sure to use Grade 8 bolts with large fender washers.

Adding shoulder or three-point belts will require welding a reinforcement to the B-pillar. This is not particularly easy to do and obviously requires removal of interior fabrics and repainting after welding.

Higgins

Thanks Joe.... Do you know if there are holes for rear belts too? I can't get to my car for a while to look but might get some belts for Christmas if I've been good.
Higgins

Oldskeeper

The front anchors are as Joe stated already there and for the rear seats you will see four dimpled spots in the rear panel where you will need to drill to mount the required hardware, shoulder straps won't work in this car as long as the front bucket seats can't lock in position. If you were thrown forward the seat would fold up stressing the belt even more breaking your ribs.
Steve

Higgins

Just for further discussion, if I remember right, there is a reinforcement bar already attached to the B pill that the rear side window track is bolted to that could anchor a shoulder belt. There is plenty of room to anchor the belt and not interfere with the window. It must be welded as I don't remember seeing any bolts when I was looking earlier this year. I don't know how it is attached at the rear as it goes back into the quarter panel and I can't see that far back.
Oldskeeper, thanks for the info on the dimples. The seats don't lock but with or without a shoulder strap the seat back is going to go forward in an impact. It just seems to me I would rather have a belt injury instead of hitting the steering wheel. Just my thoughts. Thanks for your help.

joe_padavano

Sorry, but I have to disagree. I hear this a lot and it makes no engineering or physics sense. First, so long as shoulder belts prevent your torso from moving forward, the loose seatbacks can't build up any appreciable momentum. Second, the webbing of the belts stretches and absorbs energy, providing a relatively gentle (well, as compared to hitting the windshield) deceleration. And finally, even having the seat provide a force against your back is far preferable to having your head impact the steering wheel, dash, or windshield. Oh, and by the way, the seats will fold up on you whether you are wearing a shoulder belt or not!

I've also heard non-engineers claim that you shouldn't use seat belts in a car where the seat mounts aren't designed for it, since the seats will rip out and crush you. News flash: Again, the belts will prevent this.

This whole line of reasoning is a sad commentary on science education in America today.

Olds64

What type of seat belts are you going to install? You can buy "aftermarket" seat belts from Kanter and other sources. I bought a set of lap belts with pre-tensioners from Auto Loc. They are pieces of JUNK (plus I got lousy customer service)!

The aftermarket Kanter belts might be better (I've orderd from Kanter before and they have good products and customer service). Eventually I want to have my stock front lap belts repaired and reinstalled (they don't click together).

Don R.

I have the original front seat belts in my 63, I can take some pics if that would help. One of these days I've got pull the rear seat out and see if there are rear belts there, if not I'm going to add some. I added a full set to a 63 Riviera I had, got a good looking set of aftermarkets from SSnake-Oyl: http://www.ssnake-oyl.com/
They will work with you to supply the right bolts for your existing front floor sockets and have a wide chioce of colors available.

Higgins

Newton's second law of motion.....F=MA

Higgins

Thanks Don. Since Joe said the holes are already there it should be easy to install lap belts. Also thanks for the link. It will be spring before I can install any belts. I am going to explore installing 3-point belts as I feel more comfortable with 3-point, just have to see what is available and the best way to mount them if possible. I definately want some belts installed, feels weird not having them on.
Higgins